Elizabeth Freeman, formerly a partner at Jackson Walker LLP, has sought judicial intervention to stop a government subpoena requesting her personal bank records. This action follows the probe into the alleged concealment of her relationship with ex-bankruptcy judge David R. Jones, as noted by Bloomberg Law.
The US Trustee, the Department of Justice’s bankruptcy monitor, subpoenaed Zions Bancorporation NA for financial documents spanning five and a half years related to Freeman. Freeman argues that these documents are only “peripheral” to the investigation into her former firm’s conduct and have requested the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas to quash the subpoena.
The investigation seeks to recoup at least $18 million in fees from Jackson Walker, with allegations that the firm failed to disclose Freeman’s relationship with Jones. An earlier court ruling referred Jackson Walker for disciplinary action after determining ethical breaches. Freeman left Jackson Walker at the end of 2022.
Freeman has raised concerns over potential exposure of her personal banking information, citing a recent incident where court exhibits containing her personal information were misplaced by FedEx. In response, she has filed for an emergency hearing and pointed out that she had already turned over certain financial checks used to pay expenses on a shared property with Jones.
Judge Jones, who resigned last year, denied any financial benefit derived from Freeman’s legal work. The case, Professional Fee Matters Concerning the Jackson Walker Law Firm, is currently under scrutiny in the Southern District of Texas.
For further details on the ongoing legal proceedings and the implications for Jackson Walker LLP and Freeman, see the full coverage by Bloomberg Law.