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CBS CEO Hires Lawyer to Defend Sexual Misconduct Probe

By George Khoury, Esq. on August 28, 2018 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

It was recently reported that the CEO for CBS, Leslie Moonves, has hired a high profile attorney to protect him from the investigation of his alleged sexual misconduct against six women who spoke to a reporter from the New Yorker.

If you haven't heard the news, CBS, which has largely avoided any #MeToo fallout, recently was rocked by allegations that the CEO attempted to force himself upon, and even going so far as to kiss, subordinates during meetings, and faced no consequences. And though some of these allegations took place many years ago, in the court of public opinion, and when it comes to business, it doesn't matter. On news of the report, CBS's stock price fell, and still hasn't recovered.

Who's the Lucky Lawyer?

It is being reported that Moonves has hired Daniel Petrocelli of O'Melveny and Meyers, who recently was making headlines for representing AT&T during the Time Warner merger. Petrocelli isn't just known for representing big corporate interests either. Perhaps most famously, he represented the Goldman family in the civil murder case against O.J. Simpson.

Petrocelli will have his work cut out for him though. Despite the fact that other top CBS executives and many others have come out in support of Moonves, the allegations were severe enough to force CBS's Board of Directors to open an investigation. However, Moonves has the benefit of seeing how the long list of high-powered, rich and powerful, Hollywood moguls have fallen before him (which is probably why he hired the highest profile lawyer he could).

Reportedly, Moonves still has about $200 million in compensation due to him under contract, and might just be hoping Petrocelli can preserve that money, rather than prevent the ouster.

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