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u.s. news Dialuna 12 Juli 2021

For top #MeToo legal duo, a pandemic year brings no pause

(AP) - She’d just upended waves as a law student at the two broke off and formed
her life by going public University of Wisconsin in their own, Katz, Marshall &
with sexual harassment the early ’80s, where she left Banks, as Katz was recover-
allegations against New the Law Review to protest ing from breast cancer.
York Gov. Andrew Cuo- lack of diversity -- there had
mo. And Charlotte Ben- never been a Black student One of Banks’ earliest inspi-
nett, a former aide to the on staff. (A student maga- rations came as a little girl,
governor, realized that zine profile called it a “noisy when, a huge baseball fan,
Saturday night in Febru- exit.”) She started a women’s she told her father she’d like
ary that she had no plan law journal instead. to play for the Boston Red
for what came next. She Sox one day — only to be
was 25 years old, and had Upon graduating, Katz won informed there were no fe-
never been in the media a fellowship that enabled her males on the team. “It struck
spotlight. How would she to work on a landmark sexual me as so profoundly unfair
deal with the fallout, both misconduct case: Meritor and outrageous,” she said. “It
publicly and personally? Savings Bank v. Vinson, in really inspired me to think
litigation. They consult each
She didn’t have long to won- other constantly, beginning
der. The next morning, an and ending each day with a
email arrived from Debra conversation, and discussing
Katz, the same civil rights cases during frequent hikes
attorney who’d represented in Rock Creek Park. Banks
Christine Blasey Ford, ac- notes they jokingly call them-
cuser of Supreme Court Jus- selves Batman and Robin —
tice Brett Kavanaugh, along she’s Robin, because she’s a
with accusers of Hollywood decade younger.
mogul Harvey Weinstein
and countless other power- It is, clients and associates say,
ful men accused of sexual an effective partnership —
misconduct, most of it along two very different personali-
with her professional partner ties with shared goals.
of 20 years, Lisa Banks.
At the toughest moments,
“How are you holding up?” they’ve also shared death
Katz asked Bennett when threats: During the Kavana-
they connected. Did she have ugh hearings, armed guards
support or advice? Not really, were posted 24-7 outside
Bennett said. their homes and at work, and
their cars were checked un-
“This case is literally why I do derneath for explosives. They
this work,” Katz explained, each struggled to explain to
assuring her she’d represent their families, without scar- fort in the victories, and take
her on a pro bono basis. “It’s ing the kids, why security was the long view when it comes which the Supreme Court about sex discrimination.”
why I exist. Let’s do this.” necessary. to setbacks for the move- recognized sexual harassment
ment. When Bill Cosby’s as a category of discrimina- It’s Banks who’s taken the
For many people, the pan- Katz is known as the more conviction was overturned tion protected by Title VII. lead on sports-related cases,
demic year has brought a fiery in temperament, Banks and he was released from for example representing ac-
pause of some kind, or at the cooler. Whistleblower prison, many worried aloud In her earliest jobs, Katz be- cusers of NFL receiver Anto-
least a slowdown, to their Rick Bright, a federal scien- that it would have a chilling came known as one of the nio Brown, who was dropped
professional endeavors. For tist who was forced out of his effect on victims coming for- hardest workers and some- by the New England Patri-
Katz and Banks, the opposite job during a dispute over an ward. Katz and Banks don’t one unafraid to take on un- ots amid assault allegations.
has been true. “This is prob- unproven coronavirus treat- see it that way, and reminded popular causes. “I was in my Banks has seen more mixed
ably the biggest year we’ve ment pushed by President everyone that Cosby hadn’t 20s, and someone in their results after spending the past
ever had,” says Banks. Trump, says he immediately been exonerated. 50s called me brash and ob- year representing 40 accusers
appreciated how their skills noxious,” Katz says. “I guess of Washington Football Team
Their work has actually been complement each other. “It’s always disappointing to I’ve been hardwired all these owner Dan Snyder in his
increasing for nearly four see individuals like Cosby years at not letting people I sexual misconduct case. The
years. When the Harvey Katz freely admits she’s the not held fully accountable,” care about be bullied. I’ve recent NFL action against
Weinstein revelations erupt- more emotional of the two, Katz says. “But this is NOT a never been a table pounder, the team, fining it $10 mil-
ed in October 2017, launch- who occasionally struggles referendum on the #MeToo but I also don’t relinquish lion, was a mere “slap on the
ing the reckoning that be- not to cry when seeing one of movement. And it won’t de- ground.” wrist,” says Banks. And yet,
came known as the #MeToo her clients — Ford, for exam- ter prosecutors from going she says her clients don’t re-
movement, it caused a “sea ple, or the Weinstein accusers after others when evidence Bennett, the Cuomo ac- gret coming forward.
change,” Katz says. — grilled about traumatic ex- indicates misconduct.” cuser, says she feels Katz is
periences. driven by her outrage at “the Katz and Banks acknowledge
“We were inundated — not Though Katz is the better very audacity of these people there’s been a bit of a slow-
only by live cases but by cases Ford credits the duo with known, neither she nor Banks in power who do the things down in momentum -- partly
of people who were harassed getting her through her gut- is a household name like, say, they do — and that we are due to the pandemic -- as the
decades ago but wanted to re- ting testimony in the Senate. Gloria Allred, the subject of the ones who have to live in #MeToo movement moves
port the issues now, because her own Netflix film. But fear.” toward its fourth anniver-
the person who harassed However difficult, the case they’ve been handling these sary. But, they say, any social
them was still in the same was “the most gratifying pro- cases since the beginnings of Banks, 53, attended law justice movement is going to
perch,” she says. fessional experience I’ve had their careers, inspired to fight school at the University of have setbacks along the way.
in my career,” Katz says — back against sexual harass- Denver and spent her early
Katz and Banks each carry even though Kavanaugh was ment and unequal pay that professional years in the ap- What is important now, Katz
several dozen active cases at a eventually confirmed. they themselves experienced. pellate division of the EEOC. believes, is that society ”is
time — everything from in- She joined Katz at her pre- finally asking the right ques-
formal advice to full-blown The two lawyers take com- Katz, 62, started making vious firm, and in 2006 the tions.”