Gibson Dunn & Crutcher has come off the record for GFH Capital on its long running dispute with former general counsel David Haigh.
Gibson Dunn partner Philip Rocher has been replaced by Bryan Cave partner Robert Dougans, who will now represent the private equity house on its multiple high-profile disputes.
The decision comes just weeks after Haigh was released from prison in Dubai and has returned to the UK.
GFH is involved in four pieces of litigation with Haigh in both London and Dubai, including its ongoing claim that he falsified £3m of invoices in connection with the sale of Leeds United Football Club, which used to be owned by GFH.
Gibson Dunn was instructed to bring the claim against Haigh in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) courts in May 2014, having been a longstanding adviser to the business.
The allegations led to Haigh being imprisoned in Dubai for almost two years. He was released earlier this year and returned to the UK in March.
The disputes include the DIFC litigation, a row surrounding a freezing order on Haigh’s assets, and parallel proceedings in Guernsey, where some of Haigh’s assets are registered.
Dougans will also represent GFH in a judicial review brought by Haigh to challenge a £230,000 costs order handed down in October. The costs were awarded against Haigh after a magistrates court dismissed his claim that two GFH directors engaged in human trafficking to lure him to Dubai.
Haigh has instructed human rights firm Kaim Todner to bring the judicial review.
GFH also brought a separate claim against Haigh in Dubai over alleged ‘Twitter abuse’ late last year.
Haigh was due to be released from prison around that time but was detained again after claims emerged he had sent a slanderous tweet about a former colleague. He was acquitted in March by a Dubai court.
Gibson Dunn, acting for GFH Capital, secured a freezing order on Haigh’s assets in June 2014, which have not yet been released. The order meant Haigh was unable to pay his legal counsel to fight the Dubai prosecution.
His former lawyers, Stephenson Harwood Dubai managing partner Rovine Chandrasekera and Olswang partner Bernard O’Sullivan, both came off the record in May when the DIFC refused to release funds.