Pillsbury settles $45m lawsuit with ex-partner

Frode Jensen left the firm in September last year to join Latham & Watkins. Pillsbury has settled with Jensen for an undisclosed sum and, as part of the agreement, has issued an obsequious apology, first revealed on www.thelawyer. com/lawyernews on 2 April.

The row began last year, after Pillsbury produced a press release accusing Jensen of sexual harassment and of a decline in work. As a result, Latham decided against recruiting the former Pillsbury partner.

Pillsbury's statement, released by Arkin Kaplan, Jensen's lawyers, said: "Pillsbury Winthrop deeply regrets making its public statements regarding Frode Jensen and has agreed to a settlement with Mr Jensen regarding those statements.

"Mr Jensen was a valued and respected member of the firm and was one of the firm's most productive corporate partners. Mr Jensen is an accomplished corporate transactional lawyer and he made many important contributions during his tenure at the firm.

"Pillsbury wishes him well in all his future endeavours and employment opportunities."

Both parties agreed to enter mediation earlier this year after Jensen launched a lawsuit accusing his former firm of "character and commercial assassination of a disgraceful and repugnant sort".

He also alleged that the firm had not publicly released details of allegations of sexual harassment brought against other Pillsbury partners.

Pillsbury's apology makes no mention of the sexual harassment claims against Jensen made in the firm's original press release.