Fieldfisher has launched the first civil claim against Harvey Weinstein in the UK as the disgraced media producer prepares to defend himself against multiples allegations of sexual assault.
Fieldfisher head of serious injury Jill Greenfield confirmed she had issued proceedings on behalf of a private client against Weinstein, the Weinstein Company UK and the Weinstein Company LLC in the US.
The client is seeking damages for “personal injury, expenses, consequential loss including aggravated and exemplary damages and interest arising out of a series of sexual assaults”.
The value of the claim as listed on the claim form is £300,000 but is “not limited”, meaning the eventual figure could be higher, especially if others individuals affected joined in the proceedings, as is expected.
Fieldfisher will instruct Elizabeth-Anne Gumbel QC at 1 Crown Office Row.
Greenfield said she had already received a number of calls from potential clients already, and that the UK could start to see the kind group actions that are already underway in the US and Canada. The calls had been from a mixture of women, including celebrities and non-celebrities.
“The allegations are indiscriminate to the status of the person,” Greenfield said.
Greenfield hinted at the complexity of holding Weinstein, who has denied all allegations of non-consensual sex, to account.
Aside from the fact that the media mogul faces multiple allegations across a number of jurisdictions, there is also an ongoing police investigation into his conduct.
It is not known which firm Weinstein will turn to in the UK civil claim, but in the past Allen & Overy’s Mark Mansell advised him on the matter of non-disclosure agreements.
“Weinstein still denies non-consensual allegations in the face of these allegations that are not going to go away but are only getting stronger,” Greenfield added.
