Toyota Locked in Messy Battle with Former In-house Counsel

[WSJ Law Blog]

A civil racketeering suit against Toyota has cleared a significant hurdle as an arbitrator ruled preliminary evidence shows the company used one of its former lawyers to illegally withhold evidence in suits tied to rollovers and other accidents.

It’s rare for in-house lawyers to sue their former employers, and it’s particularly uncommon to see a legal battle as pitched as Biller v. Toyota.

Dimitrios Biller, an ex-Toyota lawyer, has sued the company for allegedly wrongfully terminating him. Toyota sued him back for disclosing confidential information. The company has tried to discredit Biller by offering up evidence of negative job reviews and documents that purport to show that he suffered from mental-health issues.

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