BigLaw partner alleges federal judge once assaulted and taunted him, requiring his recusal
A partner at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith is alleging that a federal judge pushed him and challenged him to a fight when they were working at the same law firm in 2008. (Photo from Shutterstock)
A partner at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith is alleging that a federal judge pushed him and challenged him to a fight when they were working at the same law firm in 2008.
The lawyer, Francis G.X. Pileggi, is currently a managing partner of the Wilmington, Delaware, office of Lewis Brisbois. He is seeking the recusal of U.S. District Judge Gregory Williams of Delaware in an employment case, Bloomberg Law reports.
Pileggi and Williams worked at Fox Rothschild at the time, although Pileggi didn’t name the firm in court documents, according to Bloomberg Law.
Pileggi’s allegations about the incident are in a declaration filed along with an April 1 motion asking Williams to reconsider his March refusal to recuse.
Pileggi said the 2008 incident stemmed from his work co-hosting a fundraiser for a gubernatorial candidate. Williams blamed Pileggi for failing to include his name on the fundraiser invitation as a member of the host committee.
“Williams exploded with rage and stormed into my office without knocking, closing the door behind him; walked behind my desk; and thrust both of his hands against my chest, making me stumble backwards,” Pileggi wrote in his declaration. “During the attack, several personal items on the windowsill behind the desk and the desk chair were knocked over.”
To avoid disturbing other lawyers, Pileggi said, he and Williams walked to an area of the building near a loading area.
“Williams again criminally assaulted me,” Pileggi wrote. “As I walked away, I ignored Williams repeatedly challenging me to a fight.”
Pileggi added in a footnote that he was “a successful scholastic wrestler” who “could have neutralized the threat, but the better part of valor in this situation was to stoically endure the abuse instead of taking the bait.”
The declaration said Pileggi walked toward the lobby to return to the office, “while Williams followed and continued to provoke and taunt and hurl invectives at me, until another lawyer restrained him.”
Pileggi said he didn’t make a criminal complaint because he didn’t want Williams to have a record that would negatively affect his career.
Williams, an appointee of President Joe Biden, denied Pileggi’s initial recusal motion in a March 21 order.
“After careful consideration, the judge concludes that he has no actual bias or prejudice towards counsel” or the plaintiff he represents, Williams wrote. “It is highly doubtful that any reasonable person, with knowledge of all the facts, would reasonably question the judge’s impartiality.”
Pileggi also sought Williams’ recusal in January 2023 in a different case, according to Bloomberg Law. Even though Williams agreed to recuse, he said he did not initiate the disagreement, and he never physically assaulted Pileggi.
“The judge put the incident behind him years ago and has no personal animus or bias against Mr. Pileggi or his client,” Williams wrote in the other case.
