A lawyer and his Beverly Hills entertainment firm won a round in court Friday when a judge ruled that an actress who alleges he made her a sex slave under threat of ruining her career will have to take her case before an arbitrator rather than a jury.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Marc Marmaro granted a motion by lawyers representing Stone, Meyer, Genow, Smelkinson & Binder LLP to force the case into arbitration so long as the defense pays the entire costs for the process.
The ruling also applies to the attorney, Neil Ettin Meyer, whose counsel joined in the firm’s motion.
Marmaro said in a written opinion that he believed the arbitration agreement the plaintiff signed was fair to both sides and not unduly favorable to the firm.
“In sum, the agreement is enforceable and is not unconscionable,” Marmaro wrote.
The plaintiff’s attorney, Jeffrey Lipow, maintained the retainer agreement and arbitration clause did not apply to such disputes.
The plaintiff, referred to in the complaint as Jane Doe, sued Meyer and the firm on April 10. She alleged Meyer — whose clients have included Halle Berry and Nicollette Sheridan — forced her to perform sexual acts for about four years under the threat of using his sway to sabotage her career if she did not go along with him.
The suit also alleged the firm either knew — or should have known — about Meyer’s conduct.
The complaint states that the woman’s relationship with Meyer began around 2002, about five years after the former teen beauty queen moved to California to pursue an acting career. She says she hired Meyer as counsel at the recommendation of her manager at the time, who said she should hire an attorney given that she had obtained her first film role.
Meyer told her she needed to take on more sexual roles and said he could teach her how to be more provocative in that regard to help her career, the suit alleges. She claims he sent her emails and text messages, some stating his wish to have sex with her as well as nude pictures of himself.
