Revealed: The Inner Workings of Bill Voge’s Resignation from Latham

On Tuesday night, one of the most respected senior American lawyers resigned in London. This came after he owned up to some inappropriate steamy messages he exchanged with a female individual outside the firm.

There have been a number of high profile CEO resignations as a result of allegations, with Bill Vogue being the latest one

Bill Voge is the lawyer in question. He was initially the chairman of Latham & Watkins. An American citizen by birth, he was one of the first partners of Latham to be based abroad and charged with spearheading the international growth and development of the firm. Appointed chairman in 2014, Bill has further been with the practice for over 35 years.

A Major Scandal

In a press release statement, the firm conveyed that Mr. Voge has submitted his resignation upon taking a series of voluntary steps and disclosures. They said that he personally contacted the firm, disclosing the series of personal incidences. However, firmly stating that the incidents did not involve any individuals that worked at the firm.

In the statement, the firm further conveyed that communication was of an adult-type nature. And that the female individual in question was not in any way involved with the firm.

Regret

Mr. Voge released his own personal statement, stating that he regretted the fact that he was inevitably standing down as the chairman of the firm. For him, it was a personal mistake; a lapse of judgment that has brought him plenty of humiliation and distress. For his family, colleagues, and friends, not only has it been an embarrassment, but a stressful situation.

Mr. Voge has been working for Latham for the past 35 years, first joining the firm as a junior lawyer in 1983

During his time at the law firm, he focused his attention on international energy projects. In fact, for many, his recent actions were a dip in terms of the highly esteemed and professional ethics they once held for him throughout his 35-year professional career.

He further added that he was highly disappointed in himself. Firstly, because the lapse did not present where his moral compass naturally pointed. Secondly, he felt that he had let the firm and its employees down. Despite the high regard he held for them.

Latham & Watkins is currently considered among the wealthiest law firms globally. In fact, last month was a particularly successful period for them, having been the first firm in the world to surpass the $3 billion barrier with respect to annual revenue.

So successful is the firm, that equity partners are believed to rake in an impressive $3 million a year!

History

Before becoming the chairman of Latham & Watkins, Mr. Voge had initially served for eight years as part of the firm’s executive committee. He was the global chairman of the finance department for a period of time, before serving as the global co-chairman with regard to the practice’s finance projects.

While working for the firm, Mr. Voge served in high-profile cities such as New York and San Diego. He also sat on the boards of quite a number of notable non-profit organizations. Mr. Voge’s resignation doesn’t come in as a surprise, considering the number of eminent resignations of CEO’s and chairmen as a result of office and scandals of an adult nature.

In fact, a few weeks back, another American law firm in London was at the focal point of adult-like harassment scandals.

London seems to be the hot spot for assault allegations. Recently, 2 senior partners from established firms also resigned due to numeral allegations by female employees at the firm

Baker McKenzie was the firm in the spotlight after it was discovered that one of the senior partners had paid off a junior lawyer after assaulting her. It’s believed that the firm had coerced him to pay off the junior lawyer in question.

Neither the victim nor the partner’s senior names were disclosed due to a non-disclosure agreement that had been signed by both parties.

At the firm Dentons, one of the senior partners resigned from the Edinburgh office after it emerged last month that he had received a number of assault allegations from a high number of female employees.