February 25, 2025
Willkie successfully represented Fulton County Georgia election workers Wandrea ArShaye (Shaye) Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman, in a landmark defamation lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani. The firm’s pro bono team secured a favorable settlement for Ms. Moss and Ms. Freeman after winning a $148.1 million defamation verdict over Mr. Giuliani’s false election fraud claims.
Willkie, along with co-counsel, filed the lawsuit in December 2021 and in August 2023 secured a default judgment on all claims—defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, civil conspiracy— stemming from Mr. Giuliani’s lies that Ms. Moss and Ms. Freeman had undermined the results of the 2020 presidential election. Following a trial in December 2023 to determine damages, Willkie obtained $148.1 million jury verdict against Mr. Giuliani. The firm subsequently secured the dismissal of Mr. Giuliani’s bankruptcy case, which had sought to avoid payment of the award.
The Willkie pro bono team included partners Michael Gottlieb, Meryl Governski, Kristin Bender and Aaron Nathan, and associates M. Annie Houghton-Larsen, J. Tyler Knoblett, Tim Ryan, Logan Kenney, Maggie MacCurdy and Perri Haser. Willkie was joined on the case by co-counsel Protect Democracy and DuBose Miller.
