Paula Deen has seen plenty of people sever their business relations with her in the past couple of weeks. But the scandal-plagued television cook has forged a new alliance on the legal side.
Paula Deen Enterprises has retained new representation in the discrimination lawsuit brought by former restaurant employee Lisa Jackson, bringing aboard Grace Speights of law firm Morgan, Lewis & Brockius to represent the company in the matter, a representative for the firm told TheWrap.
Also read: Paula Deen Splits With Agent Amid N-Word Fallout
According to the firm, Speights focuses "on counseling and defending clients in connection with employment discrimination claims, primarily those involving class claims, and on counseling clients regarding best practices for corporate diversity initiatives."
Also read: Paula Deen's Multimillion-Dollar Disaster: What's the Cost of the N-Word?
Jackson's lawsuit sparked the unraveling of Deen's business empire, after news broke last month that Deen had admitted to using the N-word in a deposition.
Jackson claims that Deen's brother Bubba Hiers created a racially hostile work environment at Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House, co-owned by Deen, and that Dean did nothing to prevent it.
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Fox News reports that Deen and Hiers was previously represented by the Oliver Maner law firm and Gillen Withers and Lake.
Since Deen's use of a racial slur became public, numerous entities have broken ties with her, including the Food Network, Smithfield Foods, Caesars Entertainment, Target and Walmart.
Earlier this month, Deen split with her agent, Barry Weiner, who is credited with helping to establish Deen as a media powerhouse.