Jurors in Dewey & LeBoeuf criminal trial to render partial verdict

Jurors told Stolz on Tuesday that they can’t reach a unanimous decision on the majority of counts, report the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.), the New York Times and the New York Law Journal (sub. req.).

But the defense responded that the accounting practices in question were not necessarily illegal and that the firm’s demise was primarily due to a rash of defections by its top partners, rather than any adjustments.

Stolz told the jury Wednesday to issue any judgments it could come to a consensus to. The judge prompted them to resume working towards a verdict using the so-called Allen charge – an order requiring jurors in the minority to reconsider to prevent a hung jury and the prospect of a mistrial.

“But after further deliberations, most juries are able to reach a unanimous verdict”, he added. Prosecutors filed 53 criminal charges against Sanders and 49 charges each against Davis and DiCarmine.

Three former senior executives of failed US firm Dewey & LeBoeuf have been cleared of some of the charges they faced, but the jury continues to consider others, including the most serious one of grand larceny.

The defendants are former chairman Steven Davis, former chief financial officer Joel Sanders and former executive director Stephen DiCarmine.

However, the jury still has multiple other charges to deliberate against the defendants, including several counts of grand larceny and scheme to defraud.

Dewey’s 2012 bankruptcy was the largest ever for a USA law firm.