Jerry McDevitt No Longer Involved With WWE Vs. MLW Lawsuit Due To Upcoming Retirement

Longtime WWE lawyer Jerry McDevitt has stepped away from representing WWE in the ongoing antitrust lawsuit filed by Major League Wrestling. McDevitt revealed to Wrestlenomics that he has stepped away as he is transitioning towards retirement.  

"As you may know, since early 2022 I have been working towards retirement. I had hoped that the Court would again dismiss MLW's lawsuit as it did the first time. When it did not, and it became obvious that the case would run into at least 2025 in all probability, I advised my client that I would be wrapping things up by year-end and that it would make sense for them to secure counsel who can go the distance on the case now that discovery will be starting," McDevitt told Wrestlenomics in an email.

"There is also the chance that I might be a witness given the allegations. I will be 74 this January and it just seems like the right time to make necessary transitions. We have worked with Paul[,] Weiss on other matters and they are an excellent firm who I will be helping get up to speed. It has been a great 36-year run with a great company and Vince [McMahon], and I am very proud of all that we accomplished during that time, and I will continue to help them any way I can."

McDevitt has represented WWE and Vince McMahon in a number of lawsuits since 1987. WWE will be represented by lawyers from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Warton & Garrison LLP. The firm has worked with WWE in recent months on the upcoming merger with UFC. 

The antitrust lawsuit filed by MLW against WWE has been ongoing since January 2022 and it was initially dismissed in March 2023. MLW refiled soon after and the same judge denied WWE's motion to dismiss the lawsuit last month. 

MLW's lawsuit alleges that WWE interfered in MLW's media deals, among other allegations.