On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, the Los Angeles Magazine reported that tech executives Bahar and Bardia Dejban have filed a lawsuit alleging they were cheated out of justice due to a secret romantic relationship between a judge and a prominent lawyer. The Dejbans, known for their work with the e-commerce startup Volusion, claim that the affair influenced court proceedings, leading to the manipulation of a bankruptcy haven for the benefit of the involved law firm and the judge.
The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, names Texas-based law firm Jackson Walker LLP and two of its former partners, Elizabeth Freeman and Matthew Cavenaugh, as defendants. The Dejbans, former leaders at Volusion, accuse the defendants of conspiring with Judge David R. Jones of the Houston bankruptcy court to deny them a fair legal process.
The core of the complaint centers on the alleged romantic relationship between Freeman and Judge Jones. According to the lawsuit, Freeman, while representing Volusion, was involved with Judge Jones, who was then the Chief Bankruptcy Judge. This relationship was allegedly concealed from the public, interested parties, and the court system, a situation the Dejbans’ lawyers at Geragos & Geragos described as a “litigation version of home cooking.”
The Dejbans claim they were forced out of Volusion in 2020 and subsequently filed employment and tort claims in California, alleging wrongful termination, defamation, and retaliation against the company’s leadership. However, they assert that Jackson Walker, in collusion with Judge Jones, worked to prevent them from seeking legal recourse outside of Jones’s Texas courtroom.
The complaint states that the concealment of the relationship was deliberate and strategic, aimed at preserving a favorable forum and ensuring rulings favorable to Jackson Walker’s client, Volusion, and adverse to the Dejbans. They allege that once under Judge Jones’s control, they faced bullying, threats of sanctions, and were effectively stripped of their ability to pursue their lawsuit. The Dejbans contend that Judge Jones acted as Jackson Walker’s “bull dog,” furthering their interests within the legal system.
The scandal involving Judge Jones and Freeman first surfaced in 2023, when a federal ethics probe revealed their long-term romantic relationship while Freeman appeared before his court. Property records confirmed their joint ownership of a home, and an anonymous letter detailed suspicions of power and greed as motives. The letter suggested that the relationship influenced corporations and clients to favor Jackson Walker, anticipating preferential treatment in court.
Judge Jones resigned following the commencement of the ethics probe. The US Trustee’s Office initiated efforts to recover over $23 million in fees earned by Jackson Walker in cases overseen by Judge Jones. The Dejbans’ lawsuit seeks financial damages and accountability, alleging fraud, conspiracy, deceit, and violation of California civil rights laws.
Jackson Walker has yet to respond to the new complaint. In previous statements regarding the scandal, the firm denied any wrongdoing and claimed to have had no knowledge of Freeman’s relationship with Judge Jones.
Source: Los Angeles Magazine
