Ex-K&L Gates Partner Gets Prison Time for Stalking Colleagues

Willie Dennis, a former K&L Gates partner in New York, was sentenced to two years in prison after he was convicted of what prosecutors called a years-long campaign of harassing and threatening his former law firm partners.

A Manhattan federal jury in October convicted Dennis on four counts of cyberstalking following a week of trial, according to an announcement by Damian Williams, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Federal prosecutors laid out details of his harassment campaign, including thousands of emails and text messages with sexist, racist, anti-Semitic, and physically threatening statements.

Prosecutors had asked for Dennis to serve four-and-a-half years behind bars, arguing his harassment campaign required a “significant” sentence. Lawyers for Dennis had urged a federal court in Manhattan to avoid further imprisonment and release him under supervision.

“During the years-long, merciless harassment, Dennis’s victims were forced to change their ways of living out of fear that Dennis would make good on his threats,” Williams said in a statement following the sentencing. “The sentence imposed today ensures that Dennis’s victims will no longer needlessly endure his attacks.”

Dennis, who is Black, accused K&L Gates of systemically discriminating against Black partners after he was fired in 2019. K&L Gates countered that the suit was part of a “smear campaign” and attributed his firing to “an extensive and documented record of erratic, harassing and improper behavior.” Dennis’s suit was paused pending arbitration proceedings.

The harassment worsened in the 18-month span after he was fired, during which he sent emails, text messages, faxes, and voicemails to firm lawyers that were intended to “harass, humiliate, intimidate, or stoke fear” in the recipients, the firm said in a court filing.

The harassment led the victims to either relocate out of state, upgrade their home security system, or hire private security, according to prosecutors.

In making his plea against prison time, Dennis’ lawyer said the former partner has lost his job, law license, and is facing serious health problems. He said his client had finally taken responsibility for the messages.

“The fall from grace is epic and complete,” his lawyer, David Jason Cohen, of Cohen Forman Barone, wrote.

The case is U.S. v. Dennis, S.D.N.Y., No. 20-cr-00623, 10/17/22.

Tiana Headley contributed to this report.