Latest news with #AlexSpiro
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The advice Elon Musk's lawyer gives his high-profile clients in times of crisis
Alex Spiro advises his high-profile clients to eat ice cream during a crisis. The attorney tells clients to look at the facts and "don't panic." His client, Elon Musk, likes to cut costs during times of uncertainty, he said. High profile attorney Alex Spiro has one key piece of advice for clients wading through tricky times: Don't panic. The words of wisdom were shared as one of his most high-profile clients, Elon Musk, is in the midst of a public feud with President Donald Trump. It's unclear if or how the attorney is guiding him through this particular debacle. The lawyer, who has also represented Alec Baldwin, Mayor Eric Adams, and Jay-Z, through muddy legal waters, shared the advice he gives to clients during times of crisis at the Forbes Iconoclast Summit on Thursday. "You got to get people to take a breath and not panic," Spiro said, adding that it's easier for some people to do so more than others. A source close to Spiro got more specific. Those who know him know that his No. 1 piece of advice is to "have an ice-cream cone." In other words, step away from the keyboard and cool off. "Nothing is better than chocolate ice cream," the source close to Spiro said. The attorney isn't certain whether clients listen to the advice, but they at least pretend to, the source said. Spiro, who spends a good chunk of his time on risk mitigation, told the Iconoclast Summit attendees that he tries to get clients to put their situation into perspective and focus on the facts and evidence in front of them. "The sky is not falling," Sprio said. "The things that we think are a big deal today won't be a big deal in a month." While most CEOs aren't publicly blasting the president on social media, many are navigating global and economic uncertainty, from looming tariffs to market volatility. Spiro said the best CEOs and CFOs he knows know how to take a "methodical" approach to uncertainty, which in the case of tariffs, would involve looking into their supply chains and preparing for what may happen next. "I try to follow and steal the best ideas from the smartest people I know and then tell others about it," Spiro said. "That works out usually." Musk is one of those people. Spiro said on Thursday that Musk likes to cut costs during times of uncertainty because it leaves organizations more nimble on the other side. The billionaire is most recently known for doing so in the government, where he led efforts to slash about 20,000 federal employees, or about 1% of its workforce. Musk also laid off 10% of Tesla's workforce in waves last year and cut Twitter's workforce in half after he purchased it in 2022. "You can always rehire," Spiro said about Musk's mentality. "You can always rebuild." Read the original article on Business Insider Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Gizmodo
4 days ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
Trump Wants to Spend $2 Million Investigating Whether DEI Causes Plane Crashes
America is a corrupt place, and it's not infrequent for that corruption to result in less-than-stellar results for the American consumer. Sometimes those poor results manifest as cheap, ineffective products. Other times, they may lead to more serious problems, like cancer-causing chemicals in your food. Sometimes corporate dysfunction has even been known to spur plane crashes. However, instead of facing up to the obvious facts (that America is run by greed-addled companies that would rather trade Americans' safety and quality of life for enormous profits), rightwingers have spent the last several years arguing that many of the corporate failures that occur in this country happen because of companies' commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Case in point: Earlier this year, when a helicopter collided with an airplane in Washington D.C., President Trump suggested it had occurred because a woman was piloting the chopper. Now, the White House is doubling down on its DEI focus. Using some $2 million in taxpayer money, Trump has hired Elon Musk's former lawyer, Alex Spiro, to investigate whether DEI causes plane crashes or not. According to a source with knowledge of the investigation who spoke with The Atlantic, it does not. The outlet reports: The investigation by Spiro, a partner at the elite firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, is due to conclude soon, a person familiar with the dynamics told me, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the confidentiality of the work. Contrary to what Trump may hope, it's not expected to find that programs aimed at ensuring representation for women and people of color are responsible for this year's string of aviation disasters, including the January crash at Reagan airport, which killed 67 people and prompted Trump's tirade against DEI. Indeed, according to the report—which states that the $2 million in public funds will buy conversations with 15 'key stakeholders' and some sort of 'legal analysis' that will provide a definitive answer to the DEI question—the probe has been disparaged by air traffic controllers. One controller who spoke with the magazine called the investigation a 'waste of money,' adding that the money 'could have gone toward pain-and-suffering raises for controllers.' Yes, let's file that under: Yet Another Really Fucking Stupid Waste of Taxpayer Money Invented by the Trump Administration. Of course, it's also par for the course. In recent months, the White House has sought to purge the federal government of DEI programs and language, including at the Federal Aviation Administration. At the same time, it has also made other, worrying cuts to the federal agencies tasked with overseeing air travel in this country. It certainly seems possible (as federal unions have suggested) that those cuts would have a more substantial impact on air safety than any sort of diversity program. Gizmodo reached out to the Trump administration for more information.
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Furious Megan Thee Stallion fires back over ex lover Tory Lanez's new claim a WOMAN shot her in infamous car showdown
Megan Thee Stallion has pushed back at the creation of 36 Hours Later, a new website from imprisoned rapper Tory Lanez which seeks to present evidence pointing to his innocence in the July 2020 shooting. While the website includes audio from a witness claiming Megan's shooter was female, Megan's team says Lanez and his lawyers are seeking to confuse the public with previously-released details they are claiming as new. 'Tory Lanez's team can't keep a story straight,' Megan's attorney Alex Spiro told Daily Mail in a statement Thursday afternoon. 'They continue to rehash old evidence from trial and re-package it as new information to desperately sway public opinion. Spiro added, 'There was no new evidence displayed today – simply a sad attempt from Tory's team to copy our presentation format to peddle misinformation.' On Thursday, the legal team working for the Brampton, Canada native set live a website called 36 Hours Later, which takes a closer look at the immediate three-day timeframe in the wake of the July 12, 2020 shooting. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the . The website features audio excerpts from a witness informing authorities that the shots fired at Megan came from a female shooter - not Lanez. Spiro told Daily Mail that the legal team for Lanez last week 'argued that Kelsey Harris shot Megan and now, they're claiming that Megan only stepped on glass.' Spiro also took aim at Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who urged California Governor Gavin Newsom on X Thursday to pardon Lanez based off his conviction 'on a flawed, incomplete story full of contradictions, missing evidence, and straight-up lies. Rep. Luna added: 'Police reports, Megan's own words, and expert analysis show: Tory didn't fire the gun— if anything he tried to stop the conflict.' Spiro said that it was 'embarrassing that Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna is integrating herself into the California criminal justice system for click-bait. 'Instead, she should be focused on serving her own constituents in Florida rather than chasing celebrities.' The Daily Mail has not received a response to its request for comment from or Lanez's or Luna's teams. The strategy of making public evidence appears to be inspired by the ongoing legal battle between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively over the production of last summer's sleeper, hit It Ends with Us. The website was uploaded in response to Megan Thee Stallion's recent Instagram live in which she explained her interpretation of the events. The creation and upload of the site comes about a week after Lanez - who is serving a 10-year prison sentence in connection with the shooting - was relocated to a new prison 10 days after he was attacked and stabbed 14 times, suffering multiple injuries The Talk to Me rapper was taken to a facility three hours from where he was at - the California Correctional Institution (CCI) in , California - to a prison called the California Men's Colony (CMC), which is close to San Luis Obispo, sources told TMZ May 22. The rapper's lawyer Crystal Morgan told the outlet that he wasn't necessarily pleased about the change as he recovers from the numerous injuries he sustained in the attack. The Wanna Be artist, whose full name is Megan Jovon Ruth Pete, who has more than 32.6 million Instagram followers and another 16.1 million on TikTok. She made headlines earlier this month when she called Lanez a 'demon.' The shock statement from the superstar singer came after Lanez recently claimed not to have shot her on the summer night in July 2020 - an already-unprecedented time amid the social unrest surrounding the death of George Floyd, the 2020 presidential election campaign and the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. The claim came from the legal group representing Lanez in the case, Unite the People, who said there was existing evidence to exonerate Lanez in the violent incident, which the Savage performer pushed back on via her TikTok. In January, Megan obtained a civil restraining order against Lanez after testifying remotely to Los Angeles Judge Richard Bloom that Lanez had presided over a 'campaign of harassment' against her during his incarceration. Judge Richard Bloom ruled Lanez must not contact Megan in any form, including through intermediaries, for a five-year period. Megan told the court that she feared that Lanez would seek violent retribution against her after he is released from custody. 'It just seems like I have to relive it every day,' Megan Thee Stallion told the court. 'The person who shot me won't let me forget it. I'm scared that when he gets out of jail he's going to still be upset with me … I feel like maybe he'll shoot me again and maybe this time I won't make it.' The Grammy winner told the court that Lanez, from behind bars, has overseen a 'campaign of harassment' intended to 'terrorize her' and that she is 'just tired of being harassed.' Judge Bloom said Megan provided ample evidence that Lanez had demonstrated a 'credible threat of violence' that 'serves no lawful purpose' and is intended to 'seriously' harass her. The Cry Baby singer - who said she has not 'been at peace' since the shooting in July of 2020 - told the judge, 'Thank you, judge,' after the restraining order was granted. Attorneys for Megan told the court that Lanez was still trying to confuse the public about the details of his criminal case, with a fake story featured on X/Twitter last fall claiming he'd been declared 'innocent' in appeals court. Lanez team announced the musical artist had been injured in a stabbing earlier this month Megan's legal team said in an October lawsuit filed federally that YouTuber and social media personality Milagro Gramz was hired to by Lanez to function as his 'mouthpiece and puppet' while the rapper serves his prison sentence. Megan's attorneys in December said in legal documents that Lanez (whose real name is Daystar Peterson) had worked with people on the outside to 'harass, bully, and antagonize' her, and that a criminal restraining order initially implemented over the shooting had not been in effect in the wake of Lanez's conviction. 'While [Lanez] distorts and recklessly disregards the truth in his desperate attempt to appeal his conviction, his false assertions have reignited a slew of negative, harmful, and defamatory comments directed to' Megan, her legal team said. Lanez's lawyers replied in court docs that Megan 'disagrees with free speech' and the restraining order request was essentially an attempt to 'weaponize the justice system' Said Lanez's legal team: 'Rather than rebut the commentary or debate the issues … [Megan] has succumbed to the current trend of using the legal system in an attempt to cancel those opinions she disagrees with.' Lanez was convicted in December 2022 of assault with a semiautomatic firearm; keeping a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle; and discharging the firearm with gross negligence. In August of 2023, Lanez received a 10-year prison sentence in Los Angeles Superior Court, in connection with three felony convictions in the July 2020 incident in the Hollywood Hills. In the sentencing, Judge David Herriford said that the positive portrait Lanez's relatives and friends had painted in their testimony in the trial was 'difficult to reconcile' with his actions toward Megan. 'Sometimes good people do bad things,' Herriford told the court, according to the AP. 'Actions have consequences, and there are no winners in this case.' In the trial, Megan testified Lanez had shot at her feet and yelled at her to dance as she was getting out of an SUV following a party at the home of Kylie Jenner. Megan, who initially did not publicly identify Lanez as the shooter, testified she had to undergo surgery to take bullet fragments out of her feet. 'Since I was viciously shot by the defendant, I have not experienced a single day of peace,' the songstress said in a statement a prosecutor read prior to the sentencing. 'Slowly but surely, I'm healing and coming back, but I will never be the same.' Prior to his sentence being read, Lanez - who faced up to 22 years in custody - had asked the judge for a short sentence or probation, stating his regret of the incident in hindsight. 'If I could turn back the series of events that night and change them, I would,' Lanez told the judge. 'The victim was my friend. The victim is someone I still care for to this day. Everything I did wrong that night, I take full responsibility for.' Lanez was credited 10 months for time served, as he has been in custody since his conviction in December 2022. Lanez's lead lawyer Jose Baez said he was 'extremely disappointed' with the sentence, and felt that it was 'to set an example' since the rapper is a celebrity, adding, 'He´s not an example - he's a human being.' Baez added, 'I have seen vehicular homicide and other cases where there's death, and the defendant still gets less than 10 years.' Prosecutors spoke positively of Megan for her fortitude in coming forward amid online hate and mockery aimed at her over the incident involving Lanez. Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said, 'I hope that Miss Pete's bravery gives hope to those who feel helpless.' In an Elle piece published in August of 2023, Megan opened up about the lessons she felt were crucial in the wake of Lanez's sentencing. 'For anyone who has survived violence, please know your feelings are valid,' she said. 'You matter. You are not at fault. You are important. You are loved. You are not defined by your trauma.' She continued, 'Just because you are in a bad situation doesn't mean you are a bad person. Our value doesn't come from the opinions of other people. As long as you stand your ground and live in your truth, nobody can take your power.' Lanez stated he was not apologizing to the singer in a statement he issued on his Instagram page in the wake of the sentencing. 'This week in court I took responsibility for all verbal and intimate moments that I shared with the parties involved,' he said. 'That's it.' He continued, 'In no way shape or form was I apologizing for the charges I'm being wrongfully convicted of. I remain on the stance that I refuse to apologize for something that I did not do ... tough times don't last, tough people do.'
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AppLovin Corp. Retains Quinn Emanuel Firm to Investigate Recent Short Report Activity
PALO ALTO, Calif., March 28, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AppLovin Corporation, (NASDAQ: APP) ("AppLovin" or the "Company") today announced that it has retained Alex Spiro, partner and Co-Chair of the Investigations, Government Enforcement & White Collar Defense Practice at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, a nationally recognized legal firm with deep expertise in securities and corporate investigations, to conduct an independent review and investigation into recent short report activity targeting the Company. This action reflects the Company's unwavering commitment to transparency, integrity, and the protection of its business, shareholders, and stakeholders. The Company takes these matters seriously and is determined to thoroughly examine the circumstances and motivations behind the dissemination of misleading or inaccurate information. "We are fully committed to defending the Company, its operations, and its reputation from those seeking to manipulate the market through false narratives," said Adam Foroughi, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of AppLovin. "We will take all necessary steps to ensure the facts are known and to protect our employees, stockholders, and partners." For more information, visit AppLovin's blog: About AppLovin AppLovin makes technologies that help businesses of every size connect to their ideal customers. The company provides end-to-end software and AI solutions for businesses to reach, monetize and grow their global audiences. For more information about AppLovin, visit: Source: AppLovin Corp. View source version on Contacts Investors David Hsiaoir@ Press Emelyne Interiorpress@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Axios
17-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Rippling accuses rival "unicorn" Deel of espionage
Rippling has sued rival payroll and HR unicorn Deel, accusing it of espionage. Why it matters: Each company is valued north of $10 billion by big-name venture capital firms. Zoom in: Rippling alleges in its complaint that Deel planted a mole inside of Rippling's Ireland office, and that it created a fake Slack channel as a "honeypot" to suss out the rogue employee. Rippling adds that the effort was designed by Deel to steal customers, retain customers who were considering a switch, poach employees, and leak information to the media. Rippling is being represented by Alex Spiro, an attorney known for his work with Elon Musk. A Deel spokesperson declined comment, saying the company hadn't yet seen the suit. The bottom line: This one is full of strange bedfellows. Rippling is being represented by Alex Spiro, best known for his legal work with Elon Musk. But Rippling is led by Parker Conrad, who was replaced as CEO of his prior startup, Zenefits, by David Sacks — a Musk confidant and fellow Trump White House advisor who's publicly savaged Conrad (and vice versa). One of Deel's top backers in Andreessen Horowitz, which also has sent several members to Trump's White House and has backed Musk's recent business efforts. Read the lawsuit:
