A former law firm employee was ordered to pay $10,000 when a judge threw out his unfair dismissal lawsuit after he called the firm 'liars and scammers'

• A former employee of a law firm was ordered to pay $10,000 after claiming he was unfairly dismissed.
• He also sent a series of email attacks against one of the firm's partners, accusing him of being "greedy."

An ex-staffer at legal giant Hogan Lovells has been ordered to pay a total of £8,000 ($10,100) to the firm after claiming he was unfairly dismissed and accused the firm as a whole of being "liars and scammers."

Igor Donskoy, formerly employed by law firm Hogan Lovells for "services relating to a significant legal matter," claimed he was unfairly dismissed at an employment tribunal in April 2023, according to documents viewed by Business Insider.

Donskoy also accused one of its partners of being "deceptive" and "greedy," and said that the firm was dishonest in its dealings.

The case was first reported by financial publication Financial News.

The claim was initially thrown out by a judge in Birmingham, UK because Donskoy's claims were "scandalous, unreasonable or vexatious," and he was ordered to pay £4,000 ($5,050) within 14 days, owing to his "unreasonable behaviour."

Donskoy, who was fired by Hogan Lovell in August 2020, made a series of attacks against one of the firms' partners, Ed Bowyers, by sending him emails in 2021 and addressing him as "Mr dear deceptive friend," "My dear deceitful Ed," "My dear dodgy friend Ed," and "your greediness and lies have made me a bit tired."

The presiding judge, Judge Kelly, criticized the "barrage of unreasonable correspondence," with Bowyers by email, which copied in a significant number of partners at the firm.

Donskoy then asked the tribunal to reconsider his claims. A hearing took place on October 30, 2023 but his claims failed again, according to the decision published in December. He was ordered to pay a further £4,000 ($5,050) to the law firm.

A native Russian speaker, Donskoy argued that he was disadvantaged during the first tribunal because a translator wasn't present.

"I was satisfied at the time, and remain satisfied, that the Claimant fully understood the hearings before me," the judge said, noting that Donskoy answered his questions at the second hearing without seeking assistance from the translator who was present.

He had also listed himself as being fluent in English on his résumé, and had worked for 13 employers in the UK, according to the judge.

Donskoy further claimed that his email attacks against Bowyer were personal and should not have been considered in the costs.

"I am quite satisfied that in reality, the attacks on Mr Bowyer are connected entirely to these proceedings and the issues raised within them," Judge Kelly said in the decision.

The judge added that Donskoy's approach was "one designed to cause maximum disruption to the Respondent, perhaps in the hope of securing a settlement outside of these proceedings, or perhaps as some form of revenge for his dismissal.

"Either way, I am more than satisfied that his approach has been and continues to be unreasonable in these proceedings. I agree that the Respondent should have a further costs award in its favour."

Hogan Lovells did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the case. Igor Donskoy could not immediately be reached for comment by BI.