Don Lemon and Tucker Carlson, whose departures from their jobs were announced within minutes of each other on Monday, are hiring the same lawyer, one who has a reputation for securing multimillion-dollar payouts from people terminated at large networks.
Neither Lemon nor Carlson have said they intend to file a lawsuit over their departures, but both men have retained attorney Bryan Freedman, according to Forbes. Freedman has a record of helping those who have been terminated from their jobs secure settlements that have run into the millions, the story said.
Former CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter reported on Twitter that both Carlson and Lemon are retaining Freedman’s services. The New York Times reported that Lemon had hired Freedman.
The departures announced Monday stunned viewers and appeared to have been a surprise to both men.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Carlson only knew about his departure 10 minutes before it was announced on air.
“I have no idea what’s going on,” Carlson reportedly told his staff at the time, according to The Daily Beast.
While Carlson has not commented on his departure from Fox, Lemon tweeted that he was stunned at his firing.
“I was informed by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN,” Lemon said in a statement shared on social media.
“After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network.”
The network clapped back Monday saying “Don Lemon’s statement about this morning’s events is inaccurate. He was offered an opportunity to meet with management but instead released a statement on Twitter.”
According to the Journal, Fox News intends to pay out the entirety of Carlson’s contract, which was renewed in 2021 for about $20 million per year. It’s unclear when the deal expires.
Lemon was under contract with CNN until 2026, according to the New York Times. CNN has not indicated whether it will pay Lemon the remaining portion of the contract.
Freedman is no stranger to securing settlements for high-profile clients who have been fired from their jobs.
Freedman was former TV host Megyn Kelly’s attorney after she was fired by NBC from a talk show she hosted.
Kelly reportedly received a $30 million settlement, which was the remainder of her contract, from NBC News.
Chris Cuomo, the CNN anchor who was fired by the network in December 2021 after it emerged that he had helped his brother, then-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, navigate a sexual-harassment scandal, also hired Freedman in his wrongful termination suit against the network for $125 million. The suit is ongoing
Sage Steele, who sued ESPN, Chis Harrison, former host of “The Bachelor” and Quentin Tarantino are all clients of Freedman.
