Rob’s Nannygate Papers Lying Lowe
Instead of worrying about nannies and chefs, apparently Rob Lowe should have hired a better bookkeeper.
One of the former employees being sued by, and in turn countersuing, the actor has filed a motion to dismiss Lowe’s lawsuit against her in light of his lawyer’s admission that they can’t find the confidentiality agreement the woman supposedly signed before going to work for the Lowe family.
Jessica Gibson, who worked for Rob and Sheryl Lowe on and off for seven years before everything went kablooey, is denying she ever signed such a document, according to court papers filed Thursday in Santa Barbara Superior Court.
Per Gibson’s filing, Lowe’s attorney, Larry Stein, wrote in a correspondence dated May 23 that the confidentiality agreement “is missing.”
“In effect, Ms. Gibson has been sued for breach of a nonexistent contract,” the motion states. “The Lowes set out to punish Ms. Gibson…and intimidate any and all who might want to assert [their rights].”
Gibson sued the Lowes in April, claiming sexual harassment and other unpleasantries, a week after the couple struck a triple blow in court, filing breach-of-contract suits against Gibson, another ex-babysitter, Laura Boyce, and their former private chef, Peter Clements. Lowe dropped his case against Clements late last month, reportedly after learning the epicure wasn’t going to be aiding Boyce and Gibson in their respective beefs.
Stein said Friday they will respond to Gibson’s motion in court. A hearing concerning this leg of the Lowe legal saga is set for June 19.
Gloria Allred, the attorney representing both Gibson and Boyce, confirmed to News she will be lobbying for the case’s dismissal in court.
There’s no word yet whether all of Lowe’s important employee-employer documents are missing, or just this one.
Rob Lowe’s Lawyer Blasts Allred, New Nanny Suit
The papers have been filed and the gloves have come off.
Rob Lowe's attorney, Larry Stein, issued a statement late Wednesday in response to Nanny No. 2's sexual harassment claim against the actor and his wife, pretty much calling it a blatant attempt on lawyer Gloria Allred's part to divert attention from her other client, Nanny No. 1, who's also suing the Lowes.
(Meanwhile, Lowe had already sued both of the nanniesand his former cheffor breach of contract, defamation and a litany of other employer-employee sins.)
"Having struck out against Rob Lowe, Gloria Allred now seeks to drag his wife and children into the fray," Stein said.
"In response to a lawsuit against Laura Boyce by the Lowes, Ms. Allred filed a cross-complaint on behalf of Boyce, which contains false allegations, in an apparent attempt to divert the negative publicity which Allred's client, [Jessica] Gibson, has universally received. Although framed as a sexual harassment claim against both Sheryl and Rob Lowe, the cross-complaint alleges only words by Sheryl and never mentions any words or conduct by Rob whatsoever.
"The alleged statements by Sheryl are totally unrelated to, and do not provide any support for, Gibson's claims against Rob."
Meanwhile, court documents obtained by People show that Sheryl Lowe is the main target of Boyce's suit. The erstwhile babysitter claims Sheryl created and "extremely sexually offensive and hostile work environment" by "behaving in a…perverted, disgusting and crude manner."
She would walk around naked; ask personal, graphic questions about Boyce's boyfriend; use offensive language; and talk about her sex life with Rob, the lawsuit claims.
Lowe’s Nannygate Goes to the Videotape
Rob Lowe…Video…Uh-oh.
No, the former West Winger doesn't have a new sex-tape scandal on his hands. Rather, the lawyer representing his former nanny is turning up the heat on the star, demanding videotaped depositions of Lowe and his wife, Sheryl Berkoff, News has exclusively learned.
Caught up in a nannygate nightmare, Lowe is accused of sexually harassing his former employee Jessica Gibson. He has denied any wrongdoing and charges Gibson with extortion.
Their dueling lawsuits are due to play out in a courtroom, and the nanny's high-octane lawyer, Gloria Allred, tells News she's going to turn the screws during the depo, which she hopes will play out on camera.
"I'm sure some of the questions will make him and wife uncomfortable, but our job is to get to the truth," Allred says in an exclusive interview. "They are going to have to sit down, and we are going to have a lot of tough questions for them."
Allred said their grillings are set for May 19-20 in Santa Barbara, where the Lowes live and the complaints were filed. It is not yet known whether the Lowes will fight the request to have their interrogations taped; stars like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan have petitioned judges to keep their depos off camera to avoid having potentially damaging footage leaked to the media.
In any event, Allred said her office has also sent more than 100 requests for the Lowes to produce documents to support his case.
"They are going to have to answer questions under oath," Allred says. "I'm looking forward to sitting eye to eye with the Lowes, because Jessica has nothing to hide."
Allred claims her client tried to work things out amicably with Lowe and Berkoff, but when that failed she was forced to file her lawsuit on April 14, accusing the actor of some sordid behavior, including repeatedly exposing himself to her and inappropriately touching her. (View Gibson's lawsuit.)
Gibson quit the Lowes three times after having been their nanny for more than seven years, says Allred, but went back each time because she loved the kids. Ultimately, the attorney continues, the nanny could not "take it anymore."
"She went back because she hoped things would get better, she needed the job and she loved the children," says Allred.
After Gibson quit for the final time, she went to an attorney and that attorney presented the Lowes with a copy of the lawsuit she intended to file, according to Allred. That prompted Lowe's team to launch a preemptive strike and file their own lawsuit against Gibson for breach of contract and breach of a confidentiality clause. (View the Lowes' lawsuit.)
The couple's suit, filed April 7, claimed Gibson demanded $1.5 million in exchange for not going public with "a vicious laundry list of false terribles."
Writing on the Huffington Post, Lowe presented his side.
"Everyone knows we live in a time where public figures are targets," he said. "But I also know of many people in everyday life who are paying the price of a climate where anyone can accuse anybody of anything, anytime, and hope for a big cash pay-off at the end…No one intimidates my family…We will defend ourselves with vigor and without fear."
Allred suggests the Lowes meant to "take to the airwaves and trash [Gibson's] reputation."
"I know some PR people think that was a smart move, but we are characterizing that as retaliation. Under the law, an employee has the right to assert her claim without being retaliated against by having a lawsuit filed against them."
As for Gibson, Allred says her 24-year-old client is at home and dealing with the public scrutiny as best as she can.
"This a very painful time for her, a difficult and challenging time, but she is trying to hold up as best as she can," Allred tells "This a shocking turn of events for her. But she is not going to be intimidated."
Rob Lowe’s Lawyer Blasts Second Nanny Lawsuit
Rob Lowe’s Lawyer Blasts Second Nanny Lawsuit
The drama keeps coming in the case of Rob Lowe versus his nanny accusers, as his attorney, Larry Stein, issued a statement late Wednesday in response to a second nanny’s sexual harassment claim against the actor and his wife.
According to press reports, Lowe’s camp is “pretty much calling it a blatant attempt on lawyer Gloria Allred’s part to divert attention from her other client, Nanny No. 1, who’s also suing the Lowes.”
“Having struck out against Rob Lowe, Gloria Allred now seeks to drag his wife and children into the fray,” Stein said.
“In response to a lawsuit against Laura Boyce by the Lowes, Ms. Allred filed a cross-complaint on behalf of Boyce, which contains false allegations, in an apparent attempt to divert the negative publicity which Allred’s client, [Jessica] Gibson, has universally received. Although framed as a sexual harassment claim against both Sheryl and Rob Lowe, the cross-complaint alleges only words by Sheryl and never mentions any words or conduct by Rob whatsoever. The alleged statements by Sheryl are totally unrelated to, and do not provide any support for, Gibson’s claims against Rob,” Stein added.
The accuser alleges that “(Sheryl Lowe) would walk around naked; ask personal, graphic questions about Boyce’s boyfriend; use offensive language; and talk about her sex life with Rob.”