Fox's Top Lawyer Quits After $787-M Dominion Debacle

Fox Corp. said its top lawyer, Viet Dinh, will exit the company in a significant shakeup to its corporate ranks in the aftermath of the company’s historic $787 million settlement with election technology company Dominion Voting Systems, Oliver Darcy and Jon Passantino reported for CNN.

Photo Insert: Dinh's departure comes after he was widely criticized for his handling of Dominion’s monster defamation lawsuit against Fox News over its airing of lies about the 2020 election.

“We appreciate Viet’s many contributions and service to FOX as both a board member of 21st Century Fox and in his role over the last five years as a valued member of FOX’s leadership team,” said Lachlan Murdoch, chief executive of Fox Corporation, in a statement.

“We are grateful that he will continue to serve FOX as Special Advisor where we will benefit from his counsel.”

In the SEC filing Friday, Fox reported it had paid a total of $894 million in legal settlement costs in 2023, a higher figure than had been previously known.

While the network has put a number of major defamation cases behind it at great cost, the largest lawsuit in the wake of the election — brought by Smartmatic — is still pending and expected to go to trial in 2025.

According to an SEC filing on Friday, Dinh will receive a $23 million cash settlement and will be paid $5 million for a two-year term as special adviser.

Dinh was said to have a close relationship with Lachlan Murdoch, joining the company as chief legal and policy officer in 2018. His departure comes after he was widely criticized for his handling of Dominion’s monster defamation lawsuit against Fox News over its airing of lies about the 2020 election.

“I have been privileged to be part of the Fox family for over two decades as a director and officer, and I have especially treasured my relationships with Rupert, Lachlan, and our talented colleagues over the years,” Dinh said in a statement.

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