Deel Accepts Legal Service in Rippling Lawsuit: Key Developments Unfold
In a significant development in the ongoing legal battle between HR tech giants Deel and Rippling, Deel has officially accepted the service of legal documents in Ireland. This resolution ends weeks of uncertainty that arose when Rippling’s bailiffs were unable to locate Deel’s executives for service. This situation escalated when Deel’s CEO and top legal representatives were found in Dubai.
Details of the Legal Proceedings
Deel’s CEO, Alex Bouaziz, along with lawyers Asif Malik and Andrea David Mieli, agreed to accept legal service through Deel’s Irish law firm, as confirmed to TechCrunch. The U.S. entity of Deel, Deel Inc., was already served on April 16, as detailed in an affidavit filed by Rippling in an Irish court.
Service Acceptance Confirmed
“Today in court in Dublin, Hayes Solicitors agreed to accept service on behalf of all four parties,” a spokesperson from Deel stated to TechCrunch.
Challenges in Serving Legal Documents
The affidavit from Rippling highlighted the difficulties faced in serving Bouaziz, Malik, and Mieli. Their attempts included:
- Engaging French bailiffs to serve Bouaziz at a Paris address on April 10.
- Discovering that Bouaziz was in Dubai after speaking with a relative.
On April 15, it was reported that Bouaziz was indeed in Dubai, although Deel did not respond to inquiries at that time. However, Deel later clarified that Bouaziz resides in Israel and was only in Dubai for a brief celebration of Passover.
Deel’s Response to Allegations
Deel has firmly denied any claims suggesting that its executives were evading service. A spokesperson for Deel emphasized, “It’s a misrepresentation that anyone was avoiding service, and that narrative was clearly being used as a public smear tactic.”
Executives’ Locations Clarified
Deel explained that Malik’s relocation to Dubai was planned over a year ago, prior to Rippling’s lawsuit. Regarding Mieli, Deel confirmed that he works from home in Italy and was accessible for service.
Core Issues of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit revolves around Rippling’s allegations that Deel bribed an employee, Keith O’Brien, to gather confidential information about its operations. O’Brien has corroborated these claims in a detailed affidavit.
Deel’s Counteractions
Following a period of silence, Deel has taken a proactive approach, filing a countersuit in the U.S. last week. In this countersuit, Deel has made several accusations against Rippling, including the claim that Rippling cultivated an insider within Deel.
Rippling’s Standpoint
In response to Deel’s countersuit, Rippling CEO Parker Conrad took to social media platform X, stating, “Nowhere does Deel dispute our central allegation — that @Bouazizalex personally recruited a spy to steal Rippling’s trade secrets and personally directed the theft.”
As the legal battle continues, both companies are expected to maintain their positions and prepare for further proceedings. For more updates on this case, stay tuned to reliable sources like TechCrunch.
