Leah Remini, who is suing the Church of Scientology for civil harassment and defamation, wants to add to her legal team an attorney who has won a total of nearly $100 million for plaintiffs in sex abuse cases.
Brittany Henderson is a partner at the law firm Edwards Henderson in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and represents crime victims and survivors of sexual abuse in civil litigation. Henderson is not licensed in California, so she has to have permission from Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Randolph M. Hammock to participate in the case. She filed her application Monday and a hearing is scheduled Feb. 1
Remini's original suit was brought Aug. 2 and included allegations of civil harassment, stalking, intentional infliction of emotional distress and defamation. Scientology leader David Miscavige is a co-defendant with the church and its Religious Technology Center in both the first suit and in an updated complaint filed Aug. 29. The 53-year-old "The King of Queens" actress is a former church member.
According to her firm's website, in 2016 Henderson was recognized for obtaining one of the top 50 jury verdicts in the United States resulting from a high profile sexual abuse case that she litigated with partner Brad Edwards in Chicago federal court.
Two years later, the pair obtained a $71 million verdict in state court on behalf of a young woman who was sexually assaulted while working as a crew member on a large yacht, according to the website, which also states she has obtained nearly $100 million in jury verdicts and settlements in her career.
Henderson also co-founded two charities for sexual abuse survivors and has been recognized as a Rising Star by SuperLawyers and by the National Trial Lawyers Association's Top 40 Under 40.
Henderson was previously permitted to be co-counsel in two other Los Angeles Superior Court cases, including that of Chrissie Carnell Bixler and other women suing the church and convicted rapist and "That 70s Show" actor Danny Masterson.
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