Law firms in Meta antitrust lawsuit clash over lead role

The logo of Meta Platforms' business group is seen in Brussels, Belgium December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Yves Herman

(Reuters) - Two major U.S. law firms are feuding over which one will lead a consumer antitrust class action against Meta Platforms Inc's Facebook, after a judge scrapped a prior order appointing them both as co-leaders for the plaintiffs and started from scratch.

U.S. District Judge James Donato in San Francisco said in January that he would make a new determination to select one of the firms to lead the class action amid quarreling between Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro and Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan. Part of the clash included a Hagens Berman partner accusing Quinn Emanuel of discounting her views based on her gender. Quinn Emanuel denied the allegation, calling it a "mystery."