How David Boies Turned a Novelist’s Sexual Past Against Her

Questions have been raised about the tactics he uses when representing men in disputes with women.

David Boies
David Boies attends the session "Sexual Orientation, Civil Rights, and American Opinion" on day 1 of the Aspen Ideas Festival. (getty images)

Emma Cline’s first novel, The Girls, came out in 2016. It was a finalist for numerous literary prizes, and a Hollywood producer optioned the film rights. But then in Feb. 2017, Cline received a 15-page letter from the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP. The letter contained a list of accusations against her, which she denied. The firm then sent a 110-page draft of a complaint that contained 13 pages worth of conversations with lovers, nude photos of Cline, and intimate diary entries. David Boies’ — one of the most powerful and well-known lawyers in the country — name was signed on these letters. He’s known for his integrity and high ideals, but lately, Boies has come under fire for how he represents men in disputes with women.

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.