ARI. Drops “The Rebellion” Single/Video Spotlighting Tom Girardi/Erika Jayne Scandal

Edelson PC, one of the leading plaintiffs’ law firms in the country, has taken a stand against corrupt practices in the legal industry with their latest music video, “The Rebellion.” Written by Ari “ARI.” Scharg, a partner at the firm and directed by Gabe Hostetler of Guerrilla Hollywood, the video focuses on the Tom Girardi/Erika Jayne scandal, celebrity culture, and the need for greater accountability and transparency in the legal industry. The video was produced by Mike Mihail of Guerrilla Hollywood. The song was produced through Edelson Creative, the firm’s platform for producing creative content outside of traditional legal work, and was released just days after celebrity lawyer Tom Girardi was indicted by federal prosecutors in both California and Illinois.

In 2018, the firm worked with Girardi to represent widows and orphans of the Lion Air plane crash in Indonesia. After the case was settled, Edelson uncovered that Girardi, who gained fame for his work on behalf of cancer victims highlighted in the movie, Erin Brockovich, had stolen millions of dollars from his Lion Air clients, resulting in the revocation of his law license, a criminal referral to federal prosecutors, and a broader investigation, which, on February 1, 2023, resulted in the first round of criminal indictments against Girardi, as well as his partner (and son-in-law) David Lira and his firm’s Chief Financial Officer, Chris Kamon. Prosecutors made clear that their investigation is ongoing and wide-ranging, and that these indictments are just the beginning.

In what is now understood to be the largest client Ponzi scheme in the history of law, it has been revealed that Girardi stole over $100m from clients, including burn victims, workers exposed to toxic chemicals, homeowners living on polluted land, co-counsel and vendors and, according to some reports, the Erin Brockovich clients themselves. Girardi also stands accused of using his money and influence to exert decades-long control over judges, arbitrators, and even the California State Bar, which has recently been under scrutiny for receiving over 200 complaints about Girardi since 1982 and not taking action to stop his crime spree until Edelson exposed it.

Girardi’s wife, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne, is facing a lawsuit accusing her of being the “frontwoman” of the scheme, with Girardi using her celebrity status and their professed riches to lure more victims into his illegal enterprise. Kamon has already been arrested in connection with the Ponzi scheme, and Girardi, Lira, Griffin, and other lawyers who worked with them are expected to face arrest in the coming weeks.

Artwork for the single “The Rebellion” by ARI.

Ari ‘ARI.’ Scharg comments:

“We’re not afraid to speak out and call out bad actors in our industry. We want to start a conversation and bring about real change. ‘The Rebellion’ is about picking sides: do plaintiffs’ lawyers want to be part of the reform movement or do they want to be left in the dustbin of history?”

“The Rebellion” isn’t just about the Girardi scandal, it’s about the broader abuses by others in the plaintiffs’ bar and the inaction by the California State Bar. The video serves as a call to action for the legal industry to come together and hold each other accountable, to put an end to self-dealing and shady behaviours that harm clients and undermine the public’s trust in the legal system.