Longtime WWE lawyer Jerry McDevitt recently spoke to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and said that he is looking to retire. The 72-year-old has represented Vince McMahon and the WWE for about 35 years.
McDevitt with WWE began when he represented Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart in 1987. Neidhart had been arrested after a dispute with an airline attendant but McDevitt not only beat the charges but managed to successfully sue the airline on Neidhart’s behalf. Neidhart was awarded $200,000. From then on, McDevitt became the go-to attorney for WWE.
McDevitt has represented WWE in many high-profile legal cases, including Vince McMahon’s triumphant victory in the United States v. McMahon case over alleged steroid distribution (1994).
Jerry McDevitt: “I’m Headed Into Retirement”
McDevitt says he does have other clients, but considers WWE to be a ‘major’ client. Now into his 70’s, he’s looking to slow down. However, his long friendship with Vince McMahon has kept going.
“I’ll be 72 in January, so I’ve been trying to turn it down a little bit as I’m headed into retirement. But because of my longstanding relationship with WWE, I continue to represent them, although I keep telling Vince I do want to retire.”
McDevitt has always worked personally with Vince McMahon and he doesn’t expect that to change.
“My contact and my relationship is directly with and to Vince,” he said. “It always has been. It always will be. That’s kind of a unique relationship in the landscape of the law these days for the outside counsel to have that sort of direct relationship.”
