Deel Served in Rippling Lawsuit - Legal Update

Deel Formally Accepts Legal Service in Ireland Court Battle with Rippling

Deel, a prominent player in the HR technology sector, has officially acknowledged receipt of legal documents pertaining to its ongoing legal dispute with competitor Rippling, within the Irish legal system.

This development concludes a period of uncertainty following unsuccessful attempts by Rippling’s process servers to locate Deel’s executives for service of process – a situation that arose despite the presence of Deel’s CEO and chief legal counsel in Dubai.

Confirmation of Service Acceptance

Deel CEO Alex Bouaziz, alongside Deel legal representatives Asif Malik and Andrea David Mieli, all consented to accept service through the company’s Irish legal firm, Hayes Solicitors, today. This was confirmed by a Deel spokesperson to TechCrunch.

It is important to note that Deel Inc., the U.S.-based entity of Deel, had already been served on April 16th, as evidenced by an affidavit submitted by Rippling to the Irish court this morning.

Rippling’s Previous Attempts at Service

According to the affidavit filed this morning, Rippling reiterated its inability to serve Bouaziz, Malik, and Mieli, detailing its efforts in France and Italy.

For instance, French bailiffs attempted service on Bouaziz at a Paris address on April 10th, but encountered a relative who indicated Bouaziz was in Dubai.

Contradictory Statements Regarding Location

TechCrunch previously reported Bouaziz’s presence in Dubai on April 15th, with Deel initially declining to provide comment. Subsequently, Deel stated that Bouaziz “resides in Israel” and was in Dubai solely for Passover celebrations.

When asked by TechCrunch to clarify Bouaziz’s current location, Deel declined to answer, citing privacy concerns.

Deel Denies Evasion of Service

Deel strongly refuted claims that its executives were actively avoiding service, despite Rippling’s unsuccessful attempts through various process servers.

A Deel spokesperson characterized the suggestion as “a misrepresentation” and asserted that the narrative was intentionally used as a public relations tactic to damage Deel’s reputation.

Executive Movements and Availability

Deel explained that Malik’s relocation to Dubai was scheduled over a year prior, predating the filing of Rippling’s lawsuit. Regarding Andrea David Mieli, whom Rippling claimed it could not serve in Italy, Deel stated he lives and works remotely from Italy and was readily available.

The Core of the Lawsuit

The legal action initiated by Rippling alleges that Deel engaged in bribery, specifically targeting Keith O’Brien, a former Rippling employee, to gather intelligence on Rippling’s internal operations.

O’Brien himself provided an extensive affidavit corroborating these claims, testifying to his involvement in espionage activities.

Deel’s Counterclaims and Public Response

Following weeks of silence, Deel has launched a vigorous defense, filing a countersuit in the U.S. last week. This countersuit levels accusations against Rippling, including claims that Rippling cultivated its own insider within Deel.

In response, Rippling CEO Parker Conrad utilized X (formerly Twitter) to state, “Nowhere does Deel dispute our central allegation — that @Bouazizalex personally recruited a spy to steal Rippling’s trade secrets, and personally directed the theft.”

Rippling did not respond to a request for further comment.