For years, lawyer L. Lin Wood worked closely with Steve Wynn, representing the casino magnate in legal matters and united in their support of President Trump.
Mr. Wood crafted sensitive settlement pacts when Mr. Wynn faced accusations of sexual harassment, allegations Mr. Wynn has denied. Mr. Wynn arranged for the Atlanta-based lawyer to visit Mr. Trump’s Florida club as his guest. And the businessman volunteered to help Mr. Wood in his campaign to secure a Presidential Medal of Freedom for another high-profile client, the late Richard Jewell.
Now, their relationship is broken. They communicate only through lawyers after Mr. Wynn fired Mr. Wood and kicked him out of his house last year.
Mr. Wood has accused his former client of disparaging him to Mr. Trump and spoiling the medal for Mr. Jewell. He said he has demanded millions of dollars from Mr. Wynn for reputational damage with the president and suggested that the secret settlements he negotiated for Mr. Wynn could become public knowledge if the parties can’t come to terms.
In an interview, Mr. Wood said he warned Mr. Wynn’s lawyers that the legal work he did for Mr. Wynn would be fair game in a defamation lawsuit.