PITTSBURGH — Former Highmark CEO Kenneth Melani and Melissa Myler, the woman in the middle of the alleged scandal, have both hired a well-known Pittsburgh lawyer.
Channel 11's Alan Jennings learned Wednesday that Melani and Myler have hired the same employment lawyer, Sam Cordes.
"I am ready for war, absolutely," Cordes said. "The issue is what a very large insurance company in this town has done to two people because of their personal lives."
Cordes is known as one of Pittsburgh's most successful wrongful firing lawyers. Cordes claims that after learning Melani was dating Myler, Highmark wanted him to fire her, but he refused.
"Personally, he said, 'That's illegal. I can't do that. If you want me to resign then I'll resign. There are three choices here. We can break it off and that's not going to happen. If you want my resignation, that's what we'll do. Don't fire her,'" Cordes said.
Cordes also said he thinks Highmark fired Melani before getting all the facts of his arrest on a simple assault charge.
"Before every war there are always lots of diplomacy and so we're in the diplomacy stage at this point," Cordes said. "That may turn into way very shortly."
Cordes believes Highmark broke a federal law that prohibits employer retaliation.
Highmark issued a statement Wednesday night saying, “In early March, Dr. Melani was informed that in accord with company policy, he had an option of either his leaving the company or Mr. Myler leaving the company.”
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