Angela Agrusa Will Now Be Representing Bill Cosby

Bill Cosby's legal team has seen a lot of reshuffling over the past year, so it's totally understandable if you're a little confused as to who's representing the comedian in his various legal battles. There was Marty Singer of Lavely & Singer, and then Christopher Tayback of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart and Sullivan, followed by Monique Pressley. However, in mid-August, a spokesperson for Cosby announced Pressley, who'd often gone to bat for the Cosby Show actor in the media, was no longer representing the comedian in any of his legal cases. So, who is Angela Agrusa, Cosby's new lawyer?

Agrusa was announced as Pressley's replacement in a civil case in California in August. As head of litigation for Liner LLP, a law firm based in Los Angeles, she has reportedly served as lead counsel for musician Peter Frampton, Hilton Worldwide, and the City of Los Angeles' Department of Water and Power, among others. According to Liner LLP, Agrusa is now "lead counsel to Bill Cosby in civil actions for sexual assault and defamation claims in California, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania."

A graduate of Loyola Law School's class of 1987, Agrusa said she was drawn to law after reading Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird as a middle schooler. "I didn't really know what lawyers did, but I wanted to put my interest in the law toward a way that I could help people," she said in an interview for Loyola Law School. "[The book] gave me great insight. And from that point on, I wanted to be a lawyer."

Prior to joining Liner LLP, Agrusa worked for 16 years at the law firm Baker & Hostetler LLP. It was with Baker & Hostetler LLP that Agrusa reportedly helped represent Exxon and six other oil companies in a large, high-profile anti-trust case. Since then it's been a whirlwind of business litigation, high-profile cases, and civil and class action lawsuits. A working mother of two, Agrusa once opened up to the Los Angeles Business Journal about how she compartmentalizes in order to strike a work-life balance.

Agrusa has reportedly been named one of the Daily Journal's "Top Women Lawyers" three years in a row (2014, 2015, and 2016). She was also listed among the "Top 50 Women Lawyers" and the "Top 100 Lawyers" of Southern California by Super Lawyers from 2007 to 2016.

There's no telling how long Agrusa will remain a key member of Cosby's legal team, but for now she'll be representing Cosby along with Pennsylvania-based attorney Brian McMonagle.