Daniel Kaiser filed to withdraw as attorney for Chirayu Rana just hours before a Tuesday court hearing, leaving Rana to say he would represent himself pro se until he decided whether to hire a new lawyer.
The hearing was expected to address Rana’s request to be officially listed only as John Doe on the court docket. The move came at a sensitive point in the case, which centers on a sex-slave lawsuit involving claims by Rana against JPMorgan Chase executive Lorna Hajdini.
Kaiser’s departure matters because Rana did not have another lawyer lined up when the filing went in. The change put the case in the hands of a defendant who was suddenly on his own while a court was prepared to consider whether to shield his identity in public filings.
Kaiser is not a stranger to high-profile abuse litigation. The Post reported that he previously represented Jeffrey Epstein accusers, including Jennifer Araoz, who said Epstein groomed her for sex when she was 14 years old. That history adds weight to his exit, though the filing itself offered no explanation for the timing.
The broader case remains a fight over both substance and visibility. JPMorgan has said from the outset that the allegations are without merit, and a spokesperson said the firm has no intention of settling the matter. That stance leaves little room for compromise even as Rana seeks anonymity in the docket and legal representation of his own.
For now, the immediate question is not whether the case will move forward — it will — but how Rana will navigate a hearing about his identity and claims without a lawyer at his side. His next step, whether to stay pro se or bring in new counsel, may shape how much control he keeps over the case from here.
