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Joe Alexander, the former chief creative officer at The Martin Agency who was dismissed in late 2017 amid an allegation of sexual harassment of an employee, has filed a $50.35 million lawsuit against the Richmond advertising company.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Richmond Circuit Court, also names as defendants The Martin Agency’s parent company, New York-based Interpublic Group of Cos., and Kristen Cavallo, The Martin Agency’s chief executive officer since December 2017.

The lawsuit also names two other defendants: Sissy Estes, a former Martin Agency employee, and Tara E. Hanley, whom the lawsuit identifies as a lawyer licensed in Texas who in 2011 represented a Martin Agency employee in a sexual harassment claim against the firm and Alexander.

The 78-page suit, filed by Charlottesville attorney Steven Biss, claims the allegations against Alexander were “concocted,” “completely false” and were used “as a pretext” to terminate his employment in December 2017.