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Law Practice,
California Supreme Court

Dec. 8, 2017

State Supreme Court hears arguments on firm’s unfinished business

Arguments before the state Supreme Court Thursday addressed the issue of whether a dissolved law firm can collect hourly fees on an unfinished case when that case is being undertaken by a new firm.

State Supreme Court hears arguments on firm’s unfinished business
Justice Goodwin Liu, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye, and Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar questioned attorneys for the estate of Heller Ehrman LLP during state Supreme Court arguments Thursday.

LOS ANGELES — Arguments before the state Supreme Court on Thursday addressed the issue of whether a dissolved law firm can collect hourly fees on an unfinished case when it is being undertaken by a new firm.

Who owns a client’s legal matters? Is it the firm, lawyer or clients? Heller Ehrman LLP, which went bankrupt in the late 2000s, filed suit against four other law firms as a way to pay back creditors.

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