Huskinson & Brown, Limited Liability Partnership v. Wolf

Opinion

BAXTER, J.

This case concerns a dispute between two law firms over compensation for legal services performed for a client who prevailed in a lawsuit against a third party. Rule 2-200 of the California Rules of Professional Conduct (all further references to rules are to these rules) bars law firms from dividing client fees among themselves if the client has not given written consent to the agreed division after a full written disclosure of its terms. (Rule 2-200(A)(l).) Here, plaintiff and defendants had entered into a fee-sharing agreement without providing written disclosure to the…