Wake Up Call: With Billions At Stake, Lawyers Flock to Altadena

Welcome to Bloomberg Law’s Wake Up Call, a daily rundown of the top news for lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel.

• Lawyers are flooding into Altadena, Calif., in the wake of the Eaton and Palisades fires, vying to represent victims in lawsuits against Southern California Edison. High-profile figures like Erin Brockovich and Benjamin Crump have become the faces of the legal battle, while other attorneys have started to aggressively market their services in hopes to get a slice of the billions potentially available in settlement money. (Los Angeles Times)
• Attorney Antigone Curis is facing potential sanctions after a federal judge found she allowed Tony Buzbee to use her credentials to improperly file and litigate sex abuse lawsuits against Sean “Diddy” Combs in a New York federal court. Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil warned Curis of “grave consequences” if she continued to violate court procedures. (Business Insider)
• Leaders in Lipscomb, Ala., are fighting over the city council’s appointment of a new city attorney, whom the mayor said is serving illegally and is part of a plan to seize control. Wayman Newton, who also serves as mayor of nearby Tarrant, was appointed in a city council meeting that the Lipscomb’s mayor claims was unlawfully conducted. (AL.com)

Laterals, Moves, In-House

• James McGuire joined Holland & Knight as a partner in its public policy and regulation group in Dallas. He joins from the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Scott Behar joined Morrison Foerster as a partner in its mergers and acquisitions group in New York.
• Todd Rosenberg joined Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton as a partner in its health-care practice in Washington. He joins from Crowell & Moring.
• Cassady Brewer joined Carlton Fields as a shareholder in its business transactions practice in Atlanta. He joins from Georgia State University College of Law.