Dentons Loses Arbitration Question in Ex-Partner Fee Dispute (1)

A Los Angeles County judge this week granted a fired Dentons partner’s request for a temporary stay of an arbitration proceeding with his former firm that stems from a $35 million contingency fee dispute.

Judge James Chalfant ruled Jinshu “John” Zhang was likely to win an argument that the delegation clause in his partnership agreement with Dentons was not “clear and unmistakable.” Delegation clauses grant arbitrators the right to decide what issues fall under their judgment.

The sides had a falling out after Zhang successfully represented a Chinese client in an arbitration that netted a contingency fee worth about $35 ...