Court to Answer Bankrupt Law Firm Unfinished Business Question

The California Supreme Court will determine who owns the unfinished business of a failed law firm—the dead firm or the one that took on the work (Heller Ehrman LLP v. Davis Wright Tremaine, Cal., S236208, question certified 8/31/16).

Justices during their weekly meeting Aug. 31 agreed to answer the question the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit posed in the bankruptcy of Heller Ehrman LLP28 BBLR 980, 8/4/16, 32 Law. Man. Prof. Conduct 466, 8/10/16, 85 U.S.L.W. 159, 8/4/16). The estate for the defunct firm asserts Heller owns the book of business that lawyers took with them when the firm cratered, a million-dollar argument that also is pending ...