Biglaw, Malpractice, Old People

Biglaw Firm Gets Sued For Malpractice -- And Elder Abuse?

A prominent law firm gets dragged into a rich family's feud.

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Does anyone else remember the TV show Dirty Sex Money? Being the go-to lawyer for a rich family is exciting and fun, right?

Until you get sued for malpractice. Here’s a report from Law360:

McDermott Will & Emery LLP was accused of legal malpractice and elder abuse Monday in California state court by the grandchildren of the founder of pharmaceutical giant Allergan Inc. and their father, who claim the law firm helped one sibling wrest control of the family’s $50 million holding company from the rest of them.

According to Richard Hausman, called Dick, and three of his four adult children, McDermott Will & Emery and Los Angeles estate planning partner Jonathan Lurie orchestrated a power play by the fourth sibling, Rick Hausman, to grab control of the family’s holding corporation, M. Hausman Inc., which manages a private investment portfolio. All the while, the litigation said, McDermott was moonlighting as joint counsel for the entire family.

Whoa, elder abuse? What’s the basis for that? It seems that Dick Hausman is 79 years old, so allegedly taking advantage of him in financial and legal matters might qualify, even if it’s not the same as leaving him in a dirty diaper for hours.

For its part, McDermott seems untroubled by the suit: “We regret that Mr. Hausman has chosen to involve McDermott Will & Emery in the family litigation involving his late wife’s estate. McDermott will vigorously defend itself in this matter, and we expect to prevail.”

Each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Except rich families have many more lawyers involved.

(For more details and the original complaints, surf over to Law360.)

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Allergan Heirs Accuse McDermott Of Elder Abuse, Malpractice [Law360]

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