The accusations Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison leveled against its former chairman Tower Snow Jr. and his new firm, Clifford Chance, this week may seem awfully familiar.
That's because Brobeck faced some of the same accusations in an eight-year dispute with the now-defunct Santa Monica firm of Dickson, Carlson & Campillo.
In that case, Brobeck lost the argument that luring away partners and using internal information about a firm did not constitute unfair competition.
But that could actually help Brobeck in its claim that Snow's move to Clifford Chance with a team of partners also constituted unfair competition.
W. Mark Lanier, a Houston lawyer who is representing Brobeck, said his client's losing argument in the Dickson, Carlson case shows that California courts recognize some actions involving partnerships are a breach of fiduciary duty and can be considered unfair competition.
If only I knew how to make my weblog play music, you'd be hearing Round and Round by the eighties metal nightmare band "Ratt" right now. The Recorder sums it up here.