A own injury law firm in Louisiana persuaded a state appeals court docket to affirm $7,500 in sanctions and attorneys’ charges in relationship with a case in which the company was accused of getting a conflict of interest.
Rental devices corporation Ahern Rentals Inc. sued former staff which include Scott Helms and Chadd Turnage alleging theft of private information and facts immediately after they were employed by Ahern’s competitor, EquipmentShare.com Inc. Helms and Turnage had been rehired at Ahern immediately after losing their jobs at EquipmentShare, and Ahern moved to disqualify their previous counsel at Veron Bice Palermo & Wilson LLC from symbolizing the remaining individuals.
Veron opposed disqualification and sought sanctions, inquiring why Ahern hadn’t dismissed its staff members from the action and boosting considerations about confidential methods in litigation. The demo court docket rejected the bid for disqualification, and granted the sanctions request in the amount of $7,500 in fees and costs.
The Court of Charm of Louisiana, Third Circuit, affirmed that ruling Wednesday. The appeals courtroom held that the proof was enough to support the demo court’s ruling that Ahern was delaying the dismissal of Helms and Turnage as defendants in an try to acquire information and facts about EquipmentShare’s strategy.
“There is proof that the motion at difficulty in this circumstance was submitted to induce unneeded delay and as an abuse of method,” Decide Elizabeth A. Pickett wrote in the belief. “Further, we obtain that the award of $7,500.00 for court expenditures and lawyer charges is not an abuse of discretion.”
J. Michael Veron told Bloomberg Regulation on Thursday that the company is “happy with the ruling,” but declined to deliver extra feedback.
Helms and Turnage are represented by DeRosier Law Agency LLC. Veron signifies itself.
Judges Kent Savoie and Van H. Kyzar joined the final decision.
The case is Ahern Rentals Inc. v. Inexperienced, La. Ct. App., 3d Cir., No. 21-767, 5/25/22.