X Corp. v. Bright Data Ltd.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

X CORP., Plaintiff, No. C 23-03698 WHA

v.

ORDER DISQUALIFYING THE LAW

BRIGHT DATA LTD., FIRM OF QUINN EMANUEL

URQUHART & SULLIVAN, LLP

Defendant.

14 INTRODUCTION A law firm advised a client on how to defend its business model against litigation brought by a social media platform only to turn around and sue the same client in a suit designed to thwart the very same business model on behalf of a second social media platform. This violated the law firm’s duty of loyalty to the client and the law firm must be disqualified. STATEMENT 1. PAST MATTER: THE META LITIGATION. In early 2023, defendant Bright Data Ltd. retained Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP when Meta Platforms, Inc. sued Bright Data in this district and Bright Data sued for declaratory relief in Delaware. Both suits involved the lawfulness under contract and tort law of Bright Data’s business…