Zhang

BACKGROUND

The facts and allegations in this appeal are taken from the pleadings, the exhibits submitted in connection with the anti-SLAPP motion, our prior opinion in this case (B238290), and additional papers filed in the trial court regarding various rulings. A. Prior Lawsuits On June 3, 2009, Attorney Paul P. Cheng filed suit on behalf of Jia Nong Guo against Guo’s employer, Hong Yei Group, Inc. (Guo v. Han (Super. Ct. L.A. County, 2011, No. BC415219)). The corporation operated the Hong Yei Restaurant, where Guo worked. The complaint also named as defendants two managerial employees, Jungfeng Han and Shumin Zhang (husband and wife, respectively), alleging they were alter egos of the corporate defendant. The complaint alleged that defendants had violated wage and hour laws codified in the Labor Code; it also included common law claims and a claim under the “Unfair Competition Law” (Bus. & Prof. Code, §§ 17200–17210).

2 On July 2, 2009, Attorney Cheng filed a similar suit on behalf of another employee, Jian Hui Han, against the same defendants (Han v. Han (Super. Ct. L.A. County, 2011, No. BC417128)). The two lawsuits were consolidated. On or about January 27, 2010,…