Halks

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 Case No.: 25-cv-560-DMS-AHG

NICHOLAS HALKS,

12 Plaintiff, ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND 13 v. DENYING IN PART DEFENDANTS’

MOTION TO DISMISS

14 THE KINDLEY LAW FIRM, APC,

GEORGE KINDLEY, and 15

HAMPARYAN INJURY LAWYERS,

16 Defendants. 17 18 This matter arises out of a dispute between a Massachusetts lawyer and California 19 lawyers over a referral fee. Plaintiff, a Massachusetts lawyer who is not a member of the 20 California Bar and has not practiced in California, referred a significant wrongful death 21 case in San Diego to Defendants,1 who are California lawyers, in which the lawyers agreed 22 Plaintiff would receive “one-third of the total legal fees recovered” by Defendants for 23 referring the case. Plaintiff—in compliance with Massachusetts Rules of Professional 24 Conduct—obtained written client consent to refer the case to Defendants and receive a 25 referral fee. Nevertheless, after the case partially…