Dunne

The issue presented is whether California will assert jurisdiction over the State of Florida and adjudicate an attorney-client fee dispute arising out of litigation conducted on behalf of Florida in California by a California attorney who was sought out and hired by Florida for the sole purpose of representing Florida in that litigation. We hold that California may properly exert jurisdiction.

Background

In the 1970’s the State of Florida was one of several states which had initiated massive antitrust actions against the petroleum industry. These actions were eventually consolidated and assigned for trial to the United States District Court for the Central District of California; Florida agreed to its action being included in this transfer. (See In re Petro. Products Antitrust Litigation (J.P.M.D.L. 1976) 419 F.Supp. 712, 713-715 [text & fn. 2].) Florida then decided to engage local counsel to represent its interests, and selected Stephen Dunne for this purpose. In July of 1979 Dunne and the Florida Department of Legal Affairs (acting through the then Attorney General of Florida) executed a “Contract for Counsel” whereby Dunne was retained as a “Special Assistant…