Shahrokh Mireskandari v. Barrington Mayne

MEMORANDUM

Shahrokh Mireskandari and Paul Baxen-dale-Walker appeal the district court’s May 14, 2013 order dismissing all pending claims with prejudice.

1. We affirm the district court’s dismissal of the claims against the Law Society of England and Wales (“LSE”) and the Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”) pursuant to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (“FSIA”). The SRA has no legal existence separate from the LSE. Though the LSE and SRA are formally independent from the government, both are accountable to the statutorily-created Legal Services Board (“LSB”), which is itself accountable to Parliament through the Lord Chancellor. The LSB is responsible for eight regulatory objectives defined by statute, and the LSE and SRA must act in a manner compatible with. these objectives, see Legal Services Act 2007, c. 29, § 28, 2(a). Thus, the LSE and SRA engage “in a public activity on behalf of the foreign government.” Cal. Dep’t of Water Res. v. Powerex Corp., 533 F.3d 1087, 1098 (9th Cir.2008) (internal quotation mark omitted).

2. The district court did not abuse its discretion in dismissing the claims against the LSE and SRA with prejudice, refusing to allow Appellants to…