McNeal

This is an action for legal services rendered by John G. Mott and Albert M. Cross, plaintiff’s assignors, to the defendant, Edward H. Mercer. The action was tried before a jury and a judgment rendered against the defendant for the sum of five hundred dollars and costs. The defendant appeals.

The defendant is a druggist in Oxnard, California, and in the spring of 1922 became involved with the federal authorities on account of some alleged irregularities in the sale of whisky and was required to appear before the federal prohibition agent in Los Angeles to show cause why his permit to sell liquor on prescription should not be revoked. He employed Drapeau, Orr & Gardner, Esquires, a firm of attorneys in Ventura, California, to help him. The defendant had been buying goods from Brunswig Drug Company, wholesalers, in Los Angeles, and upon one occasion the defendant and his attorney visited the Brunswig Drug Company, and Water M. Brunswig, of the wholesale firm, made an appointment for the defendant to meet Mr. Mott, attorney for the drug company, whom he thought could be of great assistance in the case. Mr. Mott was consulted and thereafter co-operated with defendant’s Ventura…