Little
Little v. Amber Hotel Co.
Opinion
Lead Opinion
Manella, J.
Respondent James J. Little asserted claims against appellant Amber Hotel Company (Amber) for tortious interference with contract, *285 alleging that Amber impaired Little’s lien on an attorney fee award. Amber challenges the judgment in Little’s favor, contending that Little’s former client nullified the fee award through a settlement, and that the damages awarded to Little fail as a matter of law. We discern no reversible error and affirm.
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
A. Prior Action
In August 2004, Amber initiated a lawsuit against Frank Martini and his brother, Satanand Sharma, together with several businesses they controlled (collectively, the Martini parties). 1 In the action, Amber asserted claims for breach of contract and fraud, alleging that the Martini parties failed to pay a broker’s commission owed to Amber in connection with the sale of a hotel. The claims were based in part on a listing agreement and a sales agreement, each of which contained an attorney fee provision.
In October 2004, Martini and Sharma hired Attorney Little to provide representation in the action. They executed a contract entitled “Retainer Fee Agreement and Attorney’s L[ie]n,”…