Lennar Mare Island, LLC v. Steadfast Insurance

ORDER

Lennar Mare Island, LLC (LMI), CH2M Hill Constructors, Inc. (CCI), and Steadfast Insurance Company dispute their obligations in the clean-up of Mare Island, a former U.S. Navy base. Several motions'are pending: LMI’s motions for partial summary judgment as to the definition of “Government Authority” and “Known Pollution Condition”; Steadfast’s motions for leave to amend its counterclaim and for relief from the magistrate judge’s discovery order; and CCI’s motion to disqualify Steadfast’s counsel. On February 27, 2015, the court held a hearing on CCI’s motion to disqualify, as this motion must be decided before the others. Ryan Werner appeared 'for Plaintiff Lennar Mare Island, LLC. Deborah Ballati and Amanda Hairston appeared for CCI. Merri Baldwin, Ethan Miller, and Brandon Rai-ney appeared for Steadfast Insurance Company. After considering the parties’ briefing and arguments presented at the hearing, the court GRANTS the motion to disqualify.

I. BACKGROUND

A. General Background

The United States Navy operated a base at Mare Island in Vallejo, California from 1852 until 1996. Joint Stmt. Discovery Dispute 2, ECF No. 63. After a century of use, the land had become…