Kull + Hall v. Karimi CA2/4

BACKGROUND

Kull and Karimi had a business relationship that preceded the events of this case. They first met sometime after 1978 when Karimi’s company, Trans Telecom, installed a telephone system in Kull’s home. A few years later, Kull began representing Karimi and Trans Telecom in various legal matters. Trans Telecom installed telephone systems in Kull’s law offices and a restaurant that he partially owned. This fee dispute primarily involves the lawsuit filed by Karimi against his parents and siblings in 2007 (the Karimi action).1 When Kull drafted the complaint in the Karimi action, he was a partner at Carlsmith Ball LLP (Carlsmith). However, Kull left to form his own firm, K+H, while the Karimi action was pending and he brought the Karimi action with him to the new firm. Although Karimi never signed K+H’s proposed fee agreement for the Karimi action, Kull continued to represent him in that action.

After Karimi purchased a home in his parents’ names, a family dispute arose as to (1) whether Karimi’s father had promised to reimburse him, and (2) whether Karimi’s sister had interfered with his attempts to obtain reimbursement. In 2007, Kull began representing Karimi in…