Verb Technology Company, Inc. v. Baker and Hostetler, LLP

I. INTRODUCTION

18 On August 17, 2021, the Court ordered Defendant Baker & Hostetler LLP 19 (“Baker”) to show cause why this case should not be dismissed for lack of subject matter 20 jurisdiction. (Order to Show Cause (“OSC”), ECF No. 9.) In its Notice of Removal, 21 Baker alleged that Plaintiff Verb Technology Co., Inc., a corporation, was a citizen of 22 Nevada and Utah, and that Baker, a limited liability partnership (LLP), had no 23 citizenship in either of those states. (See Notice of Removal (“NOR”) ¶ 10, ECF No. 1 24 (alleging the fifteen states of residence of Baker’s 460 partners).) The Court ordered 25 Baker to address the following questions: 26 (1) In the Ninth Circuit, to which partners of a LLP should this Court look in analyzing diversity? 28 (2) Given the legal principle as established, what is the citizenship (not 1 merely the residence) of each and every one of Baker’s partners, and accordingly, of Baker itself? 3 4 (Minute Order 2–3.) The Court urged Baker to file declarations or other evidence in 5 support of its jurisdictional contentions. (OSC 3.) On August 26, 2021, Baker filed a Response consisting…