Com-1 Info, Inc. v. Wolkowitz (In Re Maximus Computers, Inc.)

278 B.R. 189, 48 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 635, 2002 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 4413, 2002 Daily Journal DAR 5725, 2002 Bankr. LEXIS 500, 39 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 163, 2002 WL 1032406
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit
DecidedMay 8, 2002
DocketBAP Nos. CC-00-1657-KMOB, CC-00-1658-KMOB, CC-01-1183-KMOB. Bankruptcy No. LA 00-11124 ER. Adversary No. LA 00-02301 ER
StatusPublished
Cited by36 cases

This text of 278 B.R. 189 (Com-1 Info, Inc. v. Wolkowitz (In Re Maximus Computers, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Ninth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Com-1 Info, Inc. v. Wolkowitz (In Re Maximus Computers, Inc.), 278 B.R. 189, 48 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 635, 2002 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 4413, 2002 Daily Journal DAR 5725, 2002 Bankr. LEXIS 500, 39 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 163, 2002 WL 1032406 (bap9 2002).

Opinions

OPINION

KLEIN, Bankruptcy Judge.

These interlocutory appeals constitute an attempt by defendants in a fraudulent transfer action that is being prosecuted for the benefit of the estate to disqualify opposing counsel because a creditor is paying the counsel’s fees.

In an effort to derail state court fraud litigation against them, defendant corporate insiders had their defunct corporation file a chapter 7 bankruptcy in which there can be no discharge. The plaintiffs state court counsel was then engaged to prosecute a bankruptcy fraudulent transfer action. The defendants appeal two orders parrying attempts to rid themselves of their nemesis.

The appealed orders ratified employment as special counsel under 11 U.S.C. § 327 and, twice, refused to disqualify the firm for having its fees paid by the creditor client that it still represents and that opposed a nuisance-value settlement that the defense attempted to negotiate directly with the trustee behind the back of opposing counsel.

Although we REVERSE the employment under § 327 as proeedurally defective, we merely VACATE the orders refusing to disqualify counsel and REMAND for clarification of whether the orders reflect authorization under 11 U.S.C. § 503(b)(3)(B) for a creditor to sue in the name of the trustee, using its own lawyer, to recover property for the benefit of the estate.

We publish to clarify that § 503(b)(3)(B) retains vitality: first, a creditor authorized by the court per § 503(b)(3)(B) to recover property for the [192]*192estate may sue in the trustee’s name without counsel being employed under § 327 and without counsel being “disinterested”; second, such a creditor has standing; and, third, since §§ 327 and 503(b)(3)(B) are not mutually exclusive, decisions affirming § 327 employment of a creditor’s lawyer should be understood as permitting, but not requiring, § 327 employment when § 503(b)(3)(B) permission would suffice.

FACTS

The procedural context of these consolidated and related appeals requires that we accept the plaintiffs allegations as true. When we do so, this appeal smacks of a “strategic” effort by defendants to divert attention from the merits of allegations that they stole about $7 million by looting a corporation.

A number of wholesale electronics suppliers, including Arrow Electronics, Inc. (“Arrow”), were bilked out of about $7 million in computer microchips sold to Maximus Computers, Inc. (“Maximus”), in a fraud perpetrated by Maximus’ owners (Henry Salim and his spouse, Celina Lieu), working in league with Salim’s brother (Djit Orig) and a corporation owned by Ong.

The structure of the fraud, which occurred in a period of about four weeks in 1999, was simple. Maximus and Salim had preexisting trade credit agreements with vendors who were induced to ship microchips to Maximus on various credit terms in September and October 1999, including tendering of checks to be issued upon delivery. Maximus received the microchips, issued the checks, immediately stopped payment on the checks, and transferred the microchips to entities controlled by Salim family members before the vendors could reclaim the goods.

For example, Arrow shipped microchips to Maximus on October 1, 1999, on the promise by Salim and Maximus that postdated checks for payment would be delivered upon receipt. On October 19, Maxi-mus issued and delivered two checks signed by Lieu totaling $1,225,000 postdated to November 1, 1999. On October 25, Arrow learned from two other suppliers that Maximus had stopped payment on cheeks to them. On October 27, Arrow presented the checks to the drawee bank, which notified Arrow that Maximus had stopped payment. Arrow sued in state court on November 2, 1999, alleging multiple counts including fraud and conversion. Arrow Elec., Inc. v. Maximus Computers, et al., Los Angeles County Super. Ct. (No. KC031873, filed 11/2/99).

Arrow was represented in the state court action by the law firm of Gibbs, Giden, Locher & Turner, LLP (“GGL & T”).

By the time that Maximus filed a voluntary chapter 7 case in January 2000, all Maximus assets had been transferred to various entities and individuals related to Salim.

Arrow offered the services of GGL & T to the chapter 7 trustee, Edward Wolkow-itz, to prosecute the bankruptcy version of the fraudulent transfer action with the promise that fees would be due from the estate only if the action was successful.

The trustee applied for an order approving employment of GGL & T as special counsel to recover the microchips or their value, presenting employment application papers noting that GGL & T represented Arrow in the state court action, which familiarity was said to make GGL & T the logical litigation counsel for the estate, that GGL & T would be compensated by the estate only if successful, and that any compensation would be based upon the services rendered to the estate and submitted for court approval.

[193]*193The application disclosed neither the fact that Arrow was paying GGL & T’s fees, nor the terms of that compensation, nor that GGL & T would continue to represent Arrow simultaneously with the trustee. The court approved the application on May 11, 2000.

GGL & T filed an adversary proceeding in the name of the trustee in July 2000, against Salim, Lieu, Ong, and Ong’s corporation, Com-1 Info, Inc., alleging causes of action for, among others, fraud, breach of contract, conversion and conspiracy and requesting that the court avoid the allegedly fraudulent transfers, avoid preferences, and marshal assets.

In September 2000, a proposed amended employment order was tendered to the court without an accompanying application. The amendment’s substance was: “By this Amended Order, the Court acknowledges that the fees of [GGL & T] are currently being paid by ARROW ELECTRONICS, INC., a creditor.” There was no disclosure of what those fees were and no verified statement from GGL & T articulating the precise continuing relationship with Arrow.

Salim, Lieu, Com-1, and Ong objected to the amended employment order and made a motion to disqualify GGL & T.

The court overruled the objection, signed the amended order, and refused to disqualify GGL & T by memorandum decision dated November 7, 2000.

Our first two appeals were filed by Sal-im and Lieu (No. CC-00-1657) and Com-1 and Ong (No. CC-00-1658) from the November 7 order, with motions for leave to appeal, which we granted.

Our third appeal, No. CC-01-1183, is from an order entered April 11, 2001, again refusing to disqualify GGL & T after it allegedly interfered with a potential settlement that Salim and Lieu had negotiated with the trustee without GGL & T’s knowledge.

The trustee, who is a partner in a law firm (“RD & W”), employed RD & W as his “general counsel.” Rocky Dorcy, counsel for Salim and Lieu, negotiated with the trustee through RD & W without telling GGL & T and, Dorcy says, reached a $137,000 settlement.

GGL & T learned of the putative settlement when Dorcy refused to appear at a deposition. The fraud victims, including Arrow, expressed dismay to the trustee.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

In Re: TBH19 LLC
C.D. California, 2021
In Re Debtor Jeanette Aguilar
C.D. California, 2020
Wholesalecars.com v. Leo
572 B.R. 367 (N.D. Alabama, 2017)
In re Maqsoudi
566 B.R. 40 (C.D. California, 2017)
In re: Capital Options, LLC
Ninth Circuit, 2016
In re Thomas
476 B.R. 579 (N.D. California, 2012)
In re: Tv, LLC
Ninth Circuit, 2012
In Re Sarao
444 B.R. 496 (D. Massachusetts, 2011)
In Re Kobra Properties
406 B.R. 396 (E.D. California, 2009)
Arab Monetary Fund v. Hashim (In Re Hashim)
379 B.R. 912 (Ninth Circuit, 2007)
Price v. Lehtinen (In Re Lehtinen)
332 B.R. 404 (Ninth Circuit, 2005)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
278 B.R. 189, 48 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 635, 2002 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 4413, 2002 Daily Journal DAR 5725, 2002 Bankr. LEXIS 500, 39 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 163, 2002 WL 1032406, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/com-1-info-inc-v-wolkowitz-in-re-maximus-computers-inc-bap9-2002.