Legal-Ease, LLC v. Egdall

• Court: Superior Court of Maine
• Decided: November 30, 2018
• Docket: CUMcv-18-39
• Status: Unpublished

Opinion

STATE OF MAINE BUSINESS & COUNSUMER DOCKET CUMBERLAND, ss. DOCKET NO. CV-2018-39 '/

LEGAL-EASE, LLC, P.A., ) ) Plaintiff ) ) V. ) ) JOAN M. EGDALL, et al., ) ) Defendants ) ) ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS' ) MOTION TO DISQUALIFY ) JOAN M. EGDALL, ) ) Counterclaim Plaintiff ) ) ~ ) ) LEGAL-EASE, LLC, P.A. ) ) Counterclaim Defendant )

INTRODUCTION

Plaintiff Legal-Ease, LLC, P.A. ("Legal-Ease") has filed a Complaint alleging that Joan

Egdall ("Egdall") formed a solo law firm and diverted clients from Legal-Ease to that firm

while employed by L~gal-Ease, giving rise to several causes of action against Egdall and her

firm (the ''Egdall Defendants"). The Egdall Defendants deny these allegations, and Egdall has

filed a Counterclaim against Legal-Ease alleging, inter alia, that Legal-Ease owes her unpaid

wages. Additionally, the Egdall Defendants have filed a Motion to Disqualify Legal-Ease's

attorney, Jeffrey Bennett, Esq. ("Bennett"), and that Motion is now pending before the Court.

The Court heard oral argument on the motion on October 30, 2018 in Portland, Maine. The

Egdall Defendants were represented by Thomas Douglas, Esq., and Legal-Ease was

1 represented by Jeffrey Bennett, Esq. For the reasons discussed below, the Court grants the

Motion to Disqualify Bennett from representing Legal-Ease on its Complaint.

FACTS

Bennett explained at oral argument that Legal-Ease is organized as a sole member

limited liability company ("LLC"). 1 Bennett is the sole member of Legal-Ease, and Bennett

readily concedes he is a necessary witness on the Complaint brought by Legal-Ease. Bennett

does not dispute that all of the actions attributed to Legal-Ease in the Complaint were in fact

performed by Bennett. Affidavit of Joan M. Egdall, Esq., ,r 3. At oral argument Bennett stated

more than once: "I am Legal-Ease." Bennett nevertheless acknowledged that Legal-Ease does

employ or contract with other attorneys, and Legal-Ease is using outside counsel to defend

the Counterclaim.2

STANDARD OF REVIEW

The Law Court's review of a trial court's decision "to disqualify counsel is 'highly

deferential,"' and "will not [be] disturb[ed] ... 'if the record reveals any sound basis' for the

trial court's decision." Morin v. Me. Educ. Ass'n, 2010 ME 36, ,r 7, 993 A.2d 1097 (quoting

Estate of Markheim v. Markheim, 2008 ME 138, ,r 27,957 A.2d 56, 62; Casco N. Bank v. ]BJ

Assocs., 667 A.2d 856,859 (Me. 1995)).

1 According to the pleadings, however, Legal-Ease admits to being a professional association. Egdall's Counterclaim~ 3; Plaintiff's Reply to Defendant's Counterclaimil 3, Under Maine law, "professional association" is one of the terms used to denote a professional corporation. 13 M.R.S. § 736(1)(A). A professional corporation can have a professional LLC nested within it. See 13 M.R.S. § 741(1)(C). The Cou11 accepts BenneU's explanation that Legal-Ease is an LLC, but whether Legal-Ease is an LLC or a professional association which contains an LLC is unimportant to the analysis, as both an LLC and a professional association are types of business entities. Moreover, Legal-Ease and the Egdall Defendants agree that the limited, material facts necessary to decide this Motion are not in dispute, and an evidentiary hearing is unnecessa1y. 2 Legal-Ease is using Bennett to litigate the Complaint, but using outside counsel to defend the Counterclaim. Accordingly, the Motion to Disqualify only applies to Bennett's representation of Legal-Ease on the Complaint.

2 ANALYSIS

Motions for disqualification are capable of being abused for tactical purposes. 3

Morin, 2010 ME 36, ,r 8, 993 A.2d 1097. Accordingly, a motion to disqualify may only be

granted where the moving party shows that (1) "continued representation of the nonmoving

party by that party's chosen attorney results in an affirmative violation of an ethical rule"

and (2) "continued representation by the attorney would result in actual prejudice to the

party seeking that attorney's disqualification." Morin, 2010 ME 36, ~,r 9-10, 993 A.2d 1097.

Both of these findings are satisfied in this case.

First, Defendants have established that Bennett's continued representation of Legal­

Ease on the Complaint results in an affirmative violation of an ethical rule. M.R. Prof. Conduct

3.7(a), titled "Lawyer as Witness," provides as follows:

A lawyer shall not act as advocate at a tribunal in which the lawyer is likely to be a necessary witness unless: (1) the testimony relates to an uncontested issue; (2) the testimony relates to the nature and value of legal services rendered in the case; or (3) disqualification of the lawyer would work substantial hardship on the client. M.R. Prof. Conduct 3.7(a). Legal-Ease acknowledges t~at Bennett is a necessary witness. As

established by comparing the Complaint to the Answer, Bennett's testimony relates to

contested issues and not to the nature and value of legal services rendered in the case.

Finally, disqualifying Bennett would not work substantial hardship on Legal-Ease, because

the company employs and contracts with other attorneys who could represent it on the

Complaint, and the company is using outside counsel to defend the Counterclaim.

3 The Court perceives no si1ch abiise in this case. As attorney Bennett noted at oral argL1ment, the issues raised by the Motion are novel on the facts presented in this case.

3 Accordingly, none of the exceptions apply, and Bennett's continued representation of Legal­

Ease on the Complaint violates Rule 3.7(a).

Bennett concedes that Rule 3.7(a) prohibits him from representing Legal-Ease as its

lead counsel 4 on the Complaint at trial, but argues the scope of Rule 3.7(a) is limited

exclusively to trial and does not bar him from representing Legal-Ease in pretrial

proceedings. In support of this proposition, Legal-Ease cites authority from other

jurisdictions. However, many of the cases cited by Legal-Ease are distinguishable because

the primary issue before those courts was whether the lawyer-witness's testimony was

necessary, a point that Bennett concedes in this case. See e.g. World Youth Day v. Famous

Artists Merch. Exch., 866 F. Supp. 1297, 1302 (D. Colo. 1994); In re Bahn, 13 S.W.3d 865,873

(Tex. App. 2000); Smaland Beach Ass'n v. Genova, 959 N.E.2d 955, 964 (Mass. 2012).

More importantly, the text of Rule 3.7(a) in the cases from other jurisdictions cited by

Legal-Ease is different than the text of the rule in Maine. Those other jurisdictions use the

language from Model Rule 3.7(a), which prohibits a lawyer from "act[ing] as advocate at a

trial in which the lawyer is likely to be a necessary witness. ..." Model Rules of Profl Conduct

R. 3.7(a) (emphasis added). The cases cited by Legal-Ease which hold that Rule 3.7(a) only

bars a lawyer-witness from providing trial testimony, emphasize use of the word "trial" in

their jurisdiction's version ofthe rule.See e.g. Sm aland Beach Ass'n, 959 N.E.2d at966 (2012);

Tahoas v. Fiddler, Gonzalez & Rodriquez, PSC, 959 F. Supp. 2d 225,226 (D.P.R. 2013).

Maine's Rule 3.7(a), however, uses the term "tribunal" rather than "trial." Compare

Model Rules of Profl Conduct R. 3.7(a) with M.R. Prof. Conduct 3.7(a). This is a distinction

q The Cornt rejects the suggestion Be1U1ett made at oral argument that he could neve1theless act as "second chair" attorney for Legal-Ease at trial.

4 which signals a substantive difference. "Tribunal" is defined under the Maine Rules of

Professional Conduct as:

[A] court, an arbitrator in a binding arbitration proceeding or a legislative body, administrative agency or other body acting in an adjudicative capacity. [A person or entity] acts in an adjudicative capacity when a neutral official, after the presentation of evidence or legal argument by a party or parties, will render a binding legal judgment directly affecting a party's interests in a particular manner.

M.R. Prof. Conduct 1.0(m).5 See also Black's Law Dictionary 776, 777 (4th pocket ed. 2011)

(distinguishing between "tribunal" and "trial"). The difference between the Maine Rule and

the Model Rule adopted by most other states is deliberate. The drafters of the Maine Rules

explicitly rejected the narrow prohibition against advocacy at "trial" in favor of a broader

disqualification rule. See M.R. Prof. Conduct 3.7 reporter's notes ("Model Rule 3.7 (2002) is

substantively in accord with [the Maine Rule], but there are some distinctions .... Model

Rule 3.7 (2002) addressed the issue of a lawyer as a witness at a trial. The Task Force

recommended the rule's scope be broadened to address the issue of a lawyer as witness

before a tribunal.") (citation omitted) (emphasis added). A court frequently acts in an

adjudicative capacity during pretrial proceedings, deciding motions, responding to

discovery disputes, and issuing orders, after the presentation of evidence or legal argument.

Hence, as used in M.R. Prof. Conduct 3.7(a), "tribunal" is a broad term that applies to pretrial

5 M. Bar R. 3 .4(g)( 1), now abrogated, which addressed when a lawyer may be called as a witness, used the term

"litigation." Under the Rule Conversion Table I, contained on the Board of Overseers of the Bar's website, fo1mer R.ule 3.4(g)(l) is equivalent to current Rules l .O(m) and 3.7, which lends !i.irther suppmt for the Court's conclusion that the word tribuna I encompasses pretrial and trial proceedings. See Regulation: Rule Conversion Table, Board of Overseers of the Bar (Nov. 9, 2018), http://www.mebaroverseers.org/regulation/rule_conversion_tables.btml.

s proceedings as well as the trial. The Court therefore declines to follow the trial-only rule

discussed in the cases cited by Legal-Ease.

Second, Defendants have established that Bennett's continued representation of

Legal-Ease would result in actual prejudice to Defendants. Comment 1 to Rule 3.7(a) states

that "[c]ombining the roles of advocate and witness can prejudice the tribunal and the

opposing party ...." Comment 2 explains that:

The opposing party has proper objection where the combination ofroles may prejudice that party's rights in the litigation. A witness is required to testify on the basis of personal knowledge, while an advocate is expected to explain and comment on evidence given by others. It may not be clear whether a statement by an advocate-witness should be taken as proof or as an analysis of the proof. Id. cmt. (2). In this case, itis evident even at this early stage of the proceedings that not only

can combining Bennett's role as advocate and witness for Legal-Ease prejudice Defendants,

it does result in actual prejudice to Defendants.

At oral argument, Bennett said repeatedly: "I am Legal-Ease." That statement is

erroneous as a matter of law and of fact. Under Maine law, "[a] limited liability company is

an entity distinct from its members." 31 M.R.S. § 1504(1); see also LaBelle v. Crepeau, 593

A.2d 653,655 (Me. 1991) (a corporation is a separate legal entity). Furthermore, Legal-Ease

employs and contracts with other attorneys. Legal-Ease is not a one-man-show. Thus, as a

matter of both law and fact, Bennett is not Legal-Ease.

Not only is the statement "I am Legal-Ease" inaccurate, it is confusing. The

problematic nature of Bennett's dual role as advocate and witness was evident at oral

argument. It was frequently unclear whether Bennett was reciting facts of which he has

personal knowledge as a witness, or whether he was argutng facts for the purpose of

6 advocacy. Counsel for the Egdall Defendants protested that he was confused, and that the

confusion would only worsen if Bennett were permitted to continue in his dual capacity to

answer interrogatories, answer admissions, respond to production of documents, take

depositions and be deposed, argue motions, and engage in other pretrial and trial activities.

The confusion, and hence prejudice, was underscored by Bennett's repeated insistence that

he was Legal-Ease. As a result, the Egdall Defendants have established actual prejudice. 6

Legal-Ease nonetheless argues that any harm stemming from this confusion is at best

general or speculative because the Egdall Defendants have not identified the specific way in

which they will be prejudiced by confusion about Bennett's dual role. See Morin, 2010 ME 36,

110, 993 A.Zd 1097 (movant's burden to identify "the specific, identifiable harm [they] will

suffer in the litigation by opposing counsel's continued representation"). But the Egdall

Defendants have made the necessary, specific showing. The confusion to which they object

is the specific harm. The confusion immediately puts the Egdall Defendants at a tactical

disadvantage-even at a proceeding as simple as oral argument. The Egdall Defendants can

never be sure in which capacity Bennett is speaking, and have to devote time and effort to

disentangling Bennett's roles. At oral argument, Bennett said his roles could be discerned,

when necessary, through the Court's intervention, such as with Rule 26(g) conferences. But

6 In Morin, the Law Cou1t foct1sed on prejudice to the party seeking disqualification, and did not consider prejudice to the tribunal. Morin, 2010 ME 36, ir,i 10 & 12, 993 A.2d 1097 The Law Court's focus in Morin on p!"ejudiceto the party seeking disqualification is logical, given the facts of Marin. The facts of the cmTent case, however, irnplicate prejud ice to the tribunal. The Comments to Rule 3.7(a) explain that tbe prohibition against a lawyer conflating l1is or her role as advocate and necessary witness is also designed to protect the tribunal, not only the party seeking disqua li fication . According to Comment 2, "[t]he tribunal has proper objection when lhe trier of fact may be confused or misled by a lawyer serving as both advocate and witness." According to Comment 3, "(t)o protect the tJibunal, paragraph (a) prohibits a lawyer from simultaneously serving as advocate and necessary witness" where, as here, the exceptions do not apply. Comment 3 appears to establish a per se rnle of actual prejudice to the tribunal. Even if Comment 3 stops short of establishing a per se rule as lo the tribunal, in this case it was also confusing to the Cou11 at oral argument if and when Bennett was speaking as Legal-Ease's advocal'e, or as a necessary witness for Legal-Ease. As with the Egdall Defendants, the confusion for Lhe tribunal will only deepen as the case proceeds.

7 such interventions will be a distraction to the Egdall Defendants, and will cost the Egdall

Defendants time, money, and effort.

The harm resulting from Bennett's continued representation of Legal-Ease is thus

actual and specific, and distinguishable from the harm that the Law Court concluded was too

general or speculative in Morin. tn Morin, the plaintiff-employee, Joan Morin, reported to her

immediate supervisor that she was experiencing a hostile and discriminatory work

environment. Morin, 2010 ME 36, ,r 2, 993 A.2d 1097. Morin's employer then hired a law firm

to investigate her claims. Id. An attorney from that law firm, Edelman, investigated Morin's

allegations, including conducting an interview with Morin. Id. ,r 3. Edelman told Morin he

was conducting an "independent investigation" and that he did not represent her employer.

Id. Morin ultimately filed a complaint against her employer in Superior Court alleging, inter

alia, a hostile and discriminatory work environment. Id. ,r S. Her employer retained the same

law firm to defend against that litigation. ld. Morin moved to disqualify the law firm on the

grounds that Edelman had misrepresented his role in the investigation and would likely be

called as a witness in the litigation. Id. ,r 6. Importantly for our purposes, Edelman had no

role in representing Morin's employer on Morin's cornplaint.7 Id. ,r 5. After a testimonial

hearing, the Superior Court granted Morin's disqualification motion. Id. iT 6.

The Law Court reversed, concluding that Morin's testimony-that she would have

been more "guarded" during her interview with Edelman and would not have disclosed

litigation and settlement strategy with him had she known his firm would be representing

her employer in litigation-was insufficient as a matter of law to establish the actual

7 At the oral argllment, Mr. Bennett con finned that Legal-Ease has contracts with independent attorneys as well as attorneys "on payroll." The instant motion requests only Bennett's disqualification on the basis that he is a necessary witness. Defendants have not moved for disqualification of other Legal-Ease attorneys.

8 prejudice necessary to support a disqualification order. Id. ,r 12. The Law Court's holding in

Morin thus turned on whether Edelman's behavior, regardless of its impropriety, had

actually harmed Morin in any identifiable way. Here, Bennett is not accused of any

dishonesty or impropriety giving rise to an ethical violation; it is the confusion endemic to

Bennett's simultaneous dual witness-advocate capacity itself that is prejudicial. That

prejudice is real, and is the kind of actual prejudice M.R. Prof. Conduct 3.7(a) is designed to

prevent. As a result, Defendants have made the necessary showing of actual prejudice.

At oral argument, Bennett also explained that Legal-Ease functions as a pass-through

entity for purposes of income taxation. Bennett argues that because he is the sole member

of Legal-Ease and the tax implications of Legal-Ease appear on his own income tax returns,

the Court should disregard the LLC form for purposes of deciding the Motion, treat Bennett

as a sole proprietor, and allow Bennett to represent Legal-Ease essentially "pro se." 8

However, providing professional services as an LLC versus as a sole proprietor carries

benefits as well as burdens. As the Law Court has explained when the choice of business

entity involves a corporation,9 "one cannot claim the benefits without the burdens." LaBelle,

593 A.Zd at 655. The same holds true when the business entity is an LLC. Moreover, Legal­

Ease is the complainant, not Bennett, and Bennett appears not to have any claims in his own

name. Accordingly, the Court is unwilling to look past the LLC form and thereby circumvent

Rule 3.7(a) for purposes of deciding this Motion.

8 Alternatively, Bennett argues that as a business entity, Legal-Ease has a constitutional right to use the lawyer of its choice. Whatever the merits of that arglllnent, the right is not unlimited, and is cabined by the reasonable rules of the jurisdiction. 9 Which the Court notes can also serve as a flow-through tax entity under Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code.

9 Finally, Bennett assets that the purpose of M. R. Prof. Conduct 3.7(a) is to protect the

client when the client's attorney must also serve as a necessary witness for the client.

Bennett argues that because he is the sole member and owner of Legal-Ease, Legal-Ease

cannot be prejudiced by his dual representation, and therefore Rule 3.7(a) does not apply.

Bennett's argument finds no support in the cases or the Comments to Rule 3.7(a).

In sum, the Court concludes that the Egdall Defendants have met their burden under

Morin because Bennett's continued representation of Legal-Ease would be an affirmative

violation of M.R. Prof. Conduct 3.7(a), resulting in actual prejudice to Defendants stemming

from immediate and ongoing confusion over whether Bennett is speaking as witness or

;:irlvncate hefore the tribunal.

For all the foregoing reasons, the Defendants' motion to disqualify Bennett is granted.

Pursuant to M.R. Civ. P. 79(a), the Clerk is instructed to incorporate this Order by

reference on the docket for this case.

So Ordered.

Dated: /l-t3-'Z1Jlr Michael A. Duddy Judge, Business an

Entered on the Docket: ( I - I 3 ' l~ Copies sent via Mail __ Electronically/