Roberts v. Legacy Meridian Park Hospital, Inc.

97 F. Supp. 3d 1245, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46998, 2015 WL 1608088
CourtDistrict Court, D. Oregon
DecidedApril 10, 2015
DocketCase No. 3:13-cv-01136-SI
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 97 F. Supp. 3d 1245 (Roberts v. Legacy Meridian Park Hospital, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Roberts v. Legacy Meridian Park Hospital, Inc., 97 F. Supp. 3d 1245, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46998, 2015 WL 1608088 (D. Or. 2015).

Opinion

MICHAEL H. SIMON, District Judge.

Defendants state that this lawsuit has been settled by agreement reached with Plaintiffs’ then-counsel acting within the scope of his authority. Plaintiffs disagree. After filing a motion to enforce the alleged settlement and receiving a declaration in response from the lead Plaintiff denying that his then-counsel had authority to settle, Defendants filed a Joint Motion to Declare Partial Waiver of Attorney-Client Privilege. Dkt. 137. For the following [1247]*1247reasons and subject to the contingencies and limitations described below, this motion is granted in part.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff, Warren G. Roberts, M.D., is a neurological surgeon and the owner of Plaintiff Aspen Spine and Neurosurgery-Center, P.C. In Plaintiffs’ Fourth Amended Complaint, Plaintiffs allege claims of tortious interference with economic relations, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, racial discrimination in violation of state and federal law, and conspiracy to restrain trade and attempted monopolization in violation of state and federal antitrust laws.

According to Defendants, on October 17, 2014, Plaintiffs, through Plaintiffs’ then-counsel Mark McDougal, offered to settle this lawsuit by dismissing all claims against Defendant Timothy L. Keenen, M.D. in exchange for a waiver of any fees and costs. Defendants further contend that on October 20, 2014, Defendant Keen-en, through counsel, accepted Plaintiffs’ offer. Defendants also contend that between October 17, 2014, and October 20, 2014, similar settlement offers were extended by Plaintiffs’ then-counsel to all Defendants, the only material terms of which were the exchange of mutual releases of all claims, counterclaims, and demands for fees and costs. Defendants add that they all accepted the terms of Plaintiffs’ settlement offer, with the sole exception of Defendant Francisco X. Soldevilla, M.D., who requested, as an additional settlement term, that he receive a letter signed by Dr. Roberts or his counsel confirming that no money was paid or other consideration was given by Dr. Soldevilla in exchange for the mutual releases. According to Defendants, Plaintiffs’ then-counsel stated that he had no objection to writing such a letter for Dr. Soldevilla.

Defendants further state that on October 29, 2014, they sent a draft stipulation of dismissal to Plaintiffs’ then-counsel Mr. McDougal. According to Defendants, Mr. McDougal reported that he approved the form of the stipulation but added that he was scheduled to meet with his client Dr. Roberts on November 14, 2014, and that Defendants’ counsel were not yet authorized to file the stipulation of dismissal until after Mr. McDougal met with Dr. Roberts. Defendants further assert that on November 17, Mr. McDougal told Defendants’ counsel that he soon either would authorize Defendants to file the stipulation or would move to withdraw as Plaintiffs’ counsel.

On November 17, 2014, Mr. McDougal and his law firm, Kafoury' & McDougal, moved to withdraw as Plaintiffs’ counsel and for a stay of discovery. In his supporting declaration, Mr. McDougal states:

1. The firm of Kafoury & McDougal agreed to represent Dr. Roberts on a contingent fee basis in the above-entitled litigation. The law firm of Kafoury & McDougal has expended considerable hours in representing Dr. Roberts and Aspen Spine and Neurosurgery Center, PC.
2. Irreconcilable differences have arisen between Dr. Roberts and the law firm of Kafoury & McDougal.
3. Kafoury & McDougal has been advancing costs in this matter. Unless withdrawal is granted, Kafoury & McDougal would be required to continue to advance costs and hundreds of hours of contingent attorney time. It is anticipated that numerous experts would be required, and that there will be numerous depositions. All of these costs and attorney time would have to be borne by Kafoury & McDougal pending the outcome of this case, pursuant to the terms [1248]*1248of their standard contingency fee agreement.
4. Recent events involving the parties and negotiation of potential resolution of this case have created these irreconcilable differences.
5. Plaintiffs have been advised of plaintiffs’ counsel’s instant motion to withdraw from this case.
6. On October 17, the plaintiffs made a settlement offer. All defendants have responded. Plaintiffs and plaintiffs’ counsel have irreconcilable differences with regard to the path of this litigation.
7. Depositions in this case have not yet begun. Depositions were currently scheduled to start on Wednesday, November 19.
8. Because of the settlement posture, Dr. Roberts has not been prepared for his deposition. The current irreconcilable differences between Dr. Roberts and his counsel would make deposition preparation (even assuming there was adequate time) extremely difficult.
9. The final facts and circumstances giving rise to this motion to withdraw occurred on Friday, November 14, in the afternoon. This motion is being drafted and filed on Monday morning, November 17.

Dkt. 119. On November 18, 2014, the Court granted the motion to withdraw and to stay discovery, as filed by Plaintiffs’ then-counsel.

On December 15, 2014, Defendants filed a Joint Motion to Enforce Settlement Agreement. Dkt. 123. Plaintiffs requested additional time to retain new counsel and respond to Defendants’ motion, which was allowed. On January 12, 2015, Plaintiffs’ new counsel, Mr. Fargey, entered his appearance for Plaintiffs and filed Plaintiffs’ opposition to Defendants’ Joint Motion to Enforce Settlement Agreement.

In support of Plaintiffs’ opposition to Defendants’ Joint Motion to Enforce Settlement Agreement, Plaintiffs submitted the Declaration of Dr. Roberts. In his declaration, Dr. Roberts states:

1. I am one of the plaintiffs in this matter and owner of the other plaintiff, Aspen Spine and Neurosurgery Center, P.C. (“Aspen Spine”). I make this declaration in opposition to Defendants’ “Joint Motion to Enforce Settlement Agreement.” I have personal knowledge of the facts set forth below and, if called to testify, could and would testify competently to these facts.
2. I never offered to settle this lawsuit or accepted any settlement proffered by any of the defendants. I do not know why the defendants either believe or purport to believe this ease is or was ever settled. It is not.
3. Dr. George Brown is, I understand, the CEO of Legacy Health System and a fellow African-American medical doctor. Dr. Brown and I are peers. I have had a number of conversations with him about the subject matter of this lawsuit and the challenges to my practice I believe were caused by- the defendants’ wrongful actions.
4. Right around October 17, 2014, I had a brief conversation with Dr. Brown by telephone. I told him that I was considering dropping this lawsuit. I am not sure why exactly I said this, but I recall being drained by this lawsuit, my relationship with my former counsel, and the toll of the defendants’ wrongful actions.
5. Dr. Brown is not a party to this case and I did not believe that the substance of our conversation would be relayed to anyone.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
97 F. Supp. 3d 1245, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46998, 2015 WL 1608088, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/roberts-v-legacy-meridian-park-hospital-inc-ord-2015.