Ramona Martinez and Stevens Law Offices v. Mintz Law Firm, LLC and Eric Krajewski, Esq.

Summary

The court held that successor counsel properly challenged the predecessor firm's charging lien in the underlying wrongful-death action, making the dispute one between the two attorneys rather than between the predecessor firm and the client. Because the client's fee agreement bound only the firm and the client, its arbitration clause did not apply, and the district court properly decided the lien dispute. The court also upheld the finding that the predecessor firm was discharged for cause and therefore was not entitled to fees under the agreement. Justice Coats, dissenting, would have held that the lien could not be challenged in the underlying action over the lien claimant's objection.