Santa Monica sues MTBE lawyers

The city of Santa Monica, Calif. made headlines last year when it won a large settlement from oil companies over MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether)contamination of its water supply, but now it’s locked in a bitter legal dispute with the private law firms it hired over their fee bill, which could reach $66 million. The firms […]

The city of Santa Monica, Calif. made headlines last year when it won a large settlement from oil companies over MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether)contamination of its water supply, but now it’s locked in a bitter legal dispute with the private law firms it hired over their fee bill, which could reach $66 million. The firms include Miller & Sawyer, Baron & Budd, and Sher & Leff. The case is being watched elsewhere in part because Baron & Budd and other law firms have signed up numerous other state and local governments as clients to press MTBE claims on a contingency basis. (Eric Peters, “Nation watches suit of Santa Monica v. lawyers”, Contra Costa Times, Jun. 6; Blair Clarkson, “City Overcomes Final Hurdle in Oil Suit Battle”, The Lookout, Mar. 4)(see Jun. 11-12, 2002, Nov. 25, 2003). See also Doug Bandow, “Energy Bill Debate Confirms a Lawyer-Democrat Alliance”, Cato Daily, Feb. 14. More (via SoCalLawBlog): Gregory Crofton, “Santa Monica fighting legal bills for MTBE lawsuit”, Tahoe Daily Tribune, Jun. 4.

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