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HOUSTON – A local attorney has brought a state district lawsuit against the country’s national governing body for gymnastics, asserting the defendant would not grant him a waiver of a conflict of interest as he switched law firms.
In the 12-page suit filed against USA Gymnastics, Inc. on Nov. 21 in the Harris County 127th District Court, Efrain Gonzalez, Jr. explains that he was offered an opportunity to join the firm Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, and Aziz as an associate attorney.
The original petition states that Gonzalez’s previous employer, MehaffyWeber, “did not have any involvement representing the defendant USA Gymnastics” during his 1.5 years of employment. An attorney representing the defendant reportedly joined MehaffyWeber, which is not a party in the case, joined the firm three months prior to the plaintiff’s departure.
Though MehaffyWeber “made the defendant USA Gymnastics aware of the plaintiff’s intention to join Abraham Watkins and his request for a waiver of a conflict of interest regarding cases involving (the respondent) in litigation in which certain plaintiffs were/are represented by Abraham Watkins,” court filings say, “no response to the request was provided by (USA Gymnastics) at any time prior” to Gonzalez ceasing his employment with MehaffyWeber last month.
The complainant alleges that the defendant continues to refuse properly addressing the issue in question.
Recent court records show that Gonzalez has requested a temporary restraining order.
He is representing himself.
Harris County 127th District Court Case No. 2018-83861