AUSTIN – An international law firm reportedly involved in an East Coast lieutenant governor’s sexual assault debacle is the target of a federal lawsuit filed deep in the heart of Texas.
A group of petitioners led by Synergies Corp. is suing Morrison & Foerster, LLP over what is asserted to be “egregious overbilling” in the Austin Division of the Western Division of Texas. The Buzbee Law Firm in Houston serves as the plaintiffs’ lead counsel.
Morrison & Forester is currently attracting heavy media attention given one of its partners, Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, has been accused of sexual assault by two women. The firm is reported to have retained outside counsel to investigate the claims while Fairfax took a leave of absence.
In the 16-page suit filed against it on Feb. 14, the defendant, colloquially known as “MoFo,” is said to have failed in its hired duty to assist the plaintiffs “in winding down the companies,” a responsibility it undertook last May.
“MoFo promised to execute this work efficiently and promptly, and to keep their clients apprised of the work they were doing,” the original petition says. “However, MoFo did none of this.”
Court filings assert that the respondent “made sure to liquidate certain of the plaintiff’s assets (at a discount) and have the funds transferred to MoFo’s trust account.”
According to the complainants, the firm racked up a total of $484,321.39 “for matters that had little to do with winding down the entities.” After learning about the amount in question, the plaintiffs “promptly” terminated MoFo’s services, the suit says.
MoFo then allegedly deducted $53,000 from its ex-clients’ funds and returned the balance six months later.
“To date, MoFo has failed to provide any information to justify taking this additional money, despite the plaintiff’s requests,” the suit says.
Austin Division of the Western Division of Texas Case No. 1:19-CV-0110