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SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECORD

Friday, November 1, 2024

Daly & Black sues Wyoming law firm over fees

Lawsuits
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HOUSTON - The Daly & Black law firm recently filed a breach of contract lawsuit against a Wyoming firm. 

The lawsuit was filed Aug. 17 in Harris County District Court and names attorney Jessica Rutzick and Jessica Rutzick & Associates as defendants. 

According to the lawsuit, D&B specializes in insurance litigation and was contacted by multiple potential clients in Wyoming about representing them on insurance claims that had been denied or underpaid. D&B contacted Rutzick to joint venture the cases. 

D&B drafted a fee agreement for one client that was approved by Rutzick. The parties agreed the work and fee split would be 50/50 and that the expenses would also be split evenly, the suit states. 

The suit states both parties did substantial work on the case and that D&B paid $17,596 in expenses towards the case. When it became clear the case was going to be tried and that D&B would be unable to appear for trial on the specified date, D&B agreed to alter the fee split to 60 percent to Rutzick and 40 percent to D&B. 

The case was resolved for an amount that was not disclosed to D&B. Rutzick settled the case, agreed to reduce the attorney’s fee, and gave a portion of the fee to an attorney D&B never met or authorized to work on the case, the suit states.

The suit alleges the defendant stole a large portion of D&B’s fee and expenses and cut D&B a check for $21,365.65, claiming that D&B was only owed $4,920.65 in expense reimbursement and $16,445 for attorney’s fees.  

Case No. 2022-51069 

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