HOUSTON - Personal injury lawyers are fighting over a client with a car-wreck case, with one firm accusing the other of a pattern of unethical conduct that has caused it to be sued multiple times.
The Parks Law Firm and Clyde Parks, of Dallas, are accused of filing a fraudulent lawsuit in Montgomery County on behalf of Rosa and Karina Espinosa. The Asafi Law Firm sued Parks and others for legal malpractice March 4 in Harris County District Court.
Asafi says it took on the Espinosas as clients in 2023 and filed their suit in Harris County in February but things otherwise have not gone smoothly.
"Defendants maliciously and intentionally perpetrated an elaborate scheme of fraud and deception by falsely representing to Karina Espinosa and Rosa Espinosa that they were affiliated with or authorized by Plaintiff Asafi Law Firm," the complaint against Parks says.
"Defendants deceptively induced these vulnerable clients into signing unauthorized and illegal contracts, blatantly exploiting their trust and reliance on Plaintiff's reputation and goodwill."
In 2021, Parks was reprimanded by the Chief Disciplinary Counsel for improperly soliciting clients through Exclusive Legal Marketing, offering compensation to non-lawyers to drum up clients.
Also named as a defendant in Asafi's case is K. Romero Law, which responded to Asafi's allegations on Feb. 28. It says K. Romero and Parks lawfully represent the Espinosas.
"Your accusations have prompted an internal review, and we welcome any additional information you believe substantiates your claims," Kristopher Romero and Parks wrote. "However, absent concrete evidence, these allegations appear entirely unsubstantiated.
"Be advised that any further attempts to harass, threaten or otherwise interfere with our lawful representation of Karina and Rosa Espinosa will be met with swift and appropriate legal recourse."
Asafi's lawsuit lists several cases against Parks to try to prove its point. Though light on the details of the alleged poaching of the clients, Asafi does say it was shut out of settlement funds from USAA that it was owed.
Asafi also calls Romero and Parks "cheats, hucksters and ambulance chasers."
"Defendants intentionally targeted vulnerable individuals, exploiting their distress to induce them into signing improper contingency fee agreements that are void and unenforceable under Texas law," the suit says.
Rosa Espinosa signed a contract with Parks on March 2, 2023. A day earlier, J.A. Asafi had notified an insurer involved that he represented the Espinosas, claiming he had signed the Espinosas on Feb. 28, 2023.
Nearly two years went by before Romero and Parks filed the Espinosas' suit in Montgomery County on Jan. 23. Asafi claims there were "secret settlement discussions" with USAA all along.
A release of claims against USAA was signed Feb. 18 of this year, a month after Romero and Parks filed their suit.
Parks Law was accused of illegally soliciting business by Lena Grace Fuller after a "catastrophic" auto accident in 2019. She says she was recovering in a hospital when she received an unsolicited phone call from case runner for the firm.
Parks Law fought the allegations for years before settling in 2023. While the case was pending, the Chief Disciplinary Counsel and Parks agreed to a public reprimand over his solicitation of Marcia Wallace and Tes'chelle Watkins, who had filed complaints.
The two also filed suit against Parks in Tarrant County. Similar suits in Smith County brought by Jamel Cooper and Caleb Motinwo have also been settled.