187:
four counts of criminal contempt of court. Lira is married to
Girardi's daughter, Jacqueline. A Chicago judge has set a trial date of May 5, 2025, in the cases against Lira and Kamon, but has not set a date for Girardi's trial. With disbarment trials also pending, a state bar judge sanctioned Lira and Kamon in January 2023, for both mishandling and for not protecting client assets.
136:, blamed incidents of cancer and other diseases on contaminated water leaked from a gas pumping station owned and operated by PG&E. In 1996 the utility company agreed to settle for $ 333 million, the largest ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit at the time. The case was the inspiration for the film
108:
Girardi and
Christopher Kamon, the firm's accountant, were indicted in Los Angeles in 2023 by a federal grand jury for allegedly embezzling more than $ 15 million from several of the firm's legal clients. Girardi, Kamon and attorney David Lira are also facing disbarment trials and federal wire fraud
186:
Girardi has been indicted on eight counts of wire fraud and four counts of criminal contempt of court connected with the Lion Air case. David Lira, an attorney at the firm, and
Christopher Kamon, the former head of accounting at the firm, both were also charged with eight counts of wire fraud and
207:
by an outside firm found that its employees had accepted gifts, travel, meals, and other items of value from
Girardi & Keese, influencing the State Bar to block complaints against the law firm. The Bar disclosed that, across four decades, during which it had received 205 complaints against
182:
aircraft, reportedly settled cases for at least $ 1.2 million per claim. Rather than sending their clients all of their settlement money, federal prosecutors in 2023 said
Girardi and his co-defendants embezzled more than $ 3 million and used it to pay for the law firm's operating expenses and
199:
were filed in
December 2020, and no one from the firm, including Girardi, appeared before U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Barry Russell at the first bankruptcy hearing in January 2021 to "discuss the future of his personal assets and those of his Los Angeles firm, Girardi Keese." In April 2021, it was
200:
announced that the law office will be sold. On June 1, 2022 Girardi was disbarred and ordered to pay $ 2,282,507 plus 10% in restitution to clients who never received settlement funds. Girardi was charged with 14 counts of violating ethics rules by the
California State Bar.
149:
In 2019, PG&E counter-sued the Law
Finance Group, which sued Girardi for funds that he borrowed on behalf of clients. The litigation funder's lawyer said the loan agreement states the loan was to Girardi and his firm.
715:
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payroll, to pay off credit card bills, and to fund settlements to other clients "whose own settlement funds previously had been misappropriated" by the firm.
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In 2007, Merck created a $ 4.85 billion settlement fund for the thousands of plaintiffs who complained of complications associated with its pain medication
778:
304:
583:
333:
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305:"Grand Jury Charges Disbarred Plaintiffs' Lawyer Tom Girardi with Wire Fraud for Allegedly Embezzling Over $ 15 Million in Client Money"
123:
105:. Chapter 7 Bankruptcy petitions were filed by creditors against the firm in December 2020 and it was defunct by January 2021.
509:
224:
217:
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599:“ Tom Girardi's Law Office Will Be Sold Soon, as His Home Goes on the Market, Trustee Tells Court”, by Amanda Bronstad,
716:"State bar finds 'shocking past culture of unethical and unacceptable behavior' in its handling of Girardi complaints"
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One of the firm's best known cases was against
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). Residents of the
65:
435:"Girardi Keese Partner Bucks Back Against Alleged $ 15M Debt to 'Miserable, Rotten' Litigation Funder"
171:
133:
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and Robert Keese. It was known for representing plaintiffs against major corporations, including
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584:"At 1st Bankruptcy Hearing, Embattled Attorney Tom Girardi Is a No-Show", by Amanda Bronstad,
641:"Plaintiffs lawyer Tom Girardi, estranged husband of 'Real Housewives' star, is disbarred"
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Girardi, the Bar had taken no action against the attorney, and had dismissed all cases.
691:"Tom Girardi faced more than 150 complaints before State Bar took action, records show"
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560:"Two lawyers at Tom Girardi's law firm sanctioned over mishandling of client money"
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234:'s Judicial Selection Advisory Committee, which vets judges for the state bench.
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The firm represented some of the families affected by the
October 2018 crash of
28:
256:
175:
510:"Lawyer for Lion Air crash victims indicted for embezzlement - CBS Chicago"
146:. Girardi was thanked in the credits and served as an adviser on the film.
741:"Girardi's Legacy In Shambles Amid 'Shakespearean' Scandal - Law360 Pulse"
216:
In 2004, the firm gave $ 50,000 to the unsuccessful effort to defeat the
98:
281:"Girardi & Keese - Company Profile and News - Bloomberg Markets"
616:"Tom Girardi Disbarred, Court Orders $ 2.3 Million Restitution (1)"
481:"Boeing settles nearly all Lion Air 737 MAX crash claims - filing"
178:
that killed 189 people aboard the plane. Boeing, the maker of the
159:
382:"Erin Brockovich: the real story of the town three decades later"
334:"Girardi firm lawyers get 2025 trial date in Chicago fraud case"
162:. It is believed to have been the largest drug settlement ever.
408:"A Hall of Fame Lawyer, a 'Real Housewife' and a Stunning Fall"
666:"Girardi Probe Shows Internally Corrupt California State Bar"
203:
A February 2023 internal investigation conducted on the
61:
53:
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34:
24:
558:Ryan, Harriet; Hamilton, Matt (January 23, 2024).
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223:In 2008, the firm donated $ 225,000 in support of
8:
689:Ryan, Harriet; Hamilton, Matt (2022-11-03).
85:was a Los Angeles law firm headquartered on
19:
230:In January 2021, Girardi was removed from
197:Chapter 7 involuntary bankruptcy petitions
18:
789:Law firms specializing in personal injury
406:Goldstein, Matthew (January 13, 2021).
243:
454:"Timeline: The Rise and Fall of Vioxx"
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501:
7:
794:2021 disestablishments in California
739:Lowrey, Brandon (January 27, 2021).
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89:. It was founded in 1965 by lawyers
714:Weiss, Debra Cassens (2023-03-13).
639:Weiss, Debra Cassens (2022-06-03).
191:Disbarment and Chapter 7 bankruptcy
332:Thomas, David (February 2, 2024).
14:
779:1965 establishments in California
124:Hinkley groundwater contamination
479:Johnson, Eric M (July 7, 2020).
360:"Erin Brockovich, Famous Trials"
358:Lack, Walter (January 4, 1994).
232:California Governor Gavin Newsom
227:, which was rejected by voters.
72: (archived December 3, 2020)
664:Cutler, Joyce E. (2023-03-13).
614:Cutler, Joyce E. (2022-06-01).
432:Todd, Ross (January 24, 2019).
774:Law firms based in Los Angeles
225:2008 California Proposition 93
218:2004 California Proposition 64
1:
784:Law firms established in 1965
534:"4th Annual Fall Alumni Mass"
508:Feurer, Todd (2023-02-01).
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121:
118:Pacific Gas & Electric
103:Pacific Gas & Electric
16:Defunct American law firm
205:State Bar of California
538:Mayfield Junior School
109:charges in Chicago.
460:. November 10, 2007
257:"Girardi and Keese"
172:Lion Air Flight 610
134:Hinkley, California
79:Girardi & Keese
66:Girardi & Keese
21:
20:Girardi & Keese
670:Bloomberg Law News
620:Bloomberg Law News
588:, January 5, 2021.
87:Wilshire Boulevard
695:Los Angeles Times
603:, April 27, 2021.
564:Los Angeles Times
285:www.bloomberg.com
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57:January 2021
25:Headquarters
720:ABA Journal
645:ABA Journal
485:Reuters.com
412:nytimes.com
364:lawbuzz.com
338:reuters.com
261:Ballotpedia
29:Los Angeles
768:Categories
750:2024-03-31
725:2024-02-02
700:2024-02-02
675:2024-02-08
650:2024-02-02
625:2024-02-02
544:2024-03-31
519:2024-03-31
392:2024-03-31
315:2024-03-30
290:2020-05-08
266:2020-05-08
238:References
490:March 31,
464:March 31,
417:March 30,
343:March 31,
176:Indonesia
54:Dissolved
386:ABC News
212:Politics
458:NPR.org
180:737 MAX
68:at the
62:Website
43:Founder
569:26 May
99:Boeing
160:Vioxx
154:Merck
95:Merck
571:2024
492:2024
466:2024
419:2024
345:2024
195:Two
101:and
38:1965
174:in
81:or
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