Sara Caplan

LOS ANGELES - A state Court of Appeal has ruledopinion; Justices Victoria M. Chavez and Kathryn D.
the West Los Angeles entertainment litigation firmTodd concurred. James claims she witnessed attorney
Christensen Glaser can be sued for wrongfulShapiro and former attorney Sara Caplan fabricating
termination by a legal secretary who claims she waslegal bills that were then sent to clients. She claims she
fired for refusing to inflate client bills. The decision, bywas terminated, on Jan. 28, 2003, after reporting the
the 2nd District in Los Angeles, is just the latest newsalleged illegal activity to firm management. Lawyers for
to beset the firm that recently changed its name tothe firm and Shapiro claim in court documents that
Christensen, Glaser, Fink, Jacobs, Weil & ShapiroJames was legitimately terminated due to poor
after partner Louis R. "Skip" Miller bolted to start hisperformance. She talked too much to her colleagues
own shop. Managing partner Terry Christensenand was difficult to work with, they say. Lawyers for
currently is under indictment in the Anthony Pellicanothe firm say they also learned James ran into
wiretapping scandal. On Wednesday, name partnerdifficulties at other firms where she worked after she
Patricia Glaser denied the firm padded its legal bills.was terminated from the Christensen firm. The
Reversal of Trial Judge "We don't engage in anyappeals court rejected that assertion as irrelevant but
funny billing, ever," she said. The appellate decision,returned the case to Duffy-Lewis to consider
handed down Thursday, reverses summary judgmentChristensen Glaser's motion for summary judgment on
by Judge Maureen Duffy-Lewis, of the Los AngelesJames's request for punitive damages. Christensen
Superior Court. The 2nd District, however, upheldhas been involved in some of Hollywood's most
summary judgment in favor of name partner Robertbruising brawls of the last decade. They won
Shapiro because he did not hire secretary Paulettajudgments against the Walt Disney Co. and actress
James. The appeals court found that James could sueNicole Kidman. The firm represents billionaire Kirk
the high-profile firm for "wrongful termination in violationKerkorian in many matters. Terry Christensen is
of public policy and intentional infliction of emotionalaccused in a federal indictment of hiring Pellicano to
distress." Not Hired by Shapiro "We conclude that thewiretap Kerkorian's ex-wife in the middle of a nasty
trial court erred when it ruled that (1) James could notchild support proceeding. James' lawsuit is not the first
identify a public policy sufficient to support her causetime the firm has been accused of fraudulent billing
of action for wrongful termination in violation of publicpractices. In 1998 former partner Andrew White
policy, and (2) the intentional infliction of emotionaltestified in court that a colleague had come to him with
distress cause of action is barred by the exclusivityconcerns Miller was inflating client bills. The firm denied
provision of the workers' compensation scheme," thethose allegations. On Wednesday, Glaser vehemently
court wrote. "However, James failed to show that thedefended the firm. "People are just looking for ways to
trial court erred when it ruled that Shapiro was not hermake stories, and you can put any spin on that you
employer." Justice Judith M. Ashmann-Gerst wrote thewant, but the firm has done nothing wrong," she said.