Sara Caplan

LOS ANGELES - A state Court of Appeal has ruledJustice Judith M. Ashmann-Gerst wrote the opinion;
the West Los Angeles entertainment litigation firmJustices Victoria M. Chavez and Kathryn D. Todd
Christensen Glaser can be sued for wrongfulconcurred.
termination by a legal secretary who claims she wasJames claims she witnessed attorney Shapiro and
fired for refusing to inflate client bills.former attorney Sara Caplan fabricating legal bills that
The decision, by the 2nd District in Los Angeles, is justwere then sent to clients. She claims she was
the latest news to beset the firm that recentlyterminated, on Jan. 28, 2003, after reporting the alleged
changed its name to Christensen, Glaser, Fink, Jacobs,illegal activity to firm management.
Weil & Shapiro after partner Louis R. "Skip" MillerLawyers for the firm and Shapiro claim in court
bolted to start his own shop. Managing partner Terrydocuments that James was legitimately terminated
Christensen currently is under indictment in the Anthonydue to poor performance. She talked too much to her
Pellicano wiretapping scandal.colleagues and was difficult to work with, they say.
On Wednesday, name partner Patricia Glaser deniedLawyers for the firm say they also learned James ran
the firm padded its legal bills.into difficulties at other firms where she worked after
Reversal of Trial Judgeshe was terminated from the Christensen firm.
"We don't engage in any funny billing, ever," she said.The appeals court rejected that assertion as irrelevant
The appellate decision, handed down Thursday,but returned the case to Duffy-Lewis to consider
reverses summary judgment by Judge MaureenChristensen Glaser's motion for summary judgment on
Duffy-Lewis, of the Los Angeles Superior Court. TheJames's request for punitive damages.
2nd District, however, upheld summary judgment inChristensen has been involved in some of Hollywood's
favor of name partner Robert Shapiro because he didmost bruising brawls of the last decade. They won
not hire secretary Pauletta James.judgments against the Walt Disney Co. and actress
The appeals court found that James could sue theNicole Kidman. The firm represents billionaire Kirk
high-profile firm for "wrongful termination in violation ofKerkorian in many matters. Terry Christensen is
public policy and intentional infliction of emotionalaccused in a federal indictment of hiring Pellicano to
distress."wiretap Kerkorian's ex-wife in the middle of a nasty
Not Hired by Shapirochild support proceeding.
"We conclude that the trial court erred when it ruledJames' lawsuit is not the first time the firm has been
that (1) James could not identify a public policyaccused of fraudulent billing practices. In 1998 former
sufficient to support her cause of action for wrongfulpartner Andrew White testified in court that a
termination in violation of public policy, and (2) thecolleague had come to him with concerns Miller was
intentional infliction of emotional distress cause ofinflating client bills. The firm denied those allegations.
action is barred by the exclusivity provision of theOn Wednesday, Glaser vehemently defended the firm.
workers' compensation scheme," the court wrote."People are just looking for ways to make stories, and
"However, James failed to show that the trial courtyou can put any spin on that you want, but the firm
erred when it ruled that Shapiro was not herhas done nothing wrong," she said.
employer."