Will Latham & Watkins Lose San Diego Legal Work?
The election loss of San Diego City Attorney Mike Aguirre could also be a loss for Latham & Watkins.
The law firm has defended the city in several lawsuits and racked up some impressive appellate victories, but its “most-favored-firm status could be in jeopardy” with Aguirre’s defeat by state court Judge Jan Goldsmith, the Am Law Daily reports.
Goldsmith has promised to cut spending on the city’s outside counsel, and Latham’s billing rates are among the city’s highest, the story says.
Partner Kristine Wilkes and her appellate team were able to overturn an award of more than $94 million obtained by a developer against the city, according to the article. The firm also recovered attorney fees in the case and obtained a settlement against the city’s insurer for delaying payment of defense costs in the case.
Wilkes told the Am Law Daily she thinks she can maintain a good relationship with the city, even though she donated $640 to Aguirre’s re-election campaign. She noted that she was a top fundraiser for Aguirre’s opponent in the 2004 election.
