A well-known law firm, Hagens Berman, is facing serious questions about its conduct in court. A federal judge has asked the Department of Justice to look into whether the firm acted wrongly in a case about drug-related injuries.
Judge Paul Diamond made this request after a court-appointed expert found that Hagens Berman had been filing “fraudulent” complaints for years, hiding important information, and even changing evidence. The judge said the firm’s actions were so bad they might be criminal.
Hagens Berman is fighting back, saying the judge is biased against them. They’ve asked a higher court to step in, claiming the judge is retaliating because they wanted him removed from the case.
This legal battle comes as Hagens Berman is trying to be a leader in big, risky lawsuits, especially those about the environment. Recently, they sued major energy companies, accusing them of causing natural disasters and hiding the truth about climate change.
However, the firm hasn’t had much success in these climate cases. In one instance, a judge threw out a case brought by San Francisco and Oakland against energy companies, calling their claims too broad. The cities later stopped using Hagens Berman as their lawyers.
Another judge in New York dismissed a similar case, also saying Hagens Berman’s lawsuit was too wide-ranging.
If the Department of Justice investigates Hagens Berman, it could create problems for the firm as it takes on these big cases.
