DC Law Firm Sues the D.C. Government

BLT reports that Crowell and Moring LLP has filed a suit agaisnt the District of Columbia seeking unpaid legal fees in excess of $300,000.  According to the complaint, C&M represented the DC Public Schools from 2001 through March 2006. Despite its satisfaction with C&M's legal services, DC failed to pay for three months of legal services.  In April 2006, DC Public Schools decided to shift responsibility to the Office of the Attorney General for a class action law suit that C&M had been handling, allegedly as part of an attempt by the DC government to reduce its reliance on external counsel.  C&M alleges that it was not paid for its services from January through March, 2006. 

C&M alleges causes of action for breach of a written contract, breach of an implied-in-fact contract, quantum meruit and unjust enrichment. 

Really, a DC law firm suing the government has a tinge of a dog biting the hand that feeds it.  In fact, I have some footage here of the scrap that led to the falling out:

Ah Barney, when will you learn? If it weren't for reporters, you'd just be another dog. And do you know what they do to dogs that bite?

[Jeremy Telman]