Ex parte The Terminix International Co., [Ms. 1180863, Oct. 30, 2020], ___ So. 3d ___ (Ala. 2020). In a 9-0 decision,
the Court denies a writ of mandamus sought by Terminix seeking to disqualify
Campbell Law from representing customers against Terminix involving termite
infestations at the Bay Forest Condominiums. The firm had retained as
an investigator and consultant, Steve Barnett, a former managerial employee
of Terminix. Ms. *2.
The Court first notes
It is well established that a trial court has the authority to disqualify
counsel for violating the Alabama Rules Professional Conduct. See
Ex parte Utilities Bd. of Tuskegee, 274 So. 3d 229, 232 (Ala. 2018). Nonetheless, this Court has explained
that a “common-sense approach” should guide the trial court
when considering motions to disqualify and that a violation of the Rules
of Professional Conduct does not require disqualification in every instance.
See, e.g., Ex parte Wheeler, 978 So. 2d 1, 7 (Ala. 2007) (concluding that counsel’s disqualification
was inappropriate even though he had violated Rule 1.11, Ala. R. Prof.
Cond.). In sum, the decision of whether to disqualify counsel who has
violated the Rules of Professional Conduct falls squarely within the sound
discretion of the trial court.
Taylor Coal, 401 So. 2d at 3. Accordingly, the trial court’s denial of the motion
to disqualify must be affirmed unless it is established that the ruling
“is based on an erroneous conclusion of law” or that the trial
court “has acted arbitrarily without employing conscientious judgment,
has exceeded the bounds of reason in view of all circumstances, or has
so far ignored recognized principles of law or practice as to cause substantial
injustice.”
Edwards v. Allied Home Mortg. Capital Corp., 962 So. 2d 194, 213 (Ala. 2007).
Ms. **8-9.
Terminix argued that under Rule 4.2(a), “Campbell Law had a duty
to seek Terminix’s consent before contacting Barnett and before
hiring him to be an investigator and consultant.” Ms. *10. The Court
rejects this argument, noting that “[t]he majority of states that
have interpreted a rule derived from Model Rule 4.2 have likewise concluded
that it applies only to current employees.” Ms. *13.
The Court likewise rejects Terminix’s argument that Barnett should
be presumed to have shared with Campbell Law Terminix’s confidential
information, explaining “[g]iven the evidence indicating that Campbell
Law clearly instructed Barnett that he could not disclose any privileged
and confidential information that he had obtained from Terminix and the
absence of any evidence indicating that Barnett violated that instruction,
we cannot conclude that Rules 1.6(a) and 1.9(b) have been violated.”
Ms. *19. Likewise, the Court concludes that given “Barnett’s
limited involvement in Terminix’s legal affairs generally and the
Bay Forest matter in particular, we agree with the trial court that there
has been no violation of Rule 1.9(a)” which prohibits a lawyer from
switching sides in the same dispute. Ms. *23.