We’re proud to share that our Managing Partner Shant A. Karnikian was quoted in two recent articles in the Daily Journal. The articles covered California’s legislative efforts to reform attorney advertising practices and the federal government’s lawsuits against Southern California Edison for wildfire negligence.
Attorney Advertising Reform
The article examined proposed legislation (SB 37) targeting misleading advertising practices that have proliferated following California’s recent wildfires. As an advocate for ethical legal standards, Shant explained how some firms mislead disaster victims with deceptive billboard claims:
“I’ve seen ads for a firm that filed a class action, and they were running billboards that say some specific number like a ‘billion-dollar lawsuit.’ It creates an impression that you’ve recovered a billion dollars for this fire victim when you just filed a lawsuit and slapped that demand in there,” Karnikian explained.
Federal Wildfire Litigation
The second article covered Acting U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli’s announcement of federal lawsuits seeking $77 million from Southern California Edison for the Eaton and Fairview fires. As counsel representing Eaton Fire victims in state court, Shant commented on how the federal action strengthens their clients’ cases:
“It’s always good when another party, and a significant party like the United States government, points the finger at who we have been pointing the finger at, which is Southern California Edison,” he noted.
Read the full articles (subscription required):