In an insurance dispute turned nasty, a Los Angeles lawyer’s career hangs in the balance after he sent around 100 emails filled with profane and discriminatory remarks to opposing counsel.
On Monday, December 16, US District Judge Otis Wright II told attorney Christopher Hook to resign after he “trashed [his] profession” in a claim dispute case with Allstate Insurance Company, according to a Law.com report.
The case involves a Los Angeles couple who filed a lawsuit on August 13, seeking at least $350,000 in reimbursement for water damage to their $3.6 million home. However, Allstate Insurance – represented by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton (Sheppard Mullin) - disputed the value of the settlement, triggering the claimants’ attorney Hook into profanity overdrive.
As Law.com reports, Hook emailed Allstate’s lawyers telling them to “eat a bowl of d*cks” and “pay up f*ckface”. He also referred to Sheppard Mullin lawyers as “gay boys” and told Sheppard Mullin partner Peter Klee he would “get f*cking tattooed across the face”.
When the lawyers sought a restraining order against Hook and filed an ex parte application against him, Hook wrote to his opposing counsel threatening to: “waterboard each one of [Allstate’s] trolls that show up for depo without any mercy whatsoever,” according to emails presented in Sheppard Mullin court filings.
When addressing Hook in court on Monday – after a brief period of confusion when Hook failed to identify himself when he was sat among the courtroom of onlookers - US District Judge Otis Wright II came down hard, saying: “Tell you what, slick, this profession does not need you. I am going to do what I can to remove you from this profession […] I want you to resign.”
According to Law.com, Hook tried to argue that his profane emails were protected under litigation privilege and the First Amendment. This argument was shot down by the judge, who questioned: “You honestly believe the First Amendment extends to anything? You did go to law school, right?” He called Hook a “piece of work” when exiting the courtroom.
