Update on the Construction Defect Plaintiff's Firm Ethics Investigation

Oh construction defect, it's the never-ending billable generating area of Nevada practice. Put 30 attorneys around a table and have them play solitaire while a framing expert goes on and on about nails and your firm earns some nice coin.

It's so rarely that CD attorneys are bold enough to get a posting on the blog. That's why WWL has been so impressed with the [now dissolved] law firm of Quon, Bruce and Christensen (website closed, but firm description here).

For those of you not familiar with the millionaire CD Plaintiff's powerhouse law firm, here's the description by KLAS' Geroge Knapp (Las Vegas City Life):

Until last fall, this firm was one of the most successful in Las Vegas, specializing in sticking up for poor little homeowners who had to fight against big, evil developers. The lawyers made millions, especially telegenic Nancy Quon, who for the past few years has hosted a TV show on the city of Las Vegas channel, a program that offered advice to homeowners and homeowner associations.

So why close the doors on such a successful firm? Well, it might have something to do with the federal investigation into [alleged] corruption on local homeowners association boards. Knapp reports that:

Federal agents and Metro detectives think Quon and others orchestrated the takeover of several HOA boards in order to earn millions of dollars on construction defects lawsuits filed on behalf of residents. In addition, the conspirators allegedly siphoned away millions more by funneling all construction repairs through companies controlled by Leon Benzer, who has been, uh, very close to Ms. Quon.It's been months since any news about the HOA investigation has surfaced. Nervous homeowners and other victims are worried the whole thing has been dropped and that Quon and a few others will be allowed to sail off into the sunset to spend their loot on a tropical isle somewhere. Although Quon's law practice is now kaput, the investigation is ongoing.(LVCL)

Turns out the investigation may be picking up according to KLAS reports:

Working in concert, police detectives and FBI agents have been sifting through
mountains of financial records and legal documents seized from several HOA's
around the valley. . .

But the [alleged] scam may not be completely out of business:

At least one of her partners relocated to Florida, which is where a management
company named Platinum Services has also opened an office. Platinum managed
several of the HOA's where problems occurred.

Damn it. How dare Florida try to intrude on our unethical territory? For years Nevada's been the place where doctors and attorneys found inadequate in other states could relocate to. Florida's making a play for our brand of corrupt legal practice. The Nevada Bar better relax the ethical rules a little more.

On a serious note, the only reason the collapse of a multi-million dollar law firm [allegedly] due to a pending corruption investigation isn't the biggest story of the year is that it's a CD firm. Yawn.

[hat tip to Mr. Knapp and KLAS for the outstanding continuing coverage]