Tindle et al v. City of Daly City et al
Filing
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ORDER by Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. GRANTING 127 MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL AND SCHEDULING CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE. (Attachments: # 1 Certificate/Proof of Service) (ndrS, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 2/19/2016)
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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United States District Court
Northern District of California
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SAHLEEM TINDLE, et al.,
Plaintiffs,
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v.
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Case No. 13-cv-02449-HSG
CITY OF DALY CITY, et al.,
Defendants.
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ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO
WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL AND
SCHEDULING CASE MANAGEMENT
CONFERENCE
Re: Dkt. No. 127
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Plaintiffs have been represented by Dechert LLP since December 8, 2014. Dkt. No. 73.
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On January 8, 2016, counsel moved to withdraw for the reasons stated in counsel’s declaration,
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Dkt. No. 127. Plaintiffs opposed the motion and submitted a declaration with their opposition.
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Dkt. No. 128. The Court held a hearing on February 18, 2016, at which Plaintiffs and Dechert
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appeared, and GRANTED the motion to withdraw.
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I.
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ANALYSIS
Under Civil Local Rule 11-5(a), “[c]ounsel may not withdraw from an action until relieved
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by order of Court after written notice has been given reasonably in advance to the client and to all
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other parties who have appeared in the case.” The local rules further provide that if the client does
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not consent to the withdrawal and no substitution of counsel is filed, the motion to withdraw shall
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be granted on the condition that all papers from the court and from the opposing party shall
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continue to be served on that party’s current counsel for forwarding purposes until the client
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appears by other counsel or pro se. Civ. L.R. 11-5(b).
Withdrawal is governed by the California Rules of Professional Conduct. See j2 Glob.
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Commc’ns, Inc. v. Blue Jay, Inc., No. C 08-4254PJH, 2009 WL 464768, at *1 (N.D. Cal. Feb. 24,
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2009)). California Rule of Professional Conduct 3–700(c) provides that an attorney may request
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permission to withdraw if the client’s “conduct renders it unreasonably difficult for the [attorney]
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to carry out the employment effectively” or if the attorney “believes in good faith, in a proceeding
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pending before a tribunal, that the tribunal will find the existence of other good cause for
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withdrawal.” The decision to grant or deny a motion to withdraw is within the Court’s discretion.
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Id.; Gong v. City of Alameda, No. C 03–05495 THE, 2008 WL 160964, at *1 (N.D. Cal. Jan. 8,
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2008).
At the hearing, counsel confirmed that he has taken reasonable steps to avoid prejudice to
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United States District Court
Northern District of California
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his clients by serving on Plaintiffs written notice of Dechert’s intention to withdraw, as required
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by the local rules.
On the record before the Court (including each party’s submissions), the Court finds good
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cause to allow counsel to withdraw based on the breakdown of the attorney-client relationship.
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See generally Adams v. City of Hayward, No. 14-CV-05482-KAW, 2015 WL 5316124, at *2
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(N.D. Cal. Sept. 11, 2015) (granting motion to withdraw). The record reflects that the individual
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and separate interests of the Plaintiffs have made it unreasonably difficult for counsel to
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effectively carry out the representation. Because Plaintiffs have not consented to the withdrawal,
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the motion is granted on the condition that Dechert LLP continue to serve Plaintiffs with all papers
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from the Defendants and the Court until Plaintiffs file notice of a substitution of counsel or intent
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to proceed pro se, as provided by Civil Local Rule 11–5(b).
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//
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II.
CONCLUSION
As explained on the record at the hearing, the Court GRANTS the motion to withdraw. As
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explained at the hearing, Plaintiffs have thirty days to retain substitute counsel if they can (and
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wish to) do so. The Court schedules a Case Management Conference for March 22, 2016 at 2:00
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PM. Plaintiffs need to be prepared to proceed pro se (in other words, to represent themselves) if
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they do not retain counsel before the Case Management Conference.
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IT IS SO ORDERED.
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Dated: 2/19/2016
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HAYWOOD S. GILLIAM, JR.
United States District Judge
United States District Court
Northern District of California
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