California Court of Appeal

The juvenile court's disqualification of a unit of the Children's Law Center of Los Angeles involved in the concurrent representation of two siblings with potentially adverse interests is reversed where an attorney representing multiple siblings in dependency proceedings may be disqualified only if the siblings have an actual, present conflict of interest. A mere potential conflict does not warrant disqualification.

Appellate Information

• Decided 07/25/2007
• Published 07/25/2007

Judges

• MOSK, J.

Court

• California Court of Appeal

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Rex S. Heinke and Seth M.M. Stodder, Los Angeles, for Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Raymond G. Fortner, Jr., Los Angeles County Counsel, Tracey Dodds, Principal Deputy County Counsel, for Respondent Department of Children and Family Services., Merrill Lee Toole, Monrovia, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Respondent Jasmine S., Christopher Blake, San Diego, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Respondent Lou D.