The Los Angeles office is part of The Cochran Firm, which has developed from the practice Cochran established more than 40 years ago. The firm has grown to include more than 20 offices across America, and specialises in plaintiffs’ litigation and criminal defence.
The National Law Journal reports that a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge placed the office – including all property and equipment, but not cases managed by attorneys – under receivership.
Power struggles
The dispute is between former managing partner Randy McMurray and current partners Brian Dunn and Joseph Barrett. In the years since Mr Cochran’s death in 2005, the trio have gained ownership of the LA office, with McMurray in 2007 owning two thirds of the company.
Three years later, when Mr Barrett became a partner, the firm was split with Mr McMurray owning 41 per cent, Mr Dunn 39 per cent and Mr Barrett 20 per cent. The resulting power struggles stem from Mr McMurray’s claims that he still holds the power to dissolve and liquidate the partnership.
In a dispute that has seen the Alabama headquarters of The Cochran Firm side with Mr Barrett and Mr Dunn, the attorneys have attempted to expel each other from the partnership, allegedly resorting to blocking each other from the computer system and making accusations about unprofessional use of company funds.
Artefacts
Although the assets of the office have been placed under receivership, it is unclear who will hold the lease, with Steven Mindel, who is representing Mr Dunn and Mr Barrett, commenting that ‘time is going to tell’ how they share the office space.
It also remains unclear who will retain the Cochran name, and what will happen to the artefacts in Cochran’s personal office, which have remained untouched since his death. Mr Cochran is famous for the acquittal of OJ Simpson on charges of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ronald Goldman in 1994. He also represented celebrities Michael Jackson, rappers Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, and actor Todd Bridges.
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