Jackson Walker trial partner Curt Langley of Houston was more than surprised to learn recently that his headshot appears on the website of Houston estate planning firm Walsh & Padilla, where he is identified as name partner Jonathan Walsh.
Langley quickly sprung into action, setting off a series of events that include the filing of a lawsuit by the Houston Bar Association alleging Walsh & Padilla is a fictitious firm, the launching of an investigation into the website by the Supreme Court of Texas Unauthorized Law Committee, and the issuing of a consumer warning from the State Bar of Texas.
"This one is really egregious," said John Sirman, legal counsel for the State Bar of Texas. "These scams are frustrating and are often overseas people and hard to reach and shut down."
The bar warns people to check with its membership department if they have any questions about the legitimacy of a Texas lawyer.
Langley said a man in Canada contacted him June 15 to tell him that a fictitious firm in Houston was using his likeness on its website. The man's father had received a letter from Walsh & Padilla. "He gave me the web address. I immediately checked it, and yes, that's what was happening," Langley said.
Langley said he promptly told the general counsel of his firm and also contacted Alistair Dawson, a partner at the trial firm Beck Redden in Houston who is president of the Houston Bar Association. On June 19, the Houston Bar Association and the Houston Bar Foundation filed a suit against Walsh & Padilla, alleging the firm's website improperly includes their logos and their names.
In addition to Langley's photo, the website also featured the photos of six other lawyers from Texas and California who were misidentified as attorneys at Walsh & Padilla, according to the petition filed in Houston Bar Association v. Walsh & Padilla.
The Houston Bar also alleges in the petition that the Walsh & Padilla website is a "carbon copy" of the website for Houston firm Hayes & Wilson, and the photo of Hayes & Wilson partner Lisa Wilson appeared on the site identified as Lisa Wilson. Wilson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but her photo is not currently on the Walsh & Padilla website.
"Walsh & Padilla is operating this sham law firm website in an effort to defraud elderly individuals. Walsh & Padilla has mailed letters and sent emails to elderly individuals that claim Walsh & Padilla will help them recover unclaimed life insurance proceeds in other countries if they provide identifying and financial information," the petition says.