International Swimming League Ltd. and its founder, Konstantin Grigorishin, have filed a lawsuit against their former legal representatives, alleging professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duty. The complaint was lodged in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco on December 30, 2024, targeting Farella Braun + Martel LLP and attorney Neil A. Goteiner.
The plaintiffs, International Swimming League Ltd. (ISL) and Konstantin Grigorishin, accuse Farella Braun + Martel LLP and Neil A. Goteiner of multiple breaches during their legal representation. ISL, founded by Grigorishin in 2017 to elevate swimmers' profiles globally akin to footballers and basketball players, faced opposition from the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), now World Aquatics. When ISL considered an antitrust action against FINA in 2018, they sought a qualified law firm through Goteiner's referral but were persuaded to hire his firm despite its limited experience in such cases.
According to the complaint, ISL entered into a void fee agreement with Defendants on October 9, 2018. The plaintiffs allege that Defendants failed to obtain informed written consent for dual representation conflicts involving ISL and other clients in related antitrust actions against FINA. Furthermore, they accuse Defendants of overbilling through double billing practices and exceeding litigation budgets without proper communication or justification.
The lawsuit outlines several causes of action including professional negligence for failing to designate an expert witness crucial for ISL's antitrust claim success; breach of fiduciary duty by not disclosing potential conflicts of interest; breach of implied contract due to non-compliance with professional standards; unfair business practices under California Business & Professions Code section 17200; and seeks declaratory relief regarding the validity of agreements made with Defendants.
Plaintiffs seek damages exceeding $7.2 million as well as disgorgement of all fees paid to Defendants due to alleged ethical breaches rendering agreements void. They also request declaratory judgment confirming these agreements' invalidity along with restitution for incurred legal costs plus prejudgment interest.
Representing the plaintiffs are attorneys Mark B. Wilson and Joseph V. Miceli from Klein & Wilson LLP while presiding over this case is Judge [Name], under Case ID CGC-24-621032.