Credit: Sara De Boer/startraksphoto, SURQ/BACKGRID
Erika Jayne‘s husband, Thomas Girardi, has once again found himself in legal hot water.
Just weeks after being sued for allegedly failing to own up to his end of the bargain in a deal made with another law firm, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member’s partner is being accused of stealing money from a former client, who had hired him to represent her after her husband was tragically killed in a boating accident in 2018.
In court documents obtained by The Blast on October 29, Judy Selberg accuses Thomas and his firm Girardi & Keese, along with attorney Alexa Galloway, of legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and conversion.
According to the report, Judy hired Thomas and his team to represent her as she filed a wrongful death lawsuit after her husband, Paul, was killed on Lake Havasu in Arizona. However, after the defendants were ordered to pay $500,000 in March 2020, Thomas and his firm informed her she would be getting just $296,394.55 of the settlement.
As Judy alleged, Thomas “inappropriately” increased his attorney fee from 33.3% to 40% and later paid her just $50,000.
Because Thomas and his team reportedly refused to pay Judy the remaining balance, she was forced to hire another attorney to represent her and now claims the drama of her case has caused her emotional damage.
In her lawsuit, Judy is seeking the entire unpaid balance of her settlement as well as unspecified damages for Thomas’ negligence.
Back in September, the Law Offices of Robert P. Finn filed a lawsuit against Thomas and his law firm, accusing the team of fraud, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty.
According to their case, they entered into written retainer agreements with 1,524 individuals “who each retained Plaintiff to represent them in connection with claims arising from their or their loved one’s personal injuries sustained from exposure to toxic chemicals emanating from several TXI cement manufacturing facilities in California.”
As per their agreement, the law offices referred the clients to Thomas and his firm and would split the fees of the case 50/50. But, after the cases were settled, Thomas and Girardi & Keese allegedly pocketed 100 percent of the fees for themselves.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Finn sued Thomas and his firm for the unpaid balance and unspecified damages.
Also this year, Thomas was sued for $53,859 after allegedly failing to pay an overdue security bill.