Joseph L. Francoeur (Partner-New York, NY) and Alice W. Cho (Associate-New York, NY) obtained a full defense verdict and dismissal of all claims against the firm’s attorney client in an arbitration hearing with more than $11 million at stake. The client served as litigation consultant, with another firm retained as counsel of record, in the U.S. litigation of a company’s real estate joint venture in Mexico with an international corporation. Four fierce U.S. litigations were unsuccessful for the company due to its wrongful withholding of funds, and a settlement was reached. The attorneys had agreed to take the representation on a partial contingency, and believed the sale constituted a “success.” Counsel of record withdrew more than a $1 million of the sale proceeds to pay delinquent fees and brought suit against the company for unpaid fees. The company counterclaimed for malpractice, and brought claims against the consultant attorney, asserting that under the engagement agreement she agreed to be jointly responsible for all acts of counsel of record. The matter was referred to the International Arbitration Tribunal, which dismissed all claims against our client, found the withdrawal of escrow funds by counsel of record was an ethical violation and subjected counsel to fee forfeiture. The Arbitrator specifically exonerated our client from any ethical wrongdoing with regard to the escrow violation, and excused her from any responsibility.