Plaintiff opposes withdrawal request from IPI legal counsel

Hubbard & Reed has asked to be allowed to withdraw as IPI’s legal counsel.

Northern Mariana Islands.- Attorney Colin M. Thompson, representing Pacific Rim Land Development LLC, has filed a limited opposition to a motion presented by Hughes Hubbard & Reed to withdraw its representation of Imperial Pacific International (IPI).

Thompson’s opposition argues that as a corporation IPI relies on legal counsel for its ability to represent itself effectively. 

Hughes Hubbard & Reed, represented by Attorney Kevin T. Abikoff and Samuel W. Salyer, seeks court permission to withdraw from further representation of IPI. They argue that the withdrawal would not hinder the administration of justice given the advanced stage of the case. 

Pacific Rim Land Development sued IPI for non-payment for services covering construction work for IPI’s casino-resort project completed on September 30, 2018. The District Court for the NMI ruled in its favour, awarding it US$5.65m on April 27, 2020. IPI subsequently appealed the decision on May 21, 2020, and, on October 20, 2021, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the district court’s judgment.

In November 2021, chief judge Ramona V. Manglona granted Pacific Rim’s motion to release US$5.52m placed in an investment portfolio by IPI investor, Pacific International Property Management LLC as a precaution to secure a stay and cover potential judgment payments. In March 2023, Judge Manglona issued an order to close the case, granting Pacific Rim’s motion to dismiss their lawsuit against IPI for breach of a construction contract.

See also: USA Fanter asks to join writ of execution against IPI