Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-00144/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-00144-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 446
Nature of Suit: Americans with Disabilities Act - Other
Cause of Action: 42:12101 Americans w/ Disabilities Act (ADA)

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

CECIL SHAW,

Plaintiff,

v.

BLOSSOM HILL INVESTMENT CO., a 

California limited partnership; MEIZHEN

WANG dba TEA GARDEN CHINESE 

KITCHEN; WALGREEN CO., an Illinois 

corporation, dba WALGREENS #2786;

Defendants.

Case No. 5:15-cv-00144-HRL

ORDER CONDITIONALLY 

GRANTING MOTION TO WITHDRAW 

AS COUNSEL OF RECORD; DENYING 

AS MOOT REQUEST FOR ORDER 

SHORTENING TIME

Re: Dkt. Nos. 29, 32

Now before the court is attorney Cris C. Vaughan’s motion for permission to withdraw as 

counsel of record for defendant Meizhen Wang dba Tea Garden Chinese Kitchen. Vaughan avers 

that the motion papers were served on Mr. Wang by mail at his last known address. (Dkt. 30, 

Vaughan Decl. ¶ 13). The court has received no opposition to the motion, and the time for 

submitting any opposition or response has passed. Civ. L.R. 7-3(a). The matter is deemed 

suitable for determination without oral argument, and the December 22, 2015 hearing is vacated.1

Civ. L.R. 7-1(b). Having considered the moving papers, the court conditionally grants the motion 

 

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The parties’ joint request for an order shortening time is denied as moot.

Case 5:15-cv-00144-HRL Document 35 Filed 12/08/15 Page 1 of 3
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

as follows:

“Counsel may not withdraw from an action until relieved by order of Court after written 

notice has been given reasonably in advance to the client and to all other parties who have 

appeared in the case.” Civ. L.R. 11-5(a). “In the Northern District of California, the conduct of 

counsel is governed by the standards of professional conduct required of members of the State Bar 

of California, including the Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of California.” Hill 

Design Group v. Wang, No. C04-521 JF (RS), 2006 WL 3591206 at *4 (N.D. Cal., Dec. 11, 2006) 

(citing Elan Transdermal Limited v. Cygnus Therapeutic Systems, 809 F. Supp. 1383, 1387 (N.D. 

Cal.1992)). Those standards provide that an attorney may seek permission to withdraw if, among 

other things, the client’s conduct renders it unreasonably difficult for the attorney to represent the 

client effectively or if the client breaches an agreement or obligation with respect to the payment 

of fees. Id. (citing Cal. Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 3-700(C)(1)(d),(f)).

Vaughan attests that, despite his repeated efforts to communicate with Wang, Wang has 

stopped communicating directly with him and has taken a position contrary to Vaughan’s 

recommendations and advice. (Dkt. 30, Vaughan Decl. ¶ 3). Accordingly, the court grants the 

motion to withdraw, subject to the condition that papers may continue to be served on Vaughan, 

solely for forwarding purposes, unless and until Wang appears by other counsel or pro se. Civ. 

L.R. 11-5(b).

SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 8, 2015

________________________

HOWARD R. LLOYD

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 5:15-cv-00144-HRL Document 35 Filed 12/08/15 Page 2 of 3
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

5:15-cv-00144-HRL Notice has been electronically mailed to:

Christopher Onstott constott@kmtg.com, ehamman@kmtg.com

Cris Campbell Vaughan ccvaughan@sbcglobal.net, smangeli@sbcglobal.net

Rex Darrell Berry rberry@kmtg.com, krockenstein@kmtg.com, lchenknapp@kmtg.com, 

Sdahlke@kmtg.com

Tanya Eugene Moore tanya@moorelawfirm.com, david@moorelawfirm.com, 

isaac@moorelawfirm.com, marejka@moorelawfirm.com, marsha@moorelawfirm.com, 

whitney@moorelawfirm.com

Case 5:15-cv-00144-HRL Document 35 Filed 12/08/15 Page 3 of 3