Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_16-cv-00400/USCOURTS-casd-3_16-cv-00400-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 21:0301 Federal Food, Drug &amp; Cosmetic Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

DURANCE DABISH, individually 

and on behalf of all others similarly situated, 

 Plaintiff,

Case No. 16-cv-400-BAS(NLS) 

ORDER DENYING 

DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR 

LEAVE TO WITHDRAW AS 

COUNSEL OF RECORD 

WITHOUT PREJUDICE 

[ECF No. 30] 

 v. 

BRAND NEW ENERGY, LLC, 

 Defendant. 

Defendant Brand New Energy, LLC’s counsel of record, Ian G. Schuler of 

Bowman and Brooke LLP, seeks leave and an order to withdraw as counsel. 

According to Mr. Schuler, the “attorney-client relationship with [Brand New Energy] 

has become irreparably damaged” and conflicts have “create[d] an unreasonable 

work environment that prevents the expected progress in this case.” (Schuler Decl. ¶ 

4.) Mr. Schuler also adds that Brand New Energy “agrees that [his] continued 

representation in this matter would only accelerate [their] disunity, leading to further 

disagreements.” (Id.) 

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Parties generally may plead and conduct their own cases personally. 28 U.S.C. 

§ 1654. However, “[o]nly natural persons representing their individual interests in 

propria persona may appear in court without representation by an attorney.” Civ. L.R. 

83.3(j). “All other parties, including corporations, partnerships and other legal 

entities, may appear in court only through an attorney permitted to practice pursuant 

to Civil Local Rule 83.3.” Id.; see also Rowland v. Cal. Men’s Colony, 506 U.S. 194, 

201-02 (1993) (“It has been the law for the better part of two centuries . . . that a 

corporation may appear in the federal courts only through licensed counsel . . . . 

[T]hat rule applies equally to all artificial entities.”); United States v. High Country 

Broadcasting Co., Inc., 3 F.3d 1244, 1245 (9th Cir. 1993) (affirming district court’s

entry of default judgment against the corporation when the corporation failed to retain 

counsel for the duration of the litigation and attempted to proceed through its 

unlicensed president and sole shareholder); Greenspan v. Admin. Office of the United 

States Courts, No. 14cv2396 JTM, 2014 WL 6847460, at *6 (N.D. Cal. Dec. 4, 2014) 

(dismissing corporate plaintiffs for failure to obtain legal representation). 

Here, Mr. Schuler seeks to withdraw as counsel of record for Brand New 

Energy, which would leave Brand New Energy without counsel. No counsel has 

appeared on behalf of Brand New Energy to remain in the event Mr. Schuler is 

permitted to withdraw, and there is no indication that retaining new counsel for Brand 

New Energy is imminent. Consequently, permitting Mr. Schuler’s withdrawal would 

leave Brand New Energy, an “artificial” legal entity, proceeding without counsel in 

direct contravention to this district’s Civil Local Rules. See Civ. L.R. 83.3(j); 

Rowland, 506 U.S. at 201-02. 

In light of the foregoing, the Court DENIES WITHOUT PREJUDICE the 

motion for leave to withdraw as counsel of record. (ECF No. 30.) If Brand New 

Energy is unable to retain new counsel in anticipation of Mr. Schuler’s withdrawal 

within the next 30 days, Mr. Schuler may file a renewed motion to withdraw as 

counsel of record. If a renewed motion is filed, it should describe the ongoing efforts 

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to seek new counsel in addition to the ongoing relationship with Brand New Energy. 

In the event Brand New Energy retains new counsel within the next 30 days, Mr. 

Schuler may immediately seek leave to withdraw as counsel. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: May 8, 2017 

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