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Paul J. Cambria, Jr. (Cal. Bar No. 177957)

LIPSITZ GREEN SCIME CAMBRIA LLP

42 Delaware Avenue, Suite #120

Buffalo, New York 14202

Telephone: (716) 849-1333

Facsimile: (716) 855-1580

Email: pcambria@lglaw.com

emccampbell@lglaw.com

Counsel for Defendant Michael Lacey

Thomas H. Bienert, Jr. (Cal. Bar No. 

135311)

Kenneth M. Miller (Cal. Bar No. 151874)

John L. Littrell (Cal. Bar No. 221601)

BIENERT, MILLER & KATZMAN, PLC

903 Calle Amanecer, Suite 350

San Clemente, California 92673

Telephone: (949) 369-3700

Facsimile: (949) 369-3701

Email: tbienert@bmkattorneys.com

kmiller@bmkattorneys.com

jlittrell@bmkattorneys.com

Counsel for Defendant James Larkin

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

United States of America,

 Plaintiff, 

v. 

Michael Lacey, et al., 

 Defendants. 

No. CR-18-00422-PHX-SPL (BSB)

MOTION OF MICHAEL LACEY AND 

JAMES LARKIN FOR LEAVE TO FILE 

OVER-LENGTH OPPOSITION TO 

UNITED STATES’ MOTION TO 

DISQUALIFY COUNSEL

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 179 Filed 06/06/18 Page 1 of 8
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Defendants Michael Lacey and James Larkin respectfully moves this Court for 

leave to file a 24-page brief in opposition to the government’s Motion to Counsel, in 

excess of the 17-page limitation for responsive memoranda set forth under LRCiv. 

7.2(e)(1) and incorporated into the rules governing criminal actions by LRCrim. 

12.1(a). In support of this motion, Mr. Lacey and Mr. Larkin state as follows:

1. The government commenced a grand jury investigation relating to

Backpage.com, LLC (“Backpage”), its former Chief Executive Officer Carl Ferrer, and 

its former owners Messrs. Lacey and Larkin, among others. 

2. The government has since filed indictments against Messrs. Larkin and 

Lacey and five other individuals or worked at or were associated with Backpage,

charging various crimes under the Travel Act and federal money laundering statutes (18 

U.S.C. §§ 371, 1952, 1956, 1957). 

3. Mr. Ferrer pled guilty to certain offenses in his individual capacity and for 

Backpage, while committing to cooperate with the government by testifying against 

Messrs. Lacey and Larkin and the other defendants. 

4. The government filed its motion seeking to disqualify Davis Wright 

Tremaine LLP (“DWT”) as counsel for Messrs. Larkin and Lacey based on the premise 

that DWT’s prior representation of Mr. Ferrer creates a conflict that requires DWT’s 

disqualification. 

5. The government’s motion implicates Messrs. Larkin’s and Lacey’s Sixth 

Amendment right to counsel of their choice. The government’s motion also raises 

issues related to a number of joint defense and common interest agreements between 

Messrs. Larkin, Lacey, and Ferrer, and others, which the government’s motion does not 

address. 

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 179 Filed 06/06/18 Page 2 of 8
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6. In preparing a brief in opposition to the government’s motion, it was 

necessary for Messrs. Larkin and Lacey to explain the extensive history of DWT’s 

representation of Backpage, as well as the joint efforts of Messrs. Larkin, Lacey, and 

Ferrer to defend Backpage related claims. It was also necessary to address the 

extensive law supporting the position of Messrs. Larkin and Lacey. 

7. Although Mr. Lacey sought to be as concise as possible in preparing his 

opposition brief, it was not possible to fully and meaningfully oppose the government’s 

motion within the 17-page limitation set forth under LRCiv. 7.2(e)(1). 

8. Accordingly, Mr. Lacey requests leave to file an opposition brief no 

longer than 24 pages, in excess of the page limitation under LRCiv. 7.2(e)(1).

DATED: June 6, 2018 Respectfully submitted,

/s/ Paul J. Cambria, Jr.

LIPSITZ GREEN SCIME CAMBRIA LLP 

Attorneys for Defendant Michael Lacey

 /s/ Thomas Henry Bienert, Jr.

 BIENERT MILLER & KATZMAN PLC 

 Attorneys for Defendant James Larkin

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that on this 6th day of June, 2018, I electronically transmitted a 

PDF version of this document to the Clerk of Court, using the CM/ECF System, 

for filing and for transmittal of a Notice of Electronic Filing to the attorneys of 

record. See attached service list.

/s/ Toni Lindemann 

Toni Lindeman

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 179 Filed 06/06/18 Page 4 of 8
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 SERVICE LIST

COUNSEL REPRESENTING

Anne M. Chapman

Mitchell Stein & Carey PC

1 Renaissance Sq. 

2 N Central Ave., Ste. 1900 

Phoenix, AZ 85004

Email: anne@mscclaw.com

Henze Cook Murphy, PLC

Lee Stein

Mitchell Stein & Carey PC

1 Renaissance Sq. 

2 N Central Ave., Ste. 1900 

Phoenix, AZ 85004

lee@mscclaw.com

Henze Cook Murphy, PLC

James C. Grant

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

1201 3rd Ave., Ste. 2200 

Seattle, WA 98101-3045

jimgrant@dwt.com

Michael Lacey

Robert Corn-Revere

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

1919 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Ste. 800 

Washington, DC 20006

bobcornrevere@dwt.com

Michael Lacey

Ronald G. London

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

1919 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Ste. 800 

Washington, DC 20006

ronnielondon@dwt.com

Michael Lacey

Paul J. Cambria, Jr.

Liptsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP

42 Delaware Ave., Ste. 120 

Buffalo, NY 14202

pcambria@lglaw.com

Michael Lacey

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 SERVICE LIST

COUNSEL REPRESENTING

Janey Henze Cook

Henze Cook Murphy PLLC

4645 N 32nd St., Ste. 150 

Phoenix, AZ 85018

janey@henzecookmurphy.com

Michael Lacey

Bruce Feder

Feder Law Office PA

2930 E Camelback Rd., Ste. 160 

Phoenix, AZ 85016

bf@federlawpa.com

Scott Spear

Michael D. Kimerer

Kimerer & Derrick PC

1313 E Osborn Rd., Ste. 100 

Phoenix, AZ 85014

mdk@kimerer.com

John Brunst

Rhonda E. Neff

Kimerer & Derrick PC

1313 E Osborn Rd., Ste. 100 

Phoenix, AZ 85014

rneff@kimerer.com 

John Brunst

Gary S. Lincenberg

Bird Marella

1875 Century Park E # 23

Los Angeles, CA 90067

glincenberg@birdmarella.com

John Brunst

Ariel A. Neuman

Bird Marella

1875 Century Park E # 23 

Los Angeles, CA 90067

aneuman@birdmarella.com

John Brunst

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 SERVICE LIST 

COUNSEL REPRESENTING

Gopi Panchapakesan

Bird Marella

1875 Century Park E # 23

Los Angeles, CA 90067

gpanchapakesan@birdmarella.com

John Brunst

KC Maxwell

Maxwell Law, PC

899 Ellis Street

San Francisco, CA 94109

kcm@kcmaxlaw.com

Dan Hyer

Michael L. Piccarreta

Piccarreta Davis Keenan Fidel PC

2 E Congress St., Ste. 1000 

Tucson, AZ 85701

mlp@pd-law.com

Andrew Padilla

Jefferson Keenan

Piccarreta Davis Keenan Fidel PC

2 E Congress St., Ste. 1000 

Tucson, AZ 85701

jlk@pd-law.com

Andrew Padilla

Stephen M. Weiss

Karp & Weiss PC

3060 N Swan Rd. 

Tucson, AZ 85712

sweiss@karpweiss.com

Joye Vaught

Andrew Stone

US Attorney’s Office

40 N Central Ave, Ste 1800 

Phoenix, AZ 85004

andrew.stone@usdoj.gov

USA

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 SERVICE LIST 

COUNSEL REPRESENTING

John Jacob Kucera

US Attorney’s Office - Los Angeles, CA

312 N Spring St., Ste. 1200 

Los Angeles, CA 90012

john.kucera@usdoj.gov

USA

Kevin M. Rapp

US Attorney’s Office - Phoenix, AZ

2 Renaissance Square 

40 N Central Ave., Ste. 1800 

Phoenix, AZ 85004-4408

kevin.rapp@usdoj.gov

USA

Margaret Wu Perlmeter

US Attorney’s Office - Phoenix, AZ

2 Renaissance Square 

40 N Central Ave., Ste. 1800 

Phoenix, AZ 85004-4408

margaret.perlmeter@usdoj.gov

USA

Peter Kozinets

US Attorney’s Office - Phoenix, AZ

2 Renaissance Square 

40 N Central Ave., Ste. 1800 

Phoenix, AZ 85004-4408

peter.kozinets @usdoj.gov

USA

433438-1 

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 179 Filed 06/06/18 Page 8 of 8