Erika Girardi files claim to leftover Girardi Keese assets

Erika Girardi files claim to leftover Girardi Keese assets

Erika Girardi, the wife of disgraced plaintiff's attorney Thomas V. Girardi, filed a claim against the Girardi Keese bankruptcy estate seeking any leftover assets from the firm's estate and making a claim against her husband's firm.

The claim was filed Friday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. In re: Girardi Keese, 20-BK-21022 (C.D. Bankruptcy Ct., filed Dec. 18, 2020).

Evan C. Borges, a partner with GreenbergGross LLP who represents Erika Girardi, noted that she is the target of lawsuits as well as an investigation by an attorney hired by the Girardi Keese estate.

Erika Girardi "should not be liable for and has complete defenses to such third party claims, as they are based on the actions of others, and specifically, the actions of [Girardi Keese] by and through [Tom Girardi] and/or other attorneys or employees of [the firm]," Borges wrote.

She has become famous during her two decades as Tom Girardi's wife as an entertainer and a star of the Bravo television series, "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

In a phone interview Tuesday, Borges said Erika Girardi, as Tom Girardi's estranged wife, has the right to any money left over after other creditors are paid. "She has the right as a claimant to be compensated," he said.

Elissa D. Miller, a partner with SulmeyerKupetz who is the trustee for the Girardi Keese estate, hired Larry W. Gabriel, a Jenkins Mulligan & Gabriel LLP partner, as special counsel to pursue any estate assets that were transferred to Erika Girardi.

Gabriel declined to comment on the filing in an email.

Ronald N. Richards, who previously acted as special counsel, said in an interview that Erika Girardi "is trying to have it both ways" by claiming to be an owner while also trying to escape liability.

-- Craig Anderson