Kirsten Hicks Spira

As a co-chair of Jenner & Block's national professional responsibility practice, Spira regularly represents national and international law firms in a variety of complex matters, including malpractice actions, disqualification motions, employment disputes and fraud lawsuits.

She also sometimes handles other kinds of complex litigation, particularly employment issues. For instance, Spira represents a defense contractor sued under the Defense Contractor Whistleblower Protection Act by a linguist who worked in Baghdad. Spira won a motion to dismiss that is now on appeal. Kappouta v. Valiant Integrated Services LLC, 3:20-cv-01501 (S.D. Cal., filed Aug. 4, 2020).

She also recently defended Paramount Pictures against a wrongful termination lawsuit from Brandon "Bam" Margera, a former star of the "Jackass" films. The case was resolved earlier this year. Margera v Paramount Pictures Corp., 21STCV29254 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Aug. 9, 2021).

Spira said that although she isn't an entertainment attorney, many of her cases are related to the industry.

In fact, she is currently representing two major national law firms in legal malpractice cases involving television personalities. One brought by a reality TV star is set to go to trial soon. In the other, the assistant of an actor represented by a law firm claims to have an attorney-client relationship with the firm.

A growing type of malpractice matter claims law firms aided and abetted a client's wrongdoing. Spira and a partner are representing one of the law firms caught up in the collapse of the Woodbridge Group of Companies' alleged Ponzi scheme. Their victory with an anti-SLAPP is now on appeal. Goldberg v. Halloran & Sage LLP, 19STCV42900 (L.A. Super. Ct., filed Dec. 2, 2019).

Spira is just wrapping up a term as chair of the L.A. County Bar Association's professional responsibility and ethics committee. "It's a really exciting thing to be on a committee that can speak to and comment on really important issues that affect lawyers," she said.

Another very fulfilling professional activity is helping families adopting children out of the foster care system prepare the "extraordinarily persnickety" documentation required. The pro bono work "is important, but also very delightful," Spira said.

- Don DeBenedictis