KWP, LLP v Pratt McGuire LLP
PALO ALTO, CA — In a lawsuit that has sent shockwaves through California’s high-stakes startup law community, Pratt McGuire, LLP, a boutique legal firm known for advising venture-backed tech companies, has filed a $5 million complaint against its competitor, KARBER, WEISS, PRICE, LLP (KWP).
Filed in San Francisco Superior Court earlier this week, the lawsuit alleges that KWP orchestrated a "deliberate, prolonged campaign of interference and defamation" designed to damage Pratt McGuire’s client relationships and professional reputation. The 28-page complaint outlines four major causes of action: breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference with contract, defamation, and violations of California’s Unfair Competition Law.
According to the filing, KWP attorneys allegedly contacted multiple early-stage clients of Pratt McGuire during sensitive funding negotiations, persuading them to terminate their existing legal retainers in favor of new engagements with KWP. The complaint further claims that KWP partners spread “false and damaging” statements at investor forums and legal networking events, suggesting that Pratt McGuire had “botched regulatory filings” for a recent IPO — a claim Pratt McGuire calls “patently false and malicious.”
“This is not just about business rivalry — this is about professional integrity,” said Raisin Prune, a partner at Pratt McGuire. “We’ve built our reputation by guiding founders through their most vulnerable stages. What KWP did was calculated, reckless, and unethical.”
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages exceeding $5 million, as well as injunctive relief to prevent further client poaching or defamatory statements. In an internal memo obtained by The Palo Alto Ledger, KWP Managing Partner Douglas Weiss responded to the allegations:
“We categorically deny all claims. KARBER, WEISS, PRICE operates within the highest ethical standards. We will vigorously defend our reputation and our attorneys.”
Initial filing done by Raisin Prune and Agatha Lieberman.
“These were not incidental windfalls,” said Ryan Clean, a litigation partner at Pratt McGuire. “They were the direct fruits of calculated misconduct, extracted from the relationships we spent years cultivating.”
KWP firing back with a lawsuit of their own.
Just days after the explosive lawsuit from Pratt McGuire hit the docket, KARBER, WEISS, PRICE, LLP (KWP) has filed a countersuit in Los Angeles Superior Court — accusing Pratt McGuire of defamation, malicious prosecution, and intentional interference with prospective economic advantage.
In the 19-page filing, KWP alleges that Pratt McGuire launched a "media smear campaign" intended to damage KWP’s standing in the tech legal community. The complaint claims that Pratt McGuire “knowingly misrepresented facts to the press and in public legal filings” in an effort to discourage investors and accelerators from retaining KWP.
KWP is seeking $3.5 million in compensatory damages, along with a formal retraction and public apology.
“Pratt McGuire has built its brand on whispered innuendo and courtroom theater,” said Douglas Weiss, managing partner at KWP. “We have zero tolerance for firms that try to litigate through press releases.”
The unexpected countersuit adds a volatile new dimension to the already contentious legal drama. What began as a single firm’s response to alleged client poaching has now evolved into a high-stakes legal crossfire between two of California’s most recognizable legal players.
Court watchers say the dueling lawsuits could stretch on for months — or longer — and might prompt ethics reviews or even State Bar inquiries into both firms’ conduct.