High-Profile Houston Attorneys Pusch & Nguyen in Legal Battle Over Alleged Partnership Breach and Unauthorized $1M Withdrawal

The professional partnership that once placed Anthony Pusch and Chi-Hung David Nguyen at the forefront of Houston's personal injury law scene with their eye-catching billboards is seemingly drawing to a close. According to court documents cited by the Houston Chronicle, Pusch has filed a lawsuit against his law partner Nguyen over allegations including unauthorized financial withdrawals and disparaging behavior.

Pusch alleges that Nguyen withdrew $1 million without approval from their joint bank account during the process of negotiating their partnership's end. The two had worked closely since founding their law firm in 2018 and were known to effectively utilize wordplay in their advertising campaigns, notably with the slogan “WE PUSH YOU WIN” However, to potentially further complicate the resolution process, Nguyen has been accused of registering the iconic slogan under his name, which the Houston Public Media reports he defends, stating Pusch did not aid in the trademarking efforts.

Rodney Drinnon, representing Pusch, has also raised concerns over the compensation received by Nguyen's brother, who operates as the firm's chief operating officer. The ownership stakes in the firm are split with Pusch and Nguyen each holding a 45% share, while the remaining 10% belongs to Pusch's father, as per the filing. The firm's financial practices fell under scrutiny, particularly payments made to Prosper Company, managed by Nguyen's brother. The audit conducted by the Pusch faction allegedly did not yield satisfactory explanations from Nguyen's side.

In response to these allegations, Nguyen and his legal team have countered. Nguyen's attorney, Joe Little, told reporters, "The allegations against Mr. Nguyen are absolutely false and result from an unfortunate misunderstanding between law partners." Furthermore, Nguyen asserts he was entitled to the $1 million and had given clear notice of his intent to withdraw the funds for a new business venture. This statement, acquired from the Houston Chronicle reporting, seems to align with the claims that their partnership dissolution discussions were, up until recently, mostly amicable.

Amid these accusations, a Harris County judge has granted a temporary restraining order preventing Nguyen from accessing the firm's corporate accounts, revenues, and assets. The case, which has drawn considerable attention due to the pair's public visibility, is scheduled for a hearing regarding a temporary injunction.