Hundreds of Los Angeles County residents suing over fumes from Chiquita Canyon Landfill could soon be dropped from the case after their law firm said it can no longer reach them. Downtown LA Law Group told a federal judge Thursday that it plans to leave the litigation within two months, turning a fight over a troubled Castaic landfill into a crisis of representation for roughly 1,000 clients.
Andrew Morrow, an attorney leading DTLA’s landfill work, said the firm had transferred about 500 of its 1,200 clients to another personal-injury firm. At the same time, roughly 500 more will likely be dismissed after communications broke down, according to The Los Angeles Times. That leaves a large chunk of the firm’s caseload in limbo as the underlying lawsuits continue.
Half The Firm’s Landfill Caseload Is In Question
The litigation centers on claims that Chiquita Canyon, Los Angeles County’s second-largest landfill, allowed noxious odors and toxic fumes to reach nearby homes. The landfill stopped accepting trash last year, while the county and state continue separate legal and regulatory actions tied to the site; the federal court docket identifies Los Angeles County and the People of California as plaintiffs in a suit against the landfill operators.
Los Angeles County has also ordered a specialized cover intended to limit gas migration and odors, with an August 31, 2026, deadline for installation, according to Hoodline’s earlier report. That environmental cleanup backdrop matters because residents are pursuing compensation for alleged health and property impacts while the landfill remains under heavy oversight.
Judge Weighs Client Vetting Amid Misconduct Claims
Thursday’s hearing was not a finding that the landfill claims are fraudulent. But attorneys for the landfill argued that allegations surrounding DTLA’s recruiting practices justify extra vetting of its clients, while Morrow said his clients should not be treated as suspect because of accusations involving the firm or recruiters, The Los Angeles Times reported.
The immediate question is now less dramatic but more consequential: whether the plaintiffs can be located, transferred cleanly to new counsel and kept in the litigation without further delays. The defense has sought additional information about how DTLA’s clients joined the case, adding another procedural fight to a lawsuit already tangled in disputes over odors, health effects and legal recruiting.
California Rules Put Client Solicitation Under A Microscope
The allegations also carry potential professional-discipline consequences. California law prohibits people from acting as a “runner or capper” for attorneys or soliciting legal business for them in public places, according to the California Business and Professions Code; DTLA has denied wrongdoing and said the accusations came from a competing firm seeking to eliminate competition, as summarized in Hoodline’s previous coverage.
For Val Verde and nearby communities, the firm’s planned exit creates a new uncertainty layered onto the landfill dispute itself. Residents who are transferred or remain in the case may need to confirm their representation, sign new agreements or locate replacement counsel — assuming the lawyers can reach them before their claims are dismissed.
