A federal judge, Edward Chen (pictured) in California has ordered Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP to pay nearly $3 million in sanctions, alongside additional penalties and mandatory ethics training for three of its lawyers, in a sharply worded ruling that criticises the firm’s conduct in high-stakes pharmaceutical litigation.
In the order issued by Judge Chen of the US District Court for the Northern District of California, the court found that the firm’s handling of its representation of Natera Inc. reflected “a culture of lawyering that is deeply disturbing.”
See the court order at BloombergLaw here.
The ruling adopts findings from a special master and points to repeated failures by the litigation team to meet core duties of candor and diligence. Judge Chen said the lawyers “turned a blind eye to the truth” and advanced misleading material tied to expert witness evidence.
The Underlying Dispute
The sanctions arise from litigation between Guardant Health Inc. and Natera Inc., centred on competing cancer diagnostics—specifically Guardant’s liquid biopsy test for early-stage colorectal cancer. Guardant alleged that Natera engaged in false and misleading advertising relating to the product.
According to the court, Quinn Emanuel’s “entire litigation team” participated in conduct that included promoting inaccurate expert claims during the dispute.
Sanctions and Personal Penalties
The court ordered some heavyweight penalties, which is a major hit reputation-wise for the ‘most feared’ law firm. Among them:
Nearly $3 million in compensatory sanctions payable to Guardant Health
A further $100,000 punitive sanction against the firm
Personal sanctions against partners Andrew Bramhall (pictured) and Brian Cannon of up to $58,000 each
A $28,000 sanction against associate Elle Wang
All three lawyers must also complete an eight-hour ethics training programme to be developed by the firm itself.
Two additional partners—Silicon Valley managing partner Victoria Maroulis and partner Margaret Shyr—remain under scrutiny, with the court reserving its position on potential sanctions.
Judge Chen said punitive sanctions were justified given the evidentiary standard typically applied to such findings, noting it was “difficult to see” why that threshold would not be met on the facts.
Judicial Criticism and Cultural Concerns
The ruling goes beyond individual failings, pointing to systemic concerns within the litigation team. The court warned that such conduct risks entrenching poor professional standards, particularly among junior lawyers.
“These actions are particularly damaging to younger associates,” Chen wrote, highlighting the risk of a “vicious cycle” where ethical lapses are normalised through example.
Firm Response
Quinn Emanuel said it was “deeply disappointed” by the conduct described in the ruling and confirmed that the lawyers involved had apologised to the court.
The firm said it is implementing internal reforms, including:
- Direct engagement by executive committee members across offices to reinforce ethical standards
- Expanding its general counsel function with a dedicated lawyer advising on court disclosure obligations
Counsel Involved
Guardant Health is represented by Keller Anderle Scolnick LLP, Allen Overy Shearman Sterling US LLP, and Jones Day.
Natera is represented by Quinn Emanuel, alongside Winston & Strawn, WilmerHale, and King & Spalding.
