Quinn, Racusin & Gazzola Chartered v. Pavich Law Group, P.C. (District of Columbia Court of Appeals Nos. 25-CV-0086 & 25-CV-0229)

Procedural record

1. 3 September 2026United States

   3 September 2026United States

   Amended Opinion of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in the case Nos. 25-CV-0086 & 25-CV-0229 dated 3 September 2026

   District of Columbia Court of Appeals

   Decision summary

   The court affirmed the Superior Court's judgment confirming the arbitrator's final award and denying Quinn, Racusin & Gazzola Chartered's motion for judicial review and vacatur. It held that the Agreement Concerning Attorneys' Fees was not procured by fraudulent inducement or duress, that the arbitration clause covered the fee-allocation dispute and related tort claims, and that the vacated Iraq Litigation judgment did not render the agreement void.

   Participants

   Quinn, Racusin & Gazzola Chartered

   Representative

   Robert N. Kelly (For: Quinn, Racusin & Gazzola Chartered)

   Representative

   Tara A. Barnes (For: Quinn, Racusin & Gazzola Chartered)

   Pavich Law Group, P.C.

   Representative

   Stuart A. Berman (For: Pavich Law Group, P.C.)

   Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, LLP

   Representative

   Eric C. Rowe (For: Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, LLP)

   Representative

   C. Allen Foster (For: Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, LLP)

   Representative

   Masten Childers, III (For: Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, LLP)

   Kalbian Hagerty, LLP

   Representative

   William P. McGrath, Jr. (For: Kalbian Hagerty, LLP)

   Wye Oak Technology, Inc.

   Representative

   Joe R. Reeder (For: Wye Oak Technology, Inc.)

   District of Columbia Court of Appeals

   Judge

   Blackburne-Rigsby

   Judge

   Easterly

   Judge

   Shanker

   Authorities cited

   23

   • District of Columbia Revised Uniform Arbitration Act (D.C. Code § 16-4423)
     statute
   • Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. § 10)
     statute
   • Quinn, Racusin & Gazzola Chartered v. PLG Law Group, P.C. (309 A.3d 587 (D.C. 2024))
     case
   • Wye Oak Technology, Inc. v. Republic of Iraq (109 F.4th 509 (D.C. Cir. 2024))
     case
   • Wye Oak Technology, Inc. (146 S. Ct. 396 (2025))
     case
   • C.R. Calderon Construction, Inc. v. Grunley Construction Co., Inc. (257 A.3d 1046 (D.C. 2021))
     case
   • Celtech, Inc. v. Broumand (584 A.2d 1257 (D.C. 1991))
     case
   • Zegeye v. Liss (70 A.3d 1208 (D.C. 2013))
     case
   • DCA Capitol Hill LTAC, LLC v. Capitol Hill Group (332 A.3d 518 (D.C. 2025))
     case
   • Hercules & Co., Ltd. v. Shama Restaurant Corp. (613 A.2d 916 (D.C. 1992))
     case
   • Sundberg v. TTR Realty, LLC (109 A.3d 1123 (D.C. 2015))
     case
   • Steiner v. American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) (177 A.3d 1246 (D.C. 2018))
     case
   • Dyer v. Bilaal (983 A.2d 349 (D.C. 2009))
     case
   • Osborne v. Howard University Physicians, Inc. (904 A.2d 335 (D.C. 2006))
     case
   • Sind v. Pollin (356 A.2d 653 (D.C. 1976))
     case
   • Bank of America, N.A. v. District of Columbia (80 A.3d 650 (D.C. 2013))
     case
   • Woodroof v. Cunningham (147 A.3d 777 (D.C. 2016))
     case
   • Aziken v. District of Columbia (70 A.3d 213 (D.C. 2013))
     case
   • Unit Owners Association of 2337 Champlain Street Condominium v. 2337 Champlain Street, LLC (314 A.3d 1198 (D.C. 2024))
     case
   • DSP Venture Group, Inc. v. Allen (830 A.2d 850 (D.C. 2003))
     case
   • In re Wilde (68 A.3d 749 (D.C. 2013))
     case
   • Tippett v. Daly (10 A.3d 1123 (D.C. 2010))
     case
   • Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 176(1) (1981)
     restatement
2. Date not availableArbitration

   Date not availableArbitration

   Final arbitration award allocating Wye Oak's contingency fee among the Law Firms

   JAMS

   Decision summary

   The final award allocated Wye Oak's contingency fee as follows: Pavich Law Group, 18 percent; Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, 27.5 percent; Kalbian Hagerty, 0.5 percent; and Quinn, Racusin & Gazzola, 0 percent.

   Participants

   Quinn, Racusin & Gazzola Chartered

   Pavich Law Group, P.C.

   Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, LLP

   Kalbian Hagerty, LLP

   JAMS

   Arbitrator

   Richard A. Levie