Lawyers’ motion to withdraw as IPI counsels OK’d

The Commonwealth Casino Commission board has granted the motion of a law firm to withdraw as counsel for Imperial Pacific International (CNMI) LLC in CCC’s five complaints against IPI.

CCC board vice chair Rafael S. Demapan said that Kevin T. Abikoff, Daniel H. Weiner, and Samuel W. Salyer are discharged as counsel for IPI. The three are from Hughes Hubbard Reed LLP, a multinational law firm headquartered in New York City.

Demapan also granted Joey P. San Nicolas’ motion to withdraw as counsel for IPI in the five enforcement actions.

CCC board chair Edward C. DeLeon Guerrero said that Stephen J. Nutting and Michael Chen have been appointed to represent IPI.

DeLeon Guerrero said Chen and Michael McCollum are counsels for IPI in its appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The chairman said Office of the Attorney General’s chief solicitor Jonathan Robert Glass Jr. is representing CCC in the U.S. Supreme Court.

IPI has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decision reversing the U.S. District Court for the NMI’s order compelling the CCC to subject to its complaints against IPI to arbitration.

The five complaints arose from IPI’s alleged failure to pay the casino regulatory fee, annual casino license fee, and non-compliant with the required working capital for payroll.