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The high-stakes battle between former Bang Energy CEO Jack Owoc and the legal powerhouse Conrad & Scherer LLP has reached a boiling point. Owoc, ousted from the helm of Vital Pharmaceuticals Inc., has accused the firm of egregious legal misconduct, demanding a staggering $732 million in sanctions.

In a motion filed Tuesday in Broward County state court, Owoc, representing himself, alleged that the firm’s attorneys engaged in deliberate and repeated acts of litigation misconduct during their representation in a federal bankruptcy case. Among his most damning claims: the firm abandoned him mid-proceeding, violated ethical standards, and even hired a disbarred attorney to assist in the case.

A Legal Brawl with Millions at Stake

Conrad & Scherer fired the first shot in October 2023, suing Owoc and his wife, Megan, for an outstanding $139,000 in legal fees related to the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings of Vital Pharmaceuticals. A one-day trial over the claims took place on Feb. 14, though a final ruling remains pending.

Owoc’s motion pulls no punches. He claims the firm orchestrated a campaign to obstruct his ability to receive fair legal representation, weaponizing procedural rules and engaging in bad-faith tactics.

“These actions are not mere procedural errors; they constitute an abuse of process that has caused defendants irreparable harm and must be sanctioned accordingly,” Owoc stated in the filing.

A Fall from Power and a Contentious Bankruptcy

Owoc’s legal woes began in October 2022, when Vital Pharmaceuticals, the parent company of Bang Energy, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. By March 2023, the company’s board ousted him as CEO, along with his wife, who had been senior vice president of marketing.

Two months later, the Owocs retained Conrad & Scherer to represent them in the fallout of the bankruptcy proceedings. But the relationship quickly soured.

Owoc contends that in addition to mishandling the case, the firm played a role in the undervaluation of Bang Energy, which was ultimately acquired by competitor Monster Energy for $362 million in July 2023—far below the billions Owoc insists it was worth.

The Computer Controversy

A flashpoint in the legal drama is the dispute over a computer that was seized under court order while ownership issues were resolved. Owoc maintains the device contained protected and confidential legal information. He accuses Conrad & Scherer’s lead attorney, Irwin Gilbert, of misleading the court by falsely claiming the firm had taken possession of the device when, in fact, it had remained in Owoc’s hands.

A System Rigged Against Him?

Owoc alleges that his former attorneys' actions placed him in an “extremely compromising legal position” by leaving him without representation at critical moments in the case. He further claims that the firm’s legal work was tainted by the involvement of a disbarred attorney, whose role remains unclear in the filings.

In an explosive statement to Law360, Owoc likened the South Florida bankruptcy community to a “criminal enterprise,” controlled by a “rigged and politically protected network of corrupt judges, attorneys, and trustees.” He claims he has been targeted by the legal establishment, with eight law firms withdrawing from his case under political pressure.

“This isn’t just misconduct — this is organized crime,” Owoc declared. “Every outside law firm I’ve spoken with acknowledges the corruption but refuses to go on record, fearing retaliation.”

He has vowed to work with federal authorities, including the FBI, to expose what he calls systemic corruption in the bankruptcy courts.

 A Firm’s Defiant Response

Conrad & Scherer, however, remains steadfast. Gilbert dismissed Owoc’s accusations, calling them a predictable tactic to deflect from the firm’s legitimate fee claims.

“Sadly, it is quite common for a defendant to counter a lawsuit for fees by alleging malpractice and other transgressions,” Gilbert said. “I feel that the strategy is to try and coerce the plaintiff lawyer into dropping his claim. We do not bow to such tactics.”

For now, the courtroom clash continues, with millions—and reputations—on the line.