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A New Jersey man has filed a lawsuit against law firm Sills Cummis & Gross PC and accounting firm CohnReznick LLP, accusing them of inflating his bills for services rendered, which totaled nearly $2 million. The suit, filed by Richard Hekemian in Passaic County Superior Court, alleges that both firms engaged in overbilling practices during their representation of him in two legal matters.

Accusations of Overstaffing and Bill Padding

Hekemian, a resident of Oradell, New Jersey, hired Sills Cummis in June 2023 to represent him in a lawsuit he had filed two years earlier. According to the complaint, the law firm advised him to also retain CohnReznick for related accounting services two months later. Hekemian claims that Sills Cummis and CohnReznick engaged in "overstaffing," "double" or "multiple" billing for the same services, and general invoice padding.

Sills Cummis billed Hekemian $1,550,441 for their services, of which he paid $338,354. Hekemian described the services as "very limited" despite the substantial charges. Additionally, CohnReznick billed him $443,898, bringing the total charges close to $2 million.

Sills Cummis & CohnReznick Client $2M Bill Suit : Legal Disputes and Firm Withdrawal

The legal services in question were for two cases: a dispute with Hekemian's brother over real estate and their father's will, and a separate arbitration matter. In July, Sills Cummis sought to withdraw as counsel in the Bergen County Superior Court, citing Hekemian's failure to fulfill his financial obligations under their retainer agreement.

In response, Hekemian has filed a four-count complaint seeking compensatory damages, reimbursement for the alleged excessive billing, a declaration that he owes no further fees, and coverage for court costs, attorney fees, and expert witness fees.

Firm Responses and Legal Representation

Sills Cummis has strongly denied the allegations. Richard Epstein, general counsel for Sills Cummis, issued a statement asserting that the lawsuit is "without merit" and that Hekemian still owes the firm a significant amount for the requested legal services. The firm intends to file a counterclaim to recover the sums due.

As of Friday, representatives for CohnReznick and Hekemian's legal counsel—Steve M. Kalebic of the Law Offices of Steve M. Kalebic and Justin H. Scheier of the Scheier Law Firm LLC—had not commented on the case. Additionally, counsel information for Sills Cummis and CohnReznick was not immediately available.

Sills Cummis & CohnReznick Client $2M Bill Suit : Looking Ahead

This lawsuit highlights the ongoing issues of billing practices and client relations within the legal and accounting industries. As the case progresses, it will likely explore the boundaries of what constitutes reasonable fees for professional services and could impact how law firms and accounting firms manage their billing practices.