The chair of Duane Morris' corporate practice, George Nemphos, and corporate partner Jay G. Cohen have resigned from the partnership, effective Thursday, according to a firm spokesman.

Their resignation comes after they and Duane Morris were sued in a legal malpractice lawsuit, alleging Cohen and Nemphos directed a client to stop paying legal fees to Duane Morris and instead make monthly payments to an LLC the attorneys owned.

Duane Morris has retained Zuckerman Spaeder partner William Murphy, a prominent Baltimore attorney who focuses on legal ethics, criminal defense and investigations, to represent the firm in the malpractice complaint.