Dallas Firm Claims Holy Kombucha Owes $164K in Unpaid Attorney Fees
Fermented tea maker Holy Kombucha Inc. was hit with a $164,000 lawsuit in which Dallas firm Munck Wilson Mandala alleged the company failed to pay its attorney fees.
November 25, 2019 at 07:29 PM
2 minute read
Photo: Elena Itsenko/Shutterstock.com
A Dallas law firm has sued its client, Holy Kombucha Inc., to collect $164,000 in attorney fees for legal work that the health drink manufacturer allegedly failed to pay.
In a case that shows it may be easier to send out invoices than it is to collect on them, Munck Wilson Mandala alleged that the attorney-client relationship started in 2013 when defendants Leandro Bienati and Theresa Pham hired the firm for representation for corporate disputes with Holy Kombucha and its officers, directors and shareholders, said the original petition in Munck Wilson Mandala v. Holy Kombucha. The firm claimed that it represented Holy Kombucha and Bienati again in 2016 for representation in the defense of a lawsuit against them in a Tarrant County district court.
Holy Kombucha and Bienati admitted in August 2018 that they owed nearly $220,000 for the legal services. They entered an agreement to make weekly payments of $7,500 until the balance was paid off. However, they've only paid $14,000 and they still owe more than $164,000, the petition alleged.
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that's rich in probiotics, offering health benefits similar to probiotic supplements, which boost the immune system and prevent constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic. Although some claim that kombucha can ward off or treat serious health conditions like high blood pressure or cancer, scientists haven't backed those claims yet.
Holy Kombucha was launched in 2011, said the company's Facebook page. The company manufactures and sells kombucha flavors such as "Blood Orange," "Prickly Pear," and "Green Guru."
Munck Wilson, which employs more than 70 attorneys, represents businesses in complex litigation, corporate law, employment and labor law, and technology and intellectual property law, according to the firm's website. It represents clients in industries such as restaurant, food and beverage, hospitality, aerospace and defense, computers and software, and more.
Defendants Bienati and Pham were out of the office for a funeral and couldn't be reached for comment, said a receptionist at Holy Kombucha.
Michael Wilson, partner in Munck Wilson, didn't return a call or email seeking comment before deadline.
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