Like Hillblom’s probate, Hillbroom faces complex jury trial

Junior Larry Hillbroom’s lawsuit against his two former lawyers and former trustee over alleged mismanagement of approximately $90 million that he had inherited from his father was originally filed in 2009 in California. After a decade, the jury trial in the case will finally start in federal court on Saipan next week.

Similar to the probate of the estate of Hillbroom’s father, Larry Lee Hillblom, a co-founder and former owner of DHL Worldwide Express, Hillbroom’s lawsuit is a complex one too.

In his lawsuit against his former lawyers—David J. Lujan and Barry J. Israel—Hillbroom alleges that the two, together with Hillbroom’s then-trustee, Keith Waibel, conspired in 2001 to wrongfully increase their contingency fee when the estate of Hillblom was undergoing probate.

Lujan and Israel have also filed counterclaims against Waibel. Waibel in turn, also filed counterclaims against Lujan and Israel.

In an order last Friday, U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona listed the claims to be tried during the trial that starts Tuesday, Nov. 19.

In Hillbroom’s case against Lujan, the claims are breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, legal malpractice, and violation of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act.

The claims are the same in Hillbroom case against Israel, with the addition of a negligence claim. Hillbroom makes these same claims against Waibel.

In Lujan against Waibel, the claims are indemnification, partial equitable indemnification, and contribution.

Pertaining to Israel’s claim against Waibel, the claims are slander, libel, indemnification, and contribution.

With regard to Waibel’s claim against Lujan and Israel, the claims are the same: indemnification and contribution.

Hillbroom intends to call to the stand all the parties in the case and his designated experts, Robert K. Sall and Jeffrey E. Brandlin.

Israel intends to testify himself and call Lujan, Israel, Waibel, and 14 others, including his expert witnesses—Robert Kehr and John Luna.

The parties have agreed to, among other facts, that Hillbroom, who is now 35 years old, is the biological son of Hillblom and Kaelani Kinney.

Hillbroom, a Palauan, is one of the four DNA-proven children of Hillblom. His name is spelled differently from that of Hillblom. The three other children are Jellian Cuartero, a Filipino; Mercedita Feliciano, a Filipino; and Nguyen Be Lory, a Vietnamese.

Hillblom died in a seaplane crash off Anatahan waters on a flight from Pagan to Saipan on May 21, 1995, leaving behind an estate worth approximately $550 million. The bodies of the pilot and a business partner were found, but Hillblom’s body was never recovered.