In June 2026, Law.com reported on a federal court ruling ordering Barnes & Thornburg and two of its attorneys to pay $172,635 in sanctions after filing a meritless motion to disqualify DCWageLaw from representing security workers in a wage-and-hour class action against GardaWorld:

The move backfired, as the court spotlighted a slew of other missteps — including late night filings and serving more than a dozen depositions two days before opposing counsel was due to respond to Barnes & Thornburg’s motion for summary judgment. And the entire firm is liable, because its general counsel approved the litigation strategy, the judge wrote.