Plaintiffs attorneys at Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy fired back this week at Apple’s attempt to remove them from their leadership positions in a lawsuit over alleged iPhone throttling, calling the computer giant’s sanctions bid a “manufactured controversy.”

Apple Inc. has sought sanctions against principals Joseph Cotchett and Mark Molumphy for what it claims was their “blatant and very serious violation” of a protective order in lawsuits coordinated before U.S. District Judge Edward Davila of the Northern District of California. Apple proposed removing both lawyers from their appointed posts as co-lead plaintiffs counsel and barring them from viewing confidential documents in the case.