A dispute between prominent plaintiffs attorney Tom Girardi and an Arizona-based litigation funder might wind up back in court after Girardi failed to pay the fees required to proceed with arbitration.

In May 2019, lender Stillwell Madison sued Girardi for failing to repay nearly $3.6 million of a more than $5 million loan. Stillwell alleges that Girardi failed to disclose that he defaulted on a loan from another funder before securing a forbearance agreement from Stillwell. Stillwell also alleges that Girardi and his wife, “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” cast member Erika Jayne—who is named in the complaint alongside Girardi’s firm Girardi Keese—have used the loans designated for his firm to fund a “lavish lifestyle.”