Dallas’ 5th Court of Appeals has decided that a suit a contract lawyer filed against a firm and five of its clients over allegedly unpaid wages can go forward — an opinion the plaintiff’s counsel says merits the attention of all Texas firms and attorneys who hire contract lawyers.

As a result of the 5th Court ruling, 191st District Judge Gena Slaughter issued Feb. 13 orders reopening Malcolm Pipes v. D. Hemingway, et al. and setting a Sept. 4, 2012, trial date.