A dispute between two law firms in northwest Arkansas over promotional signage is in Washington County Circuit Court after Judge Doug Martin issued a temporary injunction earlier this month.
The dispute started after attorney Alan LeVar paid $1.54 million for a 6,500-SF office building in the North Pointe Center in Fayetteville in March 2022. LeVar is the founder of the Law Offices of Alan LeVar, which is headquartered in Arkadelphia but has offices throughout the state.
LeVar told us he moved his Fayetteville law office branch into the North Pointe Center location in April 2023.
One of his new neighbors was the law offices of Jason Wales and John Mikesch. Wales was a tenant at the location of the previous owner, Gary Nichols, and his lease transferred to LeVar after the sale.
In a suit he filed in Washington County, Wales said he and his partner learned in May that LeVar was planning to place stickers, decals and logos advertising LeVar’s practice on the building’s windows, including those in the portion leased by Wales and Mikesch. Wales said he and his partner emailed LeVar to tell him they believed his signage on their office space would be a breach of their lease agreement and violate their right to quiet enjoyment of their office.
The suit said a third-party company came to the property in late July to measure the windows for the signs.
Both law firms handle personal injury and other civil matters, so Wales alleged in the court filing the advertisements would be “especially offensive” since the firms are competitors.
Martin issued a temporary injunction and scheduled a full hearing for a permanent injunction Sept. 12. LeVar didn’t comment on the suit but did say his firm would be filing a response soon.
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