Lawyers Suing Lawyers

Too funny.

Someone looking for a personal injury lawyer in the Milwaukee area might easily type the names Habush and Rottier into an Internet search engine.

Habush, Habush & Rottier, one of the state’s oldest and largest law firms specializing in personal injury cases, has had many publicized successes and advertises a lot.

But the first result most major search engines return is for a Habush competitor - Cannon & Dunphy.

On Wednesday, Robert Habush, Daniel Rottier and their law firm sued William Cannon, Patrick Dunphy and their Brookfield law firm, asking that a court halt the defendants’ use of paid-for keywords Habush and Rottier to direct searchers to the Cannon & Dunphy Web site.

It appears to be a first-of-its kind claim in the increasingly competitive and sophisticated world of search engine advertising.