In a recent case involving a commercial landlord, a California appellate court held that a landlord’s lawyer was required by ethics and law to inform the tenant’s lawyer about the intention to request a default judgment in an unlawful detainer action. The landlord was aware that the tenant had legal representation when the complaint was served and when they sought a default judgment. However, the landlord’s lawyer did not communicate with the tenant’s lawyer about the complaint or the request for a default judgment. Additionally, the landlord’s lawyer did not serve the complaint or the request for a default judgment to the tenant’s registered agent for service of process, the company’s headquarters, or the address provided in the lease for notices. The appellate court therefore reversed the trial court’s denial of tenant’s motion to set aside the default. Finally, as the appellate court said, the tenant might still have the ability to get the property restored even though he had already been evicted based on the default judgment.