EDN Global Inc. v. AT&T Mobility Services — Court Denies Withdrawal of Sole Counsel for Corporate Plaintiff

By / June 26, 2026

The Court’s Holding

The District Court denied the motion to withdraw counsel without prejudice. The court held that because EDN Global Inc. is a corporation, it cannot appear or be represented in a court of record except through a duly licensed attorney. The court established that a corporation has no capacity to represent itself and must maintain legal representation at all times during litigation.

While denying the immediate motion, the court indicated it would entertain a renewed motion to withdraw counsel once EDN Global Inc. secures substitute counsel to continue representing the corporation.

Key Takeaways

• Corporations cannot appear in federal court without attorney representation and cannot be left unrepresented.
• A motion to withdraw as sole counsel for a corporate party will be denied without prejudice if no substitute counsel has been retained.
• Plaintiffs must secure substitute counsel before an existing attorney can withdraw from representation.

Why It Matters

This decision reinforces the longstanding procedural requirement that corporate entities must maintain continuous lawyer representation throughout litigation. The order prevents strategic use of counsel withdrawal to obstruct or delay proceedings, while providing plaintiffs a reasonable pathway to comply through retention of new counsel.