Despite working on some major tort litigation, a lawyer who left big-firm life for the plaintiffs side didn’t make the money he was expecting. Now he’s hired W. Mark Lanier to sue his former firm.

Houston lawyer Russell Serafin filed a lawsuit on March 12 against Michael Gallagher of Houston and The Gallagher Law Firm, alleging that they owe him more than $1 million in unpaid monthly draws and bonuses stemming from his time as a partner in the firm.