DATE: Tuesday, June 10, 1997                TAG: 9706100221

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY MARC DAVIS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                    LENGTH:   75 lines

JOYNES AND BIEBER, NOW SPLIT UP, JOUST OVER JINGLE

You know them as Joynes & Bieber, the law firm.

Now say hello to Joynes vs. Bieber, the lawsuit.

Hampton Roads' most ubiquitous lawyer duo - the firm that gave us those flaky television ads with space ships and gospel choirs - is going through a messy divorce.

One year after the pair split (but kept alive the old firm's name), Louis ``Mike'' Joynes is suing Joel D. Bieber.

The central question: Who gets to use the firm's catchy jingle and familiar JB logo?

In Richmond, where Bieber now has his own law office, the airwaves are saturated with a slightly new take on the old jingle. It goes: ``If you're hurt, call Jo-el Bieber.''

Coincidentally, Bieber has just the right initials to keep using the old ``JB'' logo.

Trouble is, his old law firm is using them, too, in Hampton Roads.

Now Joynes and his three current partners in Joynes & Bieber - Donald Marcari, Harris Trestman and John Gaides - are suing Bieber. They seek a court order blocking Bieber from using the logo and jingle, plus unspecified damages for what they consider Bieber's illegal competition.

The lawsuit was filed late Friday in Virginia Beach Circuit Court. Bieber got a copy by fax Sunday night, just before sitting down to watch the Bulls-Jazz NBA basketball finals.

``I thought we were having a spat among family instead of a litigation wrestling match,'' Bieber said Monday. ``I guess now it's time to get out the Maytag man; we're airing our laundry in public.''

Joynes and his attorney, Joseph L. Lyle Jr., said the lawsuit speaks for itself. ``This is one case where I'm going to have to do my talking in the courtroom,'' Lyle said.

Bieber's attorney, Lowell ``The Hammer'' Stanley, said he has not yet seen the lawsuit and could not comment.

The breakup came exactly one year ago, in June 1996.

According to the lawsuit, Joynes and three partners bought out Bieber for $1 million, to be paid in monthly installments. So far, the firm has paid Bieber $187,219.

It was an amicable split, Bieber said. His old partners got the offices in Virginia Beach, Hampton and Raleigh. Bieber got the offices in Richmond and Greenville, S.C.

In addition, Marcari and David Russotto bought the firm's office in Nags Head for $200,000. They have sued Bieber separately.

Under the buyout, Bieber agreed not to compete with his old firm for three years. He also agreed to continue as the firm's advertising spokesman and to help the firm, if asked.

Instead, the lawsuit says, Bieber has set up competition with a similar logo and jingle to confuse clients. The former partners say Bieber stole employees and clients and hid the firm's debts before the buyout. They seek unspecified damages from Bieber.

Bieber, however, said he did nothing wrong. He said his Richmond office does not compete with Joynes & Bieber in Virginia Beach. He said a copyright lawyer advised him it was OK to use the old logo and jingle in Richmond. ``I don't run ads in that (Hampton Roads) market,'' Bieber said.

If anything, Bieber said, the jingle is owned by a Norfolk songwriter who created it years ago, not the law firm.

Which raises two final questions: Are Joynes and Bieber - the men, not the law firm - still on speaking terms?

``I think so,'' Joynes said.

``I hope we are,'' Bieber added.

And finally: What will become of the Joynes & Bieber name? Will it become - a curse on jingle writers - Joynes, Marcari, Trestman & Gaides?

``That,'' said Joynes, ``remains to be seen.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

Louis ``Mike'' Joynes' law firm, which bought out Joel D. Bieber a

year ago, uses this logo in its Hampton Roads TV advertising.

Bieber, now in Richmond, uses a jingle similar to his old firm's. It

goes: ``If you're hurt, call Jo-el Bieber.'' KEYWORDS: LAWSUITS