HOUSTON, Sept 2 (Reuters) - BP Plc asked a U.S. courton Tuesday to fire the court-appointed lawyer tasked with payingout compensation to people affected by the 2010 Gulf of Mexicooil spill, saying Patrick Juneau had not disclosed an allegedconflict of interest before taking the job.
It was the latest legal challenge to the settlement filed bythe London-based oil major, which has complained previously thatJuneau has been too generous and liberal when approving claims.Juneau has said he is just applying the rules of the settlementagreement.
BP originally expected the March 2012 class-actionsettlement to resolve economic and health claims by more than100,000 individuals and businesses to cost $7.8 billion.
It has since said the uncapped program could cost $9.2billion and that this amount could grow.
The filing in U.S. District Court in New Orleans said Juneaulacks neutrality because he had advocated for claimants beforethe court appointed him to run the claims program. (Reporting By Houston Newsroom)