Plaintiffs Cite ‘Soul Mate’ E-mail in Suit Against Mintz Levin and Ex-Partner
A suit against the former co-managing partner of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo is citing a “soul mate” e-mail in an effort to prove the lawyer helped enrich himself and a friend managing clients’ real estate trusts.
The suit by family members and their real estate trusts was filed against the Boston-based firm and former co-managing partner Steven Rosenthal on Sept. 16 in Suffolk County, Mass., the National Law Journal reports. It claims Rosenthal appointed his friend, Neil Cooper, and the friend’s company to manage real estate trusts in 1995. According to the allegations, the two men protected themselves at the expense of the plaintiffs.
The suit cites an e-mail in which Cooper called Rosenthal his “best friend” and “soul mate,” the story says. It also refers to another Cooper e-mail that said a little “fake tension” between them would look good.
The plaintiffs obtained the e-mails when Cooper’s company sued them in 2007 to collect money owed under management contracts. The suit settled last year.
Rosenthal left Mintz Levin two years ago to become CEO of a privately held real estate investment and development company. He did not return the publication’s call for comment.
Michael Gardener, a partner at Mintz Levin, sent the National Law Journal a statement that said the lawsuit is without merit “and makes no sense at all.”
