Fair Housing Laws Create Unexpected Pitfalls, Even for Real Estate Pros

Most Manhattan real estate professionals might not think twice about telling a family with children that they are welcome in a particular building. But that can present pitfalls under various fair housing laws. And stepped-up enforcement is making some brokers think twice, thrice or even a fourth time about comments…

Jun 25, 2007 9:31 PM CDT

NYC Jury: Book Scheme Was a Scam

Counsel for Laura Albert said she met her contractual obligation. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t a male prostitute, her defense contended, nor that the book she wrote, “Sarah,” was actually fiction rather than non-fiction. She entered into a contract to sell Antidote International Films Inc. the movie rights to…

Jun 25, 2007 6:23 PM CDT

NYC Jurors Decide: Was Scheme to Portray Fiction as Non-Fiction a Scam?

Was a literary hoax a fraud? That is the question a federal jury in New York City began deciding today, in a case brought by a movie production company to recover money it paid writer Laura Albert for rights to her alleged non-fiction book “Sarah.” The problem is, Sarah was…

Jun 22, 2007 11:13 PM CDT

Couple Charged for Loud Kids

A village court judge dropped charges Wednesday against a couple arrested because their children made too much noise in the backyard swimming pool. Neighbors had complained that Rachel and William Poczatek’s two girls, ages 5 and 11, screamed and yelled for long periods of time, ABC News reports. Neighbors of…

Jun 22, 2007 8:56 PM CDT

Tomorrow a ‘Lemonade Day’ at Skadden?

If the weather outside is frightful, or even close to it, in New York City tomorrow, one major law firm will be implementing a new program to try to make the situation inside delightful: Lemonade Day. Assuming the temperature at noon is 82 degrees or higher, lemonade and iced tea…

Jun 22, 2007 12:15 AM CDT

Judge Ordered to Prison

An appeals court judge has ordered former New York judge Gerald Garson to begin serving his prison term immediately. Associate Justice Edward Carni revoked a stay that had been issued pending appeal, the New York Times reports. Garson was convicted of accepting bribes to extend favors to lawyers in matrimonial…

Jun 21, 2007 2:31 PM CDT

Fee Suit Scores Own Goal: $7 M to Client

It’s a common belief among attorneys that suing a client over unpaid fees is a dangerous practice, and a recent decision by a New York jury shows why. Filing suit to collect unpaid legal fees from a client partnership cost a now-defunct New York law firm a $7 million judgment,…

Jun 20, 2007 9:48 PM CDT

City of Big Lawsuits

New York is unsurpassed when it comes to lawsuits, according to New York Times columnist Clyde Haberman. He writes of lawyers “of unparalleled dedication” such as the attorney who spent about $10,000 in billable time fighting a $65 traffic ticket. The city is also home to a personal injury lawsuit…

Jun 19, 2007 3:41 PM CDT

No Apology by Convicted Fashion Writer

A former fashion writer has been sentenced to a minimum of 18 years in prison for raping a colleague. Peter Braunstein made his first public statement about the crime before he was sentenced. He said the crime was motivated by “irrationality” and mentioned severe depression, the New York Times reports.…

Jun 19, 2007 2:50 PM CDT

Chadbourne, London Firm to Merge?

A New York City-based law firm known for its insurance coverage work is in merger talks with a London counterpart. Chadbourne & Parke’s managing partner says the firm is discussing a possible combination with Watson, Farley & Williams, reports American Lawyer. The two firms have about 400 and 200 attorneys…

Jun 16, 2007 12:51 AM CDT

Glaxo Faces Suits Over Diabetes Drug

Investors in GlaxoSmithKline have filed a lawsuit in New York federal court that claims the drug company misled them about the safety of a diabetes drug. The suit says company officials failed to disclose that its tests showed Avandia was associated with a higher risk of heart attacks, the Wall…

Jun 13, 2007 6:07 PM CDT

Courts Differ on Wal-Mart Suits

Courts in two states yesterday differed on workers’ quests for class action status in lawsuits against Wal-Mart.

A Missouri appeals court ruled that a class action suit could proceed after a trial judge revises definitions for subclasses, the Wall Street Journal reports (sub. req.).

A New York court refused to certify a class in a similar suit, saying the claims should be tried individually.

Jun 13, 2007 2:37 PM CDT

Ex-Felon on N.Y. Expert List

New York City will increase oversight of those on a roster of court-appointed experts following disclosures that a convicted felon on the list billed $61,000 for work never performed. Richard Gottfried was placed on the list as a mitigation expert, even though he was convicted of federal fraud charges in…

Jun 12, 2007 7:32 PM CDT

Same-sex Couple Splits a $3.5 M Home; New York Judge Applies ‘Divorce’ Rule

A Manhattan judge treated a same-sex couple as if they were married when deciding recently how to divide their $3.5 million home after they split up. Although the two were tenants in common, which ordinarily calls for a 50-50 share in the equity after the partners sell, the judge instead…

Jun 7, 2007 9:46 PM CDT

N.Y. Gun Harms Don’t Justify Sentence

A federal appeals court has ruled a judge improperly increased a sentence for a man convicted of selling guns to New Yorkers on the ground the crime causes greater harm in the city. Consideration of regional and local factors undercuts one of the primary purposes of federal sentencing guidelines—to eliminate…

Jun 7, 2007 1:07 PM CDT