New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.
Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Complex Lit Blog

RICO — Fraudulent Mortgage Assignment and Fraud on Court in Bringing Mortgage Action, Not Underlying Default on Mortgage, Caused Injury in Form of Attorney’s Fees, Sustaining RICO Action

Slorp v. Lerner, Sampson & Rothfuss, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 18816 (6th Cir. Sept. 29, 2014): This case relates to alleged misconduct in a separate state-court foreclosure action. The law firm of Lerner, Sampson & Rothfuss (LSR) filed that foreclosure action against Rick Slorp on behalf of its client, Bank of America. Because Countrywide ...
Slorp v. Lerner, Sampson & Rothfuss, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 18816 (6th Cir. Sept. 29, 2014): This case relates to alleged misconduct in a separate state-court foreclosure action. The law firm of Lerner, Sampson & Rothfuss (LSR) filed that foreclosure…
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Judicial Notice of Internet Evidence — 2014 Search of Whitepages.com ≠ Indisputable Evidence of What a 2008 Search Would’ve Shown

People v. McClellan, 2014 Ill. App. Unpub. LEXIS 2116 (Ill. Ct. App. Sept. 24, 2014): On July 24, 2012, defendant, Eric McClellan, filed a pro se postconviction petition, alleging, in part, his trial counsel and appellate counsel provided him ineffective assistance. *** On appeal, defendant argues the trial court erred in summa ...
People v. McClellan, 2014 Ill. App. Unpub. LEXIS 2116 (Ill. Ct. App. Sept. 24, 2014): On July 24, 2012, defendant, Eric McClellan, filed a pro se postconviction petition, alleging, in part, his trial counsel and appellate counsel provided him ineffective…
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Do State or Federal Claim Preclusion (Res Judicata) Principles Determine the Effect of Unreviewed State Administrative Agency Factfinding? Circuit Split

Morris v. City of Trenton, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 136003 (D.N.J. Sept. 26, 2014): 2. Res Judicata The Supreme Court has definitively stated that the notion of full faith and credit (codified at 28 U.S.C. § 1738) "requires that state-court judgments be given both issue and claim preclusive ...
Morris v. City of Trenton, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 136003 (D.N.J. Sept. 26, 2014): 2. Res Judicata The Supreme Court has definitively stated that the notion of full faith and credit (codified at 28 U.S.C. § 1738) "requires that state-court…
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Daubert — Shaky but Admissible Evidence Is to Be Attacked by Cross-Examination, Contrary Evidence, and Attention to the Burden of Proof, Not Exclusion — Good Quotes on Weight vs. Admissibility

City of Pomona v. SQM N.Am. Corp., 750 F.3d 1036 (9th Cir. 2014), pet’n for cert. pending: After excessive levels of the chemical perchlorate were found in a city's water system, the city undertook to investigate the source of that contamination and remediate. Using a methodology known as "stable isotope analysis,& ...
City of Pomona v. SQM N.Am. Corp., 750 F.3d 1036 (9th Cir. 2014), pet’n for cert. pending: After excessive levels of the chemical perchlorate were found in a city's water system, the city undertook to investigate the source of that…
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Email Evidence — The Admissibility of Emails as Business Records “Is Not a Clear-Cut Issue” — Email Created within a Business Entity Does Not, for That Reason Alone, Satisfy the Business Records Exception — Good Quotes

Kloeckner v Perez, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 138009 (E.D. Mo. Sept. 30, 2014): Plaintiff objects to the admission of these exhibits "because they relate to actions taken after Plaintiff left the Department and after S. Eischen, S. Newman, and G. Newman were aware of Plaintiff's EEO compliant to include allegations of gender discr ...
Kloeckner v Perez, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 138009 (E.D. Mo. Sept. 30, 2014): Plaintiff objects to the admission of these exhibits "because they relate to actions taken after Plaintiff left the Department and after S. Eischen, S. Newman, and G.…
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Sanctions — Discretion Narrows as Severity of Sanction Increases — Rule 37 Dismissal or Default: Eighth Circuit Standards — Rule 41 Dismissal: Dilatory Conduct Attributable Solely to Counsel Less Worthy of Dismissal with Prejudice

Bergstrom v. Frascone, 744 F.3d 571 (8th Cir. 2014): James Bergstrom filed suit claiming malicious prosecution and violations of his civil rights. After numerous delays drawing out the discovery period for eighteen months,  [**2] Bergstrom's attorney failed to comply with a court ordered deadline to submit answers to written disc ...
Bergstrom v. Frascone, 744 F.3d 571 (8th Cir. 2014): James Bergstrom filed suit claiming malicious prosecution and violations of his civil rights. After numerous delays drawing out the discovery period for eighteen months,  [**2] Bergstrom's attorney failed to comply with…
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Does Appeal of Arbitrability Decision Divest District Court of Jurisdiction over Underlying Claims? Circuit Split — Appeal to District Court of Bankruptcy Court Arbitrability Decision Results in Automatic Stay of Bankruptcy Proceedings

Vanderbilt Mortg. & Fin., Inc. v. Lucas, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 116974 (S.D. W.Va. Aug. 22, 2014): The issue before the Court is whether an appeal to the district court, following a bankruptcy court's denial of a motion to compel arbitration, results in an automatic stay of those bankruptcy court proceedings.  The Fourth Circuit C ...
Vanderbilt Mortg. & Fin., Inc. v. Lucas, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 116974 (S.D. W.Va. Aug. 22, 2014): The issue before the Court is whether an appeal to the district court, following a bankruptcy court's denial of a motion to compel…
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§ 1927 Sanctions for Opposing Dismissal of Suit Claiming That DNC Falsely Represented That President Obama Was Qualified to Be President

Liberty Legal Found. v. Nat’l Democratic Party, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 18330 (6th Cir. Sept. 23, 2014): This case arises from the entry of sanctions under 28 U.S.C. § 1927 against Plaintiffs. The district court granted the Defendants' motion for sanctions, finding that Plaintiffs brought a frivolous suit, which accused Defendants ...
Liberty Legal Found. v. Nat’l Democratic Party, 2014 U.S. App. LEXIS 18330 (6th Cir. Sept. 23, 2014): This case arises from the entry of sanctions under 28 U.S.C. § 1927 against Plaintiffs. The district court granted the Defendants' motion for…
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Pro Hac Vice Appearance vs. “Consulting Lawyer” Status — Five-Factor Test for Determining When a Lawyer Is a Consulting Lawyer and Need Not Appear Pro Hac Vice in Federal Court

  Gsell v. Rubin & Yates, LLC, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123937 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 4, 2014): This case raises the question of whether a lawyer [Mr. Lee], who is not admitted to practice in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ("E.D. Pa."), generally or pro hac vice, may recover attorney's fees as a "consulting" ...
Gsell v. Rubin & Yates, LLC, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123937 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 4, 2014): This case raises the question of whether a lawyer [Mr. Lee], who is not admitted to practice in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania ("E.D.…
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Defendant Real-Party-in-Interest May Remove without Filing Appearance in State Court — “The Defendant” in 28 U.S.C. § 1441 = Defendant Real-Party-in-Interest

La Russo v. St. George’s Univ. Sch. of Med., 747 F.3d 90 (2d Cir. 2014) (Question:  Is the following analysis consistent with the holding of Lincoln Property Co. v. Roche, 546 U.S. 81 (2005)?): This appeal primarily concerns a narrow issue of federal procedural law and an equally narrow issue of New York procedural law.
La Russo v. St. George’s Univ. Sch. of Med., 747 F.3d 90 (2d Cir. 2014) (Question:  Is the following analysis consistent with the holding of Lincoln Property Co. v. Roche, 546 U.S. 81 (2005)?): This appeal primarily concerns a narrow…
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Recent Posts

(1) RICO Pattern: Open-Ended Continuity — The Vendetta Exception — Jury Could Reasonably Infer That Scheme Directed at One Person, With Goal of Destroying His Current and Future Business Prospects, Presented A Threat of Continued Racketeering Activity Extending Indefinitely into the Future — Lawsuit’s “Fortuitous Interruption” of Scheme ≠ Lack of Threat of Continuing Racketeering Activity — Acts of Concealment Used to Perpetuate Violations — Multiple Schemes Not Required — Jury Could Judge Defendant’s Credibility in Assessing Threat of Continuing Criminal Activity — (2) RICO Conspiracy — Two Methods of Proof: Agreement to Overall Objective Or to Commit Predicate Acts — Agreement Can Be Inferred from Conduct — Conspirator Needn’t Know All Details, Have Contact with Other Conspirators Or Participate in Every Stage

Experts: “Normally, Courts Are Loath to Outright Dismiss An Expert” (Good Quote) — Experts Are Unhelpful If They Misstate the Law [Note Premise That Testimony on Law Not Precluded Outright] — Rule 37 Sanctions Unwarranted for Unjustifiable Failure to Produce Relevant Document Already in Requester’s Possession

FRAP 38 Sanctions: (1) Pressing Objectively Frivolous Arguments, Multiple Misstatements at Oral Argument and Failure to Address What District Judge Said Warrant Award against Appellants’ Counsel (Only) — (2) “General Award” of $5,000 Warranted Where Appellee Failed to Sufficiently Document Its Fees and Expenses [Goodyear v. Haegar Issue]]

RICO: Capital Call Investment Process Increasing Equity of Those Responding to Call at Expense of Those Not Responding ≠ Collection of An Unlawful Debt

RICO [And Constitutional] Standing: Concrete Injury Requirement Not Satisfied by Alleged Intangible Injuries of Intrusion Upon Seclusion, Confusion And Emotional Distress, Public Disclosure of Private Facts, Deterred Speech On Nondefamatory Matters, Violation Of First Amendment Rights, And Compulsion

Rule 37(b) Sanctions: Striking of Answer, Default Judgment, Civil Contempt and Piercing Corporate Veil for Deliberate Disregard of Multiple Orders to Produce — Finding of Deliberate Disregard of Court Order Is Factual, Triggering Clear Error Review — Discretion Narrows When Default Sanction Involved — Fourth Circuit Factors for Rule 37 Default Sanction Are Different Than Those for Inherent Power Dismissal Sanction — Continued Defiance of Court Orders And Millions in Unpaid Judgments And Tax Liens Render Lesser Sanctions Futile

RICO: No Causation for Company Harmed by Governmental Customers Shunning It After Employee Publishes Book Admitting He Bribed Governmental Officials — Harm Too Indirect, Not from Bribery (Predicate Act) But from Customers’ Decisions to Shun and Publication of Book (Both Lawful) — Customers Injured by Bribery of Their Officials Are More Direct Plaintiffs

FRAP 38 Sanctions for Frivolous Opposition to Arbitration

Extrinsic Fraud Exception to Rooker-Feldman — Where Defendants’ Perjury, False Evidence, Flawed Legal Arguments Prevented Plaintiffs from Presenting Their Claim in State Court

Federal Jurisdiction: Party Can Waive Subject Matter Jurisdiction — While Federal Courts Must Ensure They Do Not Lack Subject Matter Jurisdiction, There Is No Duty to Find and Exercise It

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New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.
New York Attorneys JHA handles range the gamut of complex financial and commercial litigation and arbitration, including securities, RICO, corporate and contract disputes, credit default swaps, derivatives, and class, mass, and derivative actions. The firm also represents law firms in major disputes.

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