News

Schlam Stone & Dolan LLP partner Jonathan Mazer, who has extensive experience litigating and advising on issues relating to the independent contractor status of drivers and other workers, was quoted on Law360 with respect to the significance of recent rulings on the the enforceability of arbitration clauses and the effect those rulings will have on misclassification suits by drivers seeking to challenge their status as independent contractors.

Schlam Stone & Dolan LLP partner Jonathan Mazer, who has extensive experience litigating and advising on issues relating to the independent contractor status of drivers and other workers, was interviewed on how restaurant owners can protect themselves and their businesses from liability for car accidents involving delivery drivers. The resulting article, which can be viewed here, may be of interest to business owners and executives in any field who are using independent drivers to meet the needs of their customers.

Schlam Stone & Dolan partner Erik Groothuis moderated a roundtable panel discussion on SEC enforcement priorities at the annual Hedge Fund General Counsel and Compliance Officer Summit at New York’s Marriott Marquis Hotel. At the conference, which was attended by representatives of some of the world’s largest hedge funds, Erik assessed the trends in SEC enforcement actions based on public speeches by SEC officials, reports issued by the Commission, and recent enforcement actions.

Schlam Stone & Dolan LLP partner Jonathan Mazer, who has extensive experience litigating and advising on issues relating to the independent contractor status of drivers and other workers, was interviewed at length on how these issues are playing out in the restaurant industry. The resulting article, which can be viewed here, may be of interest to business owners and executives in any field who are using independent drivers to meet the needs of their customers.

Schlam Stone partners Jeffrey Eilender and Erik Groothuis filed a breach of contract claim against prominent Brooklyn-based sports agency Athletes’ Careers Enhanced and Secured, Inc. (“ACES”) as well as tort claims against ACES’s two principals, Sam and Seth Levinson, on behalf of the firm’s client, Juan Carlos Nunez. Nunez alleges that ACES and the Levinsons forced him to violate baseball’s rules while servicing ACES clients, including making illegal under-the-table payments and helping the players obtain and use steroids. The suit seeks over $3 million in unpaid commissions and expense reimbursements. The lawsuit has already received back-page coverage in the New York Daily News as well as in a number of national media outlets.

Schlam Stone & Dolan partner Jeffrey M. Eilender and associate Lee J. Rubin were contributors to the recently-released 2017 Supplement to Litigating the Business Divorce by Kurt Heyman and Melissa Donimirski. Jeff and Lee contributed to the section of the supplement relating to challenging a dissolution.

Schlam Stone's leading role in the precedent-setting Kassab litigation continues to attract media attention. Here, SSD partner Jeffrey Eilender is interviewed by the New York Business Divorce blog in a podcast about the most recent post-trial ruling, which found that dissolution was warranted and awarded the minority owner (Schlam Stone's client) about $4 million in a buyout. The Kassab action arose from a total breakdown of the relationship between two brothers, who were the co-owners of a real estate holding company, and significant Queens County Commercial Division and Appellate Division rulings in the case can be reviewed here, here, here, and here.

Opening statements in the civil trial between the producers of the musical "Rebecca" and their former publicist attracted widespread media attention, including coverage in the New York Times, the Broadway Journal, and Deadline Hollywood. The producers, who are represented by Schlam Stone & Dolan partners Erik Groothuis and Jonathan Mazer, allege that the production's former publicist sent anonymous, false emails trashing the production to a potential investor, resulting in the show falling apart just before commencing rehearsals. An appellate court has already ruled that the publicist breached his contract with the production, and the two to three-week jury trial will decide damages for that claim, as well as liability and damages for two related tort claims.

On December 20 and 21, 2016, the New York Law Journal and the New York Post reported on a lawsuit filed by Schlam Stone & Dolan on behalf of CABS Nursing Home, Inc., in the Kings County Supreme Court, Commercial Division. The lawsuit alleges that CABS was defrauded into selling the nursing home to the Allure Group, based on representations that Allure would continue to operate the nursing home. Instead, Allure immediately tried to close the nursing home and flip it to a developer in order to build luxury apartments. The lawsuit seeks rescission of the sale or in the alternative compensatory and punitive damages. Schlam Stone & Dolan Partner Jeffrey Eilender was quoted by the Law Journal, saying “the only reason CABS ever entertained any proposal by the Allure Group was because the Allure Group marketed themselves as being in the nursing home business. Its entire mission was to help the Bed Stuy community.” CABS is being represented by Mr. Eilender, Bradley Nash, Samuel Butt and Seth Allen.

Schlam Stone attorneys Ronald Russo and Erik Groothuis appeared on behalf of the firm’s clients Rebecca Broadway LP and Ben Sprecher in an August 2016 episode of CNBC’s American Greed. The episode, titled “The Phantom Fraudster of Broadway,” detailed the crimes of con man Mark Christopher Hotton, who pleaded guilty to defrauding the Rebecca production, and Mr. Russo's role in bringing him to justice. CNBC's website has both print and video coverage of the story.