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Kelley / Uustal Wins More Than $1 Million in Back Pay for Former Alamo Employee
Firm News/Florida |
2008/07/17 14:44
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McDonald Clark was the marketing genius behind Alamo-Rent-a-Car’s glory days. nbsp;nbsp; When Alamo was taken over by Republic Industries in 1996, Republic entered into a new employment contract with Clark which provided for certain payments to Clark for 10 years if his contract was not renewed.nbsp; Republic later changed its name to AutoNation and spun off Alamo into a separate company.nbsp; When Alamo went bankrupt, AutoNation refused to make the payments.
Clark hired the attorneys at Kelley / Uustal to fight to enforce the agreement.nbsp; After six years of litigation, the jury found that Clark was entitled to $1,098,800.nbsp; The jury deliberated for only a few minutes after the four-day trial, which included testimony from a host of former Republic executives, including Steve Berrard and Michael Karsner.
“McDonald had a contract which was negotiated by Republic, written by Republic on Republic letterhead, and signed by Republic’s CEO, Steve Berrard,” explained John Uustal, who tried the case with his partner, Todd Falzone.nbsp; “Republic tried to use Alamo’s bankruptcy as an excuse to avoid responsibility.nbsp; But the jury didn’t buy it.nbsp; A deal’s a deal.”
Clark’s five-year contract with Alamo included a 10-year, $100,000-a-year salary continuation benefit that would begin at the end of the contract.nbsp; One year into the contract, Alamo was sold and Republic, now AutoNation, renegotiated the contract.nbsp; In 2000, the contract was not renewed, and Clark began receiving his salary continuation payments.nbsp; By November of 2001, however, Alamo filed bankruptcy and the payments stopped.
“AutoNation’s CEO gave Mr. Clark his word that this contract would be fully honored.nbsp; But when it came time for them to make good on that promise, AutoNation turned its back,” said Falzone.nbsp; “Thanks to the Judge and Jury, we had a fair trial and a just verdict.”
Mr.nbsp; Clark’s claim for attorney’s fees is still pending. |
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Bailey Law Group Triples Size of DC Headquarters
Firm News/D.C. |
2008/06/21 14:15
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International commercial real estate services firm Studley announced today that Bailey Law Group, a full-service law firm with a national network, has signed a 10-year 23,146-square-foot lease expansion that will more than triple the size of its DC headquarters at 1615 L Street, NW in Washington, DC.
The law firm decided to lease additional space this year, bringing its total square footage to 32,424, after growing significantly since its move to 1615 L Street, NW in 2005. Bailey Law Group’s office is in the heart of Washington’s Central Business District and is just two blocks from the Farragut North Metro station.
“Our decision to expand reflects our commitment to meeting the needs of our clients as our practice continues to grow within the DC area and nationally,” said Bailey Law Group Principal Kathy Bailey. “Studley helped to secure and negotiate space adjacent to our existing office location, which we found to be a perfect fit for us.”
The expansion space is conveniently located on the south side of the top floor of the building, the same floor on which the firm is currently located. With the expansion space, Bailey Law Group now occupies more than 85 percent of the 13th floor, which boasts tremendous views of the Washington, DC skyline.
Demetri Koutrouvelis, Laurent Myers, Adam Singer and Ryan Nunes of Studley represented Bailey Law Group in the lease transaction. Richard Tonner and Kimball Wood of Cassidy and Pinkard represented the building’s landlord Broadway Partners.
Founded by Kathy Bailey in 1998, Bailey Law Group is a law firm with practice specialties in environmental law, litigation, business and nonprofit law, real estate law, government and regulatory affairs and alcoholic beverage licensing. In addition to its Washington, DC location, Bailey Law Group has offices in Orange County, California and Boulder County, Colorado.
The law firm is in the process of building out its expansion space in Washington, DC and expects to occupy it by May 2009. |
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Washington, D.C. Law Firms Join D.C. Habitat For Humanity to Donate Buildable Hours to a Local Family
Firm News/D.C. |
2008/06/14 14:20
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A group of law firms in the greater Washington area have joined together to participate in the third year of a community service summer program in conjunction with D.C. Habitat for Humanity called “Buildable Hours.”nbsp; The Buildable Hours team of law firms will provide fiscal and physical resources to build a Habitat home in Northeast Washington, D.C.
The Buildable Hours project provides law firms with the opportunity to build upon the volunteer work that many associates and summer associates started at college chapters of Habitat for Humanity.nbsp; The team grew this year to 24 participating firms from last years 17 firms.nbsp; Buildable Hours partners include major law firms such as:nbsp; Latham amp; Watkins LLP, Caplin amp; Drysdale, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer amp; Feld LLP, Alston amp; Bird LLP, Baker Botts LLP, Cleary Gottlieb Steen amp; Hamilton, Dickstein Shapiro Morin amp; Oshinsky LLP, Fried Frank Harris Shriver amp; Jacobson LLP, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP, Kirkland amp; Ellis LLP, Kirkpatrick amp; Lockhart LLP, McKee Nelson LLP, McKenna Long amp; Aldridge LLP, Miller amp; Chevalier Chartered, Morgan Lewis amp; Bockius LLP, Morrison amp; Foerster LLP, Patton Boggs LLP, Piper Rudnick LLP, Reed Smith LLP, Ross Dixon amp; Bell LLP, Shaw Pittman LLP, Sidley Austin Brown amp; Wood LLP, Steptoe amp; Johnson LLP, and Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman, LLP.nbsp; The project has also expanded nationally with new Buildable Hours teams now in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta and Omaha.
Each Buildable Hours partner is making a financial contribution to Habitat for Humanity.nbsp; In addition, 13 to 17 attorneys, summer clerks, and staff from each law firm will work on the job site for one day.nbsp; Participation will promote team building and give participating firms a unique sense of community involvement.nbsp; Last year, the Buildable Hours program contributed financially and physically to the building of a home for Elizabeth Dockery and her 3 sons, DeAngelo, Christopher, and DaQuan.nbsp; By partnering with Habitat for Humanity, Buildable Hours partners are able to help provide deserving individuals such as Elizabeth Dockery with a safe, decent place to live and raise their families.
“Buildable Hours provides law firms and summer associates a unique way to relate to each other while making a lasting contribution to the community.nbsp; The power of the program was demonstrated to us last summer when we saw summer clerks actually writing checks to Habitat,” said Roger Goldman, Latham amp; Watkins partner and event organizer. |
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South Florida Law Firm Gives Low Income Clients a Legal Lift
Firm News/Florida |
2008/06/12 14:45
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The Law Firm of Caserta, Spiriti amp; Gonzalez, is providing a helping hand to Floridians, allowing “eligible” low income individuals access to a full service lawfirm with deeply discounted legal care.
The services will fall under the firm’s Affordable Legal Lift Program ™. This program was spearheaded by Senior Member, David Caserta, who after returning back from Tallahassee and witnessing first hand the devastating State Budget Cuts, immediately called a meeting with the firm’s Managing Member, Joe Spiriti, to discuss how the firm could reach out to the overwhelming number of Floridians that cannot afford legal services. Aided by Attorney/Member Maria Cristina Gonzalez, who previously dedicate several years as a family law practitioner with the Dade County Legal Aid Society, Spiriti reviewed some of the public and private programs offered in several states. After weeks of review and joined commitments by all of the Attorneys in the firm, the Affordable Legal Lift Program™ was created.
To be eligible for the Affordable Legal Lift Program ™, individuals will need to fill out a simple application, provide current paystubs, or similar proof of income, and fall within the Client Financial Eligibility Guidelines, which have been set by the firm. The Guidelines are based on Size of Household and Annual Income.
Under the Affordable Legal Lift Program ™, Caserta, Spiriti amp; Gonzalez will provide as much as a 50% discount off their usual and customary hourly rate. In addition, on Contingency Fee Cases (Where the fee is usually expressed as a percentage of the amount collected or awarded), Caserta, Spiriti amp; Gonzalez may accept a reduced fee as low as 20% if the case is settled before formal court proceedings begin or 25% if settled after filing the lawsuit.
“With the increased number of foreclosures and level of unemployment, everyone needs to give each other a Lift,” says Caserta. |
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Arkansas law firm takes on Austin lawyers to expand locally
Firm News/Arkansas |
2008/05/30 13:29
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The law firm of Mitchell Williams Selig Gates amp; Woodyard PLLC is ramping up its presence in Austin by acquiring a local boutique insurance law firm.
Mitchell Williams, a Little Rock, Ark.-based full-service firm, has taken all five attorneys from longtime Austin firm Long Burner Parks amp; DeLargy PC to grow its Austin office.
The Austin office of Mitchell Williams was opened by Bill Bingham, who died unexpectedly last December after opening the office a year ago, says Harry Hamlin, managing partner at Mitchell Williams.
Hamlin says the Austin office will likely add three more attorneys by year's end, and grow to about 15 attorneys within three years.
The 50-year old firm has 60 attorneys in its Little Rock office and eight attorneys in a Rogers, Ark., office.
Initially, we want at least a lateral litigator and lateral transactional attorney. We have immediate needs for those, says Hamlin. And if it turns out two or three want to come as a group, we'd definitely look at that.
The firm leases space on the ninth floor of the Littlefield Building at Sixth Street and Congress Avenue.
We had identified Texas because we have a lot of clients with business interests in Texas, says Hamlin.
Those clients include real estate companies, regional banks and insurance companies.
Texas was logical -- it was just a question of where in Texas, he adds.
Hamlin says the Austin move was based on the firm's steady work for insurance companies, with attorneys regularly representing clients before the Department of Insurance and other state agencies.
The move is also part of a firm-wide initiative to grow in the southern region, Hamlin says.
This is the first time our firm has gone to another market and brought on this many attorneys, says Hamlin. We are looking at other [nationwide] markets to do the same thing--smaller groups of attorneys that complement the work we are already doing. |
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State Bar of Arizona Selects Bogutz Gordon Attorney for CLE Award
Firm News/Arizona |
2008/04/14 13:09
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The State Bar of Arizona’s Board of Governors and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Committee has selected Craig Hunter Wisnom, attorney for Bogutz amp; Gordon, P.C., as the 2008 recipient for the CLE Award.
The CLE award is given to the State Bar member who has made outstanding contributions to Continuing Legal Education efforts by devoting time and expertise to CLE projects, which may include authoring or editing publications or planning and delivering quality CLE seminars.
Wisnom will be congratulated at the State Bar’s Annual Luncheon on Friday, June 20, 2008, which will be held in conjunction with the Annual State Bar Convention at the Westin La Paloma at 3800 E. Sunrise Drive in Tucson.
A certified specialist in estate and trust law by the State Bar of Arizona, Wisnom has practiced law for 12 years in Arizona in the areas of estate planning, estate and gift taxation, probate and trust administration. He currently serves on the Estate and Trust Advisory Committee, Board of Directors of the Southern Arizona Estate Planners Council. Wisnom is also the past chair of the Probate and Trust Section for the State Bar of Arizona. |
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