EFTA00796742.pdf

An ALM Publication VOL 64, NO. 79 $2.0. Luxury Aventura Condo Opponents Ordered $20 Million Loan Comes Back to Haunt to Pay Developer $26M by Lidia Dinkova Broinrard Law Firm, Defense Counsel by Samantha Joseph resources and sought to avoid the A homeowner association for afflu- ent Aventura residents who opposed the multimillion-dollar debt by all*g A motion for sanctions takes aim its client-mined-lender agreed to neighboring hive at Island Estates con- at several high-profile South Florida forego repayment in exchange for dominium are on the hook for $26 mil- attorneys — Bruce Rogow, Albert legal services. lion in damages to the developer after Frevola Jr., Jessica Kopas and fighting against the limey project Von Ailmen claimed his money • lynched E. Drake Jr. — as an old funded Conrad & Scherer litiga- A jury on Tuesday agreed with the debt comes back to haunt Conrad tion that helped recover millions of developer-that Williams Island Property & Scherer. Owners' Association Inc. breached an dollars for him and other victims The, underlying breach-of-con- of Rothstein. who led the defunct agreement that prohibited it from ob- tact complaint could wipe out the 70-attorney labor and employment jecting to the hive development on the Fort Lauderdale law firm under a firm Rothstein Rosenfeldt Adler. nearby private island. motion asking the court to appoint Those efforts won accolades for the • ThenevviycompletedPrive isa 16.sto- /Y. twin-tower complex with 160 units a receiver to take control of Conrad firm and William Soberer. & Scherer A confidential settlement was and panoramic views of Dumfoundling The 2017 lawsuit pits fanner reached with Bank of America N.A. Bay. Ifs the only development on the client Douglas Von Allman' against on claims the bank knew about the 8-acre North Island, which connects the Arm that represented him for. $1.2 billion Ponzt scheme but still byy bridge to Sbuthisland, an enclave of ' years. The sanctions motion alleges referred investors to it in hcipes of about 22 single-family homes. Another Conrad & Scherer borrowed $20 landing business from Rothstein. bridge ties South Island to Williams million from Von Albion to fund • Island and the mainland: • Von Allmen also claimed his litigation against convicted Pont loan funded human tights cases Waldman Barnett co -managing schemer and law film chairman against multinational compa- partners Glen Waldman and Eleanor ;17Scott Rothstein and to latmchp Ra- nies — a venture that has brought Barnett and partner Jeffrey Lam in tional human rights'practice. Miami worked on the case on behalf of negative attention to the firm. One venture was successful, Former Conrad & Scherer partner the developer. • - while the other embroiled the firm Terrence Collingsworth allegedly Kenny Nachwalter shareholders 'We don't believe the lawn= has the abllfty to pay us in' ongoing multidistrict litigation paid witnesses to change their tes- Jeffrey Foreman, Richard Critchlow, back, so we want to safeguard ow interests;said Paul and other suits in federal court Von timony in a case accusing Alabama Deborah. Sampled Corbishley and D. Turner ofPerlman Bajandas Yevoll & Albright in Port • Allmen's court pleadings suggest coal' conglomerate Drununond . Elizabeth Brooks Honkonen represent- Lauderdale. Conrad Si Scherer overextended its • ed the association. They might appeal SEE SANCTIONS, PAGE A6 the verdict. . SEE PRIVE, PAGE A2 Nacho Business: Appeals Court Rules 11th Circuit Bench Slaps EFTA00796742 4rarridaaaa sea Judge and Attorney in  sicinal. young attorneys, and studentsin DAILY BUS1N 633 S. tavern **Jon r ,;'vaintariiy publish the time we went to schooL" Liderale.k.1.1141 Kelly° Testy, former dean of the Mein saftchboarit 954. 4592600 . jamdoyment report they kiln two 474.466-26]6 •Nancmal Assodation for University of Washington School of Law and current president of the Law tiewr4395:1647Wolreon) . natieeom Fax: 954 4052626 t those changes will help jititeeirrien el-rurgenl School Admission Council, said she Dkplay MverWing: 554- 4439.611 tackle two of the pro- found much to like in the new report. her Wow flerkeary 105.347.4455 rttetv-reptherle ak-educators Classinet 211-457-7.67 fession's most pressing issues: the The legal profession as a whole ben- pubic eforketrlegedk ≤54-4961500 arouoY • skyrocketing cost of a law degree and efits Nithen prospective law students iefssocfatiores Young < • the lack of diversity within the lawyer are informed about the opportunities Forward: ranks, said Law School Transparency and challenges a law degree presents, soon, dried it waY she said_ Moreovei the legal educa- DAILY BUSINESS REVIEW — PALM BEACH for theABA Executive Director Kyle McEntee. 1055 Mums Aw.5.k 30115w-1P:1e tent R 33101 - in 201S:calls- 'The takeaway is that the cost of le- tion council could use some younger addtwo young lawyers to . IMis refichboord: 561- CO-2060 Alci •' 1st education council and eventual- gal education is too high, and we need voices. Male Fart 561.620-7077 cis legal cotmdl to take steps to address that," he said. 'There should be a variety of gen- Display /Wye/thing: )25.547-6659 . - lyciesIgnate two ofthe15 at-large Law Finn gerkeeinw 115- 347-6619 positions for young lawyers. -The first thing to address anyproblem erational perspectives in the mix in Clasnakk 212.457-7163 "The deans and faculty on the Coundl is to understand the facts as they are. -terms of where our profession is go- Pubic NouRante9alte 561-472-21160 know the cost oftoday's tuition only in the We want those facts." ing and what's important for it," Testy ircuktlorn (07- 256.2472 sense that they can recite the price: the. McEntee said he's not surprised by said. "Things are changng really fast. I report. reads. "They do not understand. the ABAs pushback to the addition of graduated from law school in 1991 and Del very Questions 877- 256-2472 ' thelifebnpaa of tuittoriprices of $40,000, two young lawyers to the'legal educa- I've been in many moths where I'm the Ter math any S new rtonitm kom kept Wein RS; WO 55a000, or even more than $60.00 per tion council given that the ABA's Young young one. That's not good." • 306777.75'.0 and wk forte nurser.Wich isthe leakurcipt5. year have on decision making? Lawyers Division last fail brought forth a Kenn Sloan Is the legal education But Maureen O'Rourke, chair of the similarproposal that the cotmal rejected, editori,giagiglui “ • .. .au at ALM. Contact ABM legal education council and dean and because the council itself is currently harm On Twitter @ , TO PURCHASE: at Boston University School of Law. said in the process of restructuring. KatenSloanNU. Reprint: £77 bi 5364 • httkvic6415vbiatptneR 371-256-2412 Canoga Access Entoprbookle 355. 808-4 556 FROM PAGE Al Frevola, Kopas and notice and Dutko, meanwhile, Rogow said Von Allman is Sack Issue= 377•Bli-2472 under a Florida statute that are partners at Conrad & the one with the debt. 06 an bantam) punishes attorneys and liti- Scherer, which has offices "That misses the point," SANCTIONS gants for raising 'imsuport- in Florida, New York, North Rogow said of the reference Corp. of conspiring to kill ed claims or defenses. Carolina and Ecuador. to loan documents proving EDITORIAL labor activists in Colombia. Rogow, a 50-year litigatoz Von Alimen's pleadings the debt 'There can be — Mmia.Thieor: Utter. Wbon "We don't believe the taw said he was "amused, be- 'paint a picture of a group and there were oral modi- 305-347-6411 firm has the ability to pay mused and unperturbed" by of lawyers arguing a point fications of the loan. ... On Web Editor. Prins Hinpt us back, so we want to safe- the motion for sanctions. • despite tax filings and bank the firm's side of the ledget guard ow-Interests," saidVon "Mr. Von Allmen's law- documents favoring his money is owing." /Omen's attorney Paul D. yen are frenetic filers. Their position: Details on the agreements BUSINESS Turner of Perlman Bajandas pleadings are always breath- 'The crux of defendants' between Von Allinen and Group Pub:cow11Genern Mer-twr, Reckons WayneOwls Yevoli & Albright in Fort less.' he wrote in an email. counterclaim is that nor a the borrowers are scarce 401. 419.2101 Lauderdale. "They're just re- "My co-counsel colleagues penny of the $20 million debt because attorneys on both Yke president / Pub •i< batire e.t.a et ',tr.. leti DWI arranging the deck chairs on share my confidence that the to plaintiffs is owed. This is sides asserted attorney-client 305-5474615 the Titanic. It doesn't matter motion is just a schoolboy directly contradicted by the privilege between the plain- Direcor el held 54.66 bterketleg Solutions: nos Oaken what you do, the ship is still tactic, devoid of merit." sworn positions of Conrad tiff and his former counsel 313- 3419647 • going to go down." Defense lawyers bad not & Scherer and Bill -Scherer and filed most of the court Mena. / ratioas*M15: GullerewEarcra Von Allmon alleges de- responded by . deadline to to the Internal Revenue documents under seal. 3474698 fense counsel presented the motion for sanctions Med Service," the sanctions mo- Samantha Joseph is an baseless arguments to sup- Monday tion said. "Counsel of record award-whining journalist with DeskeretienctAkin Coln Neenprewb/ tt thelpdpri eta port their clients' position. ' Rogow's resume cites know their position in their Daily Business Review, Law. Curt/ and oak cows WArn*Darleard Wowed ardthe US • WoreCounfortbeSanbeen DIWa 1141wkla be 64. 52c His court filings ask Broward his argument of more than defense to 'plaintiffs' claims con +more. Grad School: Circuit Judge John J. Murphy 450 civil and criminal cases and several counts in the . Contact 120 &partway, New Tot NY 10:05 • 212-457-9400 I/1 to sanction the defendants in. federal and state appel- counterclaim are unsupport- On Twitter: (0) and their lawyers — Rogow. late courts. Frevola, Kopas able in fact or law." SjosephWriter EFTA00796743 ArrALM