Jason Grant

March 12, 2021 | The Legal Intelligencer

The decision hinged on the appeals panel's analysis of an issue of first impression in state court: Whether a finding that a local employee was acting under color of state law when an employee-incident happened means a locality must indemnify the employee under state's Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act, which says a local agency must indemnify an employee for actions undertaken within the scope of their duties.

By Jason Grant

4 minute read

March 10, 2021 | New York Law Journal

The lower court ruling, now reversed, "has the effect of emboldening sexual assaulters who seek to weaponize the legal system in order to silence their victims," wrote Appellate Division, First Department Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels in a unanimous opinion. Nearly 40 women's rights and other advocacy groups filed amicus briefs in the appeal.

By Jason Grant

7 minute read

March 08, 2021 | New York Law Journal

While ruling in lawyer Steven Donziger's favor on one civil contempt-of-court count, and reversing a sanctions award tied to it, the majority panel also took pains to make clear to Donziger that his past litigation fundraising actions that led to that contempt finding will not be tolerated again.

By Jason Grant

8 minute read

March 08, 2021 | New York Law Journal

In the same ruling, the Appellate Division, First Department wrote that, by finding that the Gender-Motivated Violence law's longer, seven-year limitations period applied in the case before it, it was "reaffirm[ing] a municipality's right [in New York state] to create a private right of action to protect its citizens from gender-motivated violence."

By Jason Grant

6 minute read

March 04, 2021 | New York Law Journal

"We brought not only very compelling evidence to the government, we also partnered with [the state and city] in helping to pursue the investigation" said Randall Fox, a Kirby McInerney partner who led the representation of the qui tam whistleblower, Tooley LLC.

By Jason Grant

6 minute read

March 03, 2021 | New York Law Journal

"The complaints against Mr. Giuliani allege serious misconduct," said the city bar association in an 11-page report, and they "appear to be substantiated by extensive evidence—consisting in large part of Mr. Giuliani's own statements."

By Jason Grant

6 minute read

March 02, 2021 | Law.com

The detailed opinion by U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang focused largely on two key elements found in the relevant policy language issued by Society Insurance: causation and the meaning of "direct physical loss" as applied to the plaintiff businesses that saw their business and profits crater as the coronavirus took grip.

By Jason Grant

5 minute read

March 02, 2021 | New York Law Journal

The Appellate Division, First Department wrote that "because the calculation of plaintiff's [VPC Projects, LLC's] damages [linked to any legal malpractice] would rely on gross speculations about future events ... plaintiff cannot prove that defendant's malpractice, if any, proximately caused those damages."

By Jason Grant

5 minute read

February 26, 2021 | New York Law Journal

"We, the undersigned law students, refuse to consider employment with the firm until it withdraws from its conflicted position as Chevron's private prosecutor," the student letter issued to Seward & Kissel's partnership says. Donziger, facing federal criminal contempt-of-court charges, helped win an $8.6 billion judgment against Chevron in Ecuador. He claims Chevron has been trying to "ruin" him since.

By Jason Grant

10 minute read

February 24, 2021 | Texas Lawyer

"Property damage claims could surpass any [amount generated by an event] we've ever known, including [those produced by] Hurricanes Harvey and Rita," said George Christian, senior counsel at the Texas Civil Justice League, a tort reform and business liability-focused organization.

By Jason Grant

6 minute read