The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York yesterday ruled in favor of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, client Alan Casden in a multimillion-dollar breach of contract case brought by Madeleine LLC, a subsidiary of Cerberus Partners.
"The decision to dismiss all of Madeleine's complaints is extremely gratifying," said Manatt partner Robert H. Platt, lead counsel for Alan Casden. "Madeleine's claims were meritless, and Mr. Casden is happy to put this matter to rest."
Madeleine sued to collect approximately $12 million that was alleged to be owed under the terms of a promissory note given in 2002 as part of a much broader series of real estate transactions totaling nearly $1 billion. Mr. Casden denied that he owed any money pursuant to the terms of the note.
The case, initially filed in March 2012, went to two-day bench trial in late April 2013 and was tried before U.S. District Court Judge Katherine B. Forrest.
"This case stemmed from a complex series of transactions and negotiations, and we're pleased that Judge Forrest carefully reviewed all of the background details and ultimately ruled in favor of our client," said Manatt New York litigation partner Kenneth D. Friedman, a member of the trial team.
In addition to Platt and Friedman, the bicoastal Manatt team included partner Michael R. Gordon and associate Amy Terry Sheehan, both of the firm's New York office.
About Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, is one of the nation's leading law firms, with offices strategically located in California (Los Angeles, Orange County, Palo Alto, San Francisco and Sacramento), New York (New York City and Albany) and Washington, D.C. The firm represents a sophisticated client base - including Fortune 500, middle-market and emerging companies - across a range of practice areas and industry sectors. For more information, visit www.manatt.com.