On July 3, 2019, Richard Reice was quoted in the Financial Times article, “Goldman Sachs keeps the lid on its links to Lars Windhorst.” In the piece, Mr. Reice comments on the benefit of having employment litigation resolved by way of arbitration so that the proceedings are kept private and out of the public eye.
A scholarly article written by Jesse Krompier for the Journal of Law, Technology & Policy titled, “Safety First: The Case for Mandatory Data Sharing as a Federal Safety Standard for Self-Driving Cars,” was referenced at length in a piece published in the Chicago Policy Review on January 28, 2019. Mr. Krompier’s thesis, as reported on by the Chicago Policy Review in its article called, “A Data-Sharing Framework to Ensure Self-Driving Cars Are Road-Ready,” is that when autonomous vehicle companies treat safety data as proprietary trade secrets, the resulting algorithms they design may not appropriately handle unusual driving scenarios and could result in self-driving cares that make unsafe decisions and even cause accidents.
On January 30, 2019, Mona Hanna was extensively quoted in the Daily Journal article, “Aircraft charter wins $11.9M verdict from former employee.” In the piece, Mrs. Hanna comments on the extraordinary verdict in favor of Jet Edge, a private aircraft charter company and Michelman & Robinson client, that was recently awarded in a federal district court in California. She also emphasizes the importance of an employee’s undivided loyalty to his or her employer during the time of employment.
LOS ANGELES, CA – Mona Hanna, Chair of the Litigation Department at Michelman & Robinson, LLP and lead counsel for the plaintiff in Western Air Charter, Inc., dba Jet Edge International v. Schembari et al., won a significant jury verdict last week on behalf of Jet Edge – $11,903,000 in all. The case (no. 18-CV07361 filed on January 18, 2017) was venued in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
Jet Edge, a private aircraft charter and management company, sued its former Assistant Director of Operations (Paul Schembari) for breach of an employment agreement and breach of his duty of loyalty. Additionally, Jet Edge sued Schembari and his affiliated corporate entities – Cosa di Famiglia Holdings, LLC, ACP Jet Charters, Inc., and Phenix Jet International – for intentional interference with contractual relations. All of the various causes of action stemmed from Schembari having secretly plotted for nearly a year to form his own competing company and steal Jet Edge customers.
After a seven-day trial, presided over by the Honorable Jesus G .Bernal, the jury found Schembari liable for breach of contract and breach of his duty of loyalty, and determined that all named defendants were on the hook for intentional interference with contractual relations. Compensatory damages in the amount of $4,603,000 and $7,300,000 in punitive damages were awarded.
Hanna, whose trial team included Michelman lawyers Robert Estrin and Jesse Krompier, was thrilled with the result. She said, “this case is not just a big win for Jet Edge, it’s also a victory for any employer who places a premium on employee loyalty and fair competition.” Hanna also noted that in the wake of its success against Schembari and company, “Jet Edge is more energized than ever in its pursuit of a related matter filed against Tokyo-based Sojitz Corporation, which organized a competing venture to appropriate Jet Edge’s Asian business operations.” That case is currently pending.
About Michelman & Robinson, LLP
Michelman & Robinson, LLP is a national law firm headquartered in Los Angeles, with branch offices in Orange County (California), San Francisco, Chicago and New York City. M&R represents clients in complex litigation, transactional and regulatory matters spanning a range of industries, including Advertising & Digital Media, Banking & Financial Services, Health Care, Hospitality, Insurance, and Retail & Apparel. For more information, please visit www.mrllp.com.
About Jet Edge International
Jet Edge International is a leader in full-service global private aviation, specializing in Gulfstream jets. As an integrated large-cabin operator and maintenance provider, Jet Edge offers aircraft owners full-service aircraft management. Further, individual charter clients and corporations enjoy 365-day-a-year access to one of the most diverse and luxurious aircraft fleets in the world. Jet Edge has also earned the world’s highest safety accreditations, including the prestigious IS-BAO Stage 3, Wyvern Wingman, and ARGUS Platinum. Managed by a leadership team with wide-ranging experience in commercial and private aviation operations, Jet Edge delivers excellence in aircraft management, charter concierge services, sales and acquisitions, and maintenance. More information can be found at www.flyjetedge.com.
Mona Hanna was extensively quoted in an Auto Rental News article published on August 14, 2019, titled, “Calif. Court Rules in Favor of Midway in Insurance Case.” In the piece, Mona comments on a recent appellate court ruling finding that fees rental car agencies charge for optional insurance need not be included in rate filings and are not regulated by the California Department of Insurance. Mona, who represented the victorious insurers in the case, explains why the decision is a big win for the insurance and rental car industries.
Stephen Weiss was featured by the Daily Journal in the publication’s “On the Move” section. The piece showcases Stephen’s arrival at M&R as partner.
Mona Hanna was quoted in an article titled, “Custodian Seeks To Toss Crypto IRA Co.’s Suit Over Assets,” published by Law360 on August 30, 2019. In the piece, Mona comments on the feeble attempt of Kingdom Trust to have the case filed against it by Digital IRA transferred from South Dakota to a federal court in Kentucky.
