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  • Law Office Of J Bacher, Pllc v. Lawrence B. Saftler, D/B/A Law Office Of Lawrence B. Saftler Commercial - Contract document preview
  • Law Office Of J Bacher, Pllc v. Lawrence B. Saftler, D/B/A Law Office Of Lawrence B. Saftler Commercial - Contract document preview
  • Law Office Of J Bacher, Pllc v. Lawrence B. Saftler, D/B/A Law Office Of Lawrence B. Saftler Commercial - Contract document preview
  • Law Office Of J Bacher, Pllc v. Lawrence B. Saftler, D/B/A Law Office Of Lawrence B. Saftler Commercial - Contract document preview
  • Law Office Of J Bacher, Pllc v. Lawrence B. Saftler, D/B/A Law Office Of Lawrence B. Saftler Commercial - Contract document preview
  • Law Office Of J Bacher, Pllc v. Lawrence B. Saftler, D/B/A Law Office Of Lawrence B. Saftler Commercial - Contract document preview
  • Law Office Of J Bacher, Pllc v. Lawrence B. Saftler, D/B/A Law Office Of Lawrence B. Saftler Commercial - Contract document preview
  • Law Office Of J Bacher, Pllc v. Lawrence B. Saftler, D/B/A Law Office Of Lawrence B. Saftler Commercial - Contract document preview
						
                                

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FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 11/20/2020 03:45 PM INDEX NO. 654334/2019 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 108 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/20/2020 EXHIBIT E FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 11/20/2020 03:45 PM INDEX NO. 654334/2019 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 108 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/20/2020 LEDY-GURREN BASS & SIFF, L.L.P. ATTORNEYS AT LAW New York Office 475 Park Avenue South,27th Floor New York, New York 10016 (212) 447-1111 Fax (212)447-6686 Nancy Ledy-Gurren (212)447-1105 Email: nledygurren@1gb-law.com White Plains Office 7-11 SouthBroadway, Suite208 White New York Plains, 10601 (914) 205-3884Fax (914) 205-3885 October 7, 2020 FILED ELECTRONICALLY Hon. Arlene P. Bluth Supreme Court, New York County 60 Centre Street, Room 432 New York, New York 10007 Re: Law Office of J Bacher PC v. Lawrence Saftler et.al. (and Third Party Action) Index No. 654334/2019 Dear Judge Bluth: I am a member of the firm of Ledy-Gurren Bass & Siff, LLP, attorneys for the Plaintiff, Law Office of J Bacher, PLLC ("Bacher Firm"), in the primary action encaptioned Law Office of J Bacher, PLLC against Lawrence B. Saftler, d/b/a Law Offices of Lawrence B. Saftler ("Saftler Firm") ("Action No. 1"). Action No. 1 involves the enforcement of a fee-sharing agreement between the Bacher Firm and the Saftler Firm involving a case heretofore and hereafter referred to as the "Arias Case". Currently sub judice before the Court is the Bacher firm's motion to reargue prior Judge Kahn's order, dated April 3, 2020, which granted summary judgment to the Bacher Firm on liability,but which we maintain mistakenly denied such Plaintiff summary judgment on theamount owed pursuant to such breached Agreement. Today, some four and a half months after we initiated the motion to reargue, we have received a copy of Saftler's counsel's letter that was this day filed with the Court. The letter most assuredly states,and constitutes an open admission to the Court (Saftler having not opposed the motion for reargument), that Mr. Saftler has abandoned his opposition to reargument, and agrees that "the 00097777.1 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 11/20/2020 03:45 PM INDEX NO. 654334/2019 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 108 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/20/2020 LEDY-GURRENBASS & SIFF, L.L.P. 2020- October 7, Page 2 defendant is prepared to pay the plaintiff $74,688.27 representing the plaintiff's share of "Arias" the legal fees recovered on the matter and the sum of $11,611.85 representing the "Arias" plaintiff's share of the expeases recovered on the matter. (Emphasis added). Indeed, the Bacher Firm's motion for specifically requested the following relief: "(1) Plaintiff Law Office of J Bacher, PLLC respectfully requests that this Court grant reargument of the Decision and Order of this Court (Kahn, J.) dated April 4, 2029, and upon reargument, grant summary judgment in its entirety (liabilityand damages); (2) that judgment be granted in favor of the Bacher firm, and that this Court enter a judgment in the amount of $74,688.27 (Seventy- four thousand, Six hundred Eighty-eight dollars and 27/100 cents) in legal fees and $11,611.87 in expenses, for a total indebtedness of $86,300.14 (Eighty-six thousand, Three hundred dollars and 14/100 cents), with interest thereon from July 18, 2019; and (3) for such other, further and different relief as this Court deems just and proper". (Ledy-Gurren Aff. in Support of Reargument, p. 18). The Court will note that the Bacher Firms ad damnum represents the identical figures cited in Mr. Meisner's letter(except for a 2 cent difference in the expenses, in plaintiff's favor, which we ask be corrected). The total emernt due under the Fee Sharing Agreement, then, has been agreed to by Mr. Saftler as $86,300.12 (Eighty-six thousand three hundred and 12/100 cents). On the basis of the foregoing, Plaintiff Bacher Firm respectfully requests that reargument be granted, and upon reargument, summary judgment on the amount of the fee and expenses be granted. in the amount of $86,300.12 (Eighty-six thousand three hundred and 12/100 cents), on consent. In our motion for reargument, Plaintiff Bacher has requested that, upon the grant of reargument, this Court should grant a judgment in the same amount, with pre-judgment interest to run from July 18, 2019. Clearly, counsel Meisner's letter does not address the issue. Rather, he seems to imply that the Court should either (1)ignore the issue, or (2) accept payment of principal into the Court as a means of resolving the interest calculation. Most respectfully, Mr. Meisner's suggestion violates all concepts of liability, and the interest on the principal sum which attaches to it. There is no call for a deposit of Mr. Saftler's debt in Court. There is no meaning to Mr. Meisner's suggestion: he has conceded liability, made the path to judgment smoother, and requiring less,not more, resolution by the Court. We cannot imagine the reason he suggests that "miraculously" the money be deposited in Court, unless he anticipates that itwill deny the Plaintiff Bacher rightful interest. In this regard, I respectfully point to the fact that N.Y. Civ. Prac. Law and Rules §5001(a) (McKinney's 2020) directly provides that there shall be pre-judgment interest upon a "sum 00097777.1 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 11/20/2020 03:45 PM INDEX NO. 654334/2019 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 108 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/20/2020 LEDY-GURREN BASS & SIFF, L.L.P. 2020- October 7, Page 3 awarded because of a breach of performance of a contract", and that such interest "shall be existed" computed from the earliest ascertainable date the cause of action (which Plaintiff Bacher Firm in its papers identifies as July 18, 2019 (which consists of our letterdemanding payment of the fee, and the avoidance of litigation). This letterappears in the original summary judgment motion as Exhibit 10, and is attached hereto for ease of the Court as Exhibit A). The payment or pre-judgment interest cannot be avoided by Mr. Meisner's suggestion, to the Court, that itaccept the conceded-to debt. The Bacher firm stillneeds itsorder and judgment, and the interest will be calculated by the Court/Clerk. Indeed, the only way for Mr. Saftler to stop the running of interest, would be to partially pay the full value of the debt ($86,300.12 (Eighty-six thousand three hundred and 12/100 cents) to Mr. Bacher's Firm. Thereafter, when the Judgment is entered, Mr. Meisner can object, or not, to the Prejudgment interest that is assessed by the Court. Indeed, itwould appear that Mr. Meisner's suggestion that the Court accept the principal debt isjust another means for him to continue his legal strategy-which has characterized this litigation from itscommencement-to deny the Bacher Firm receipt of the rightful legal fees and expenses due under the Fee Agreement in the Arias Case. The Bacher Firm has been litigating this for more than a year, apparently because Mr. Saftler does not want to distribute the rightful fees and expenses to him. Finally, I respectfully comment on Mr. Meisner's statement to the Court that the Bacher Firm simply wants to be unreasonable with regard to this matter. Indeed, the facts prove that itis the Saftler firm which has delayed observance of the clear contractual obligations of the Arias Fee Agreement. As counsel for the Bacher Firm, I offered, with my July 18, 2019 letter (Exh. A), to avoid litigation with an amicable resolution of the matter. Mr. Meisner declined, requiring us to bring the original summary judgment motion, at considerable cost and time to Mr. Bacher. Then, again, upon receipt of Justice Kahn's decision, we again requested that Mr. Saftler consider the merits of our position, and advise whether he had a good faith opposition to the motion to a proposed motion to reargue. (See Exhibit B attached hereto). (Note: the letter is dated April 15, 2020, but the firstpage has an incorrect date: automatic dating appears on the later pages of the letter). Again, I requested Mr. Meisner avoid litigation by agreeing to the Judgment amount. In fact, I offered to waive prejudgment interest, if he would make payment forthwith, and avoid the time and expense of reargumêñt motion practice. That faith" never occurred. Mr. Meisner's client refused to identify his "good eppeeition to the motion. Accordingly, via email dated June 18, 2020 (Exhibit C), I withdrew our offer tg waive interest. That occurred more than four months ago, and Mr. Meisner compelled me to make the motion to reargue (and file an appeal re: the motion for summary judgment) to protect my client's rights. faith" Now, Mr. Meisner admits to the Court that his client has no "good opposition to the settlement" motion, and simply complains that his supposed "offer of was rejected. Clearly, in "settle" communicating with this Court he has chosen not to reveal that our refusal to consists of our objection to his refusal to acknowledge the interest issue, and his steadfast refusal to distribute any amount of money to Mr. Bacher. 00097777.1 FILED: NEW YORK COUNTY CLERK 11/20/2020 03:45 PM INDEX NO. 654334/2019 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 108 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 11/20/2020 LEDY-GURREN BASS & SIFF, L.L.P. 2020- October 7, Page 4 For allof these reasons, we respectfully request that the Court grant our motion on the strength of Mr. Meisner's admission, as discussed above, and grant a judgment (as requested) which shall include prejudgment interest. Most assuredly, itwill minimize Mr. Saftler's liability,if the Court would be kind enough to render itsdecision as quickly as possible, so that we may pursue our judgment, and enter it. We object to the money going to the Court, as there is no reason for it,as "safe-keeping" such will not minimize or tollMr. Saftler's pre-judgment interest liability. Mr. Saftler, ifhe wants to litigate that free of more interest accumulating, should pay the Principal amount (which would at least stop the continuing running of interest) and litigate the issue of how much pre-judgment interest is owing. I thank the Court for itsattention to this matter. Respectfully submitted, Ledy-Gurren Bass & Siff, LLP By: Nancy Ledy-Gurren NLG: smr cc: Stephen Meisner, Esq. Attorney for the Saftler Defendants and Third-Party Plaintiff 00097777.1