NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) - A New York City law firm is upset a potential target settled with its clients without its knowledge, depriving it of attorneys fees.
Lee Litigation Group filed suit Feb. 23 in New York County Supreme Court against Benjamin Steak House, which is alleged to have communicated with employees with wage and hour claims without the firm's consent.
Lee Litigation Group sent a potential complaint on behalf of clients Gent Hajdaraj and Endri Hoxha on Aug. 3, 2020, to one of the defendant's lawyers, the suit says.
Later that month, the restaurant reached settlements with the two clients without negotiating with Lee Litigation Group, the suit says.
"Defendants attempted, and in fact did, successfully induce clients to settle all their claims in under-the-table settlements by encouraging clients to break their contracts with Plaintiff, so as to avoid have [sic] to pay attorney's fees or taxes," the suit says.
The restaurant paid $10,000 each to Hoxha and Hajdraj. Lee Litigation Group had hoped to pursue the case as a class action lawsuit but those efforts were ended by the settlements.