Trump Sues Former Attorneys... Again

In a continuing feud with New York law firm Morrison Cohen, Donald Trump filed a $10 million lawsuit alleging the firm "engaged in the rank commercialization" of his name. Bloomberg reports:

Trump sued the law firm Morrison Cohen and partner David Scharf in state Supreme Court in Manhattan claiming references to him on the firm's Web site and in press articles violates law against using a person's name in advertising without consent.

"I am very unhappy with the firm," Trump said in a telephone interview today. "I don't want to in any way, shape or form endorse this firm."

Scharf maintains Trump has a different motive, and is using the suit to get out of paying a $475,000 legal fee. Scharf successfully represented the absurdly rich real estate developer in a suit claiming he was overcharged by the contractor hired to renovate the Trump National Golf Club. Trump walked away with over $2 million in damages and $1.3 million in attorney fees from the contractor. He then promptly sued both Scharf and the firm for -- we're not kidding -- overcharging him. The New York Law Journal reported in April:

Trump filed a legal malpractice suit against New York's Morrison Cohen last year in Westchester County Supreme Court, claiming the firm treated him like a "cash cow" and performed unnecessary work to generate higher bills. Justice Kenneth W. Rudolph permitted the case to move forward last month.

"I have dealt with a lot of lawyers and paid a lot of legal fees," Trump said in an interview Monday. "I have a Ph.D. in legal fees. I know when fees are fair and when they are not."

Trump, who does not actually have a Ph.D. in anything, is perhaps referring to his extensive experience with frivolous lawsuits, such as the trademark dispute over the phrase "You're fired" with Susan Brenner, the owner of You're Fired, a combination ceramics studio and arts and crafts store.

Posted by Nicole White on August 12, 2008 at 05:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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