Rivkin Radler’s Gershenoff, DiGennaro, and Bernstein successfully defend law firm client against RICO, defamation claims

Max Gershenoff, Janice DiGennaro, and Yonatan Bernstein successfully defended Wigdor LLP, a prominent Manhattan law firm that specializes in cases involving sexual harassment and misconduct, against claims that it engaged in supposed wrongdoing while representing one of its clients.

In Black v. Ganieva, et al., S.D.N.Y. Case No. 1:21-cv-08824-PAE, billionaire plaintiff Leon Black had alleged in federal court that Wigdor made defamatory statements and committed RICO violations while representing its client in connection with a first-filed New York State Supreme Court lawsuit against Black for intentional infliction of emotional distress and gender-motivated violence.

After Black dropped his purported RICO claims against Wigdor in the face of Wigdor’s motions to dismiss and for sanctions, United States District Judge Paul Engelmayer then proceeded to dismiss Black’s defamation claims as well and denied Black’s request for permission to replead his claims. Black appealed to the Second Circuit, but the Second Circuit affirmed, holding that the District Court was within its discretion to dismiss Black’s federal complaint with prejudice.