Partner Fired for 'Abject Laziness' Had No Meaningful Caseload for Nearly 10 Years, Filing Contends
Firing back in response to a $7 million lawsuit over a partner’s removal, the managing partner of three New York law firms says in a court filing that he ousted his own brother from a partnership in the three firms due to his “abject laziness” and “flagrant acts of disloyalty,” reports the New York Law Journal in an article reprinted by New York Lawyer (reg. req.).
For nearly a decade, Joel Finkelstein, 50, has had no “meaningful” caseload at Fine, Olin & Anderman; Finkelstein & Partners; and Jacoby & Meyers Law Offices, even as he used its profits to fund his lavish lifestyle. Hence, the partners finally voted unanimously to remove him for cause, says Andrew Finkelstein, 45, in an answer and counterclaims (PDF) filed late last month in the New York Supreme Court case.
A subsequent New York Post article about the dispute notes that the filing also accuses Joel Finkelstein of playing online Scrabble for hours instead of focusing on his work.
But attorney Arthur Ciampi, who is representing Joel Finkelstein, says it is his client who was wronged and contends the claims made in the younger Finkelstein’s filing are factually incorrect.
More details about Joel Finkelstein’s $7 million breach of contract suit (PDF) against the three firms and their partners are provided in an earlier New York Law Journal article. Again, it is reprinted in New York Lawyer (reg. req.).
Updated on Nov. 4 to include New York Post article.
