On November 30, 2017, at the conclusion of three day jury trial, Pete Mackey and T.R. Smith procured a Federal Court jury verdict in favor of Mackey Law Group’s client. This ended over a year’s worth of nasty litigation concerning Mackey Law Group’s client, who is a minority shareholder in a defendant out-of-state corporation which contracts with the United States government.
Once again, Mackey Law Group’s lawyers defeated “the big boys”. The defendant corporation (which has revenues in excess of $14 million per year), was represented by two law firms: (i) a Washington D.C. 40+ year lawyer; and (ii) a “Florida Legal Elite” lawyer from West Palm Beach who is a member of a large state-wide law firm. Mackey Law Group’s client initially sued in Bradenton, Florida State Court and the defendant corporation and its lawyers removed the case to Federal Court, obviously thinking that things would be tougher for Mackey Law Group’s lawyers in that forum. The defendant corporation also asserted four counter-claims which, not-surprisingly, were for amounts which exceeded what was being sought by Mackey Law Group’s minority-shareholder client.
The claim by Mackey Law Group’s client was for money owed for deferred officer salary under an oral contract. Of course, the defendant corporation was going to deny the existence of any such contract/agreement; so, Mackey Law Group’s lawyers also sued for what is called “unjust enrichment”. In Florida, one can sue on a contract claim and also, within the same lawsuit, sue for the same money due under a non-contract claim. Thus, if the court or jury finds there is no contract, the client can still prevail.
On the third day of trial, and before the case went to the jury for deliberations, Mackey Law Group’s lawyers also got all four of the defendant corporation’s counterclaims thrown-out, via the procurement of directed verdicts. Those rulings resulted in the only claims going to the jury being Mackey Law Group’s client’s claims for breach of contract and unjust enrichment. The jury awarded Mackey Law Group’s client $154,000 and now the firm’s client will also be able to get a judgment for his litigation costs as well.
Once again, this jury verdict goes to evidence that the little-guy can win in our legal system. Despite how big the opponent is or how many high-priced lawyers the opponent hires; if you have a good lawyer, you can prevail and attain justice. Mackey Law Group’s lawyers are courtroom veterans and successfully try cases in both State and Federal Court.
