Divorce Train Wrecks, Hedge Funds / Private Equity, Lawsuit of the Day, McCarter & English

Lawsuit of the Day: Patricia Cohen's Ex-Lawyer Wants to Get Paid

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We’ve been following the legal wranglings between SAC Capital’s Steve Cohen and his ex-wife, Patricia. Why wouldn’t we, how often does an ex-wife file civil RICO charges against a billionaire?

Initially, Patricia Cohen retained civil RICO expert, Paul Batista. Apparently, Cohen and counsel didn’t see eye-to-eye. Batista withdrew the initial suit and Cohen retained Gaytri Kachroo of McCarter & English.

But the drama doesn’t stop there. Patricia Cohen might at times act like she has a little bit too much in common with Glen Close in Fatal Attraction, but it’s Batista who won’t be ignored…

Am Law Daily reports that Batista has filed suit against Cohen and Kachroo:

The civil racketeering suit filed against hedge fund billionaire Steven Cohen by his ex-wife Patricia Cohen (née Finke) has taken another turn, with Finke’s former lawyer–who sought to withdraw the suit after being replaced as counsel–suing his erstwhile client and her new lawyer for unpaid legal fees.

Bloomberg reports that Paul Batista filed the civil complaint against Finke and Gaytri Kachroo of Boston’s Kachroo Legal Services in state court in New York on Thursday. In his complaint, Batista asks that a lien be placed on any potential settlement Finke wins against her former husband, whom she divorced in 1988. Batista also demands that he be reimbursed for expenses he racked up on Finke’s behalf in the seven months he spent preparing her suit against Cohen.

Kachroo went on the record with Bloomberg News to give the usual protestations:

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Kachroo said she will fight Batista’s claims.

“The lawsuit is frivolous and replete with inappropriate disclosure of confidential and privileged communications,” she said in a telephone interview today. Kachroo said Batista wrongly withdrew Patricia Cohen’s original complaint without authority from the client. Kachroo, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said she planned to file an amended complaint in the lawsuit against Steven Cohen and SAC.

There’s just all kinds of crazy flying around this lawsuit. I’m thinking that at the very least, we’re going to get a Lifetime movie out of this.

New Twist in Ex-Wife’s RICO Suit Against SAC Capital’s Cohen [Am Law Daily]
Steven Cohen’s Ex-Wife Sued by Her Ex-Lawyer for Fees [Bloomberg]

Earlier: Ex-Wife Goes After Deep Pockets
Patricia Cohen Switches Horses in the Middle of the Race

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