Alexandra Marchuk v. Faruqi & Faruqi: Bad News For The Defendants

What two blows have just been dealt to Juan Monteverde and Faruqi & Faruqi in this salacious litigation?

Marchuk v. Faruqi & Faruqi, the high-profile sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Alexandra Marchuk against her former firm and one of its most prominent partners, Juan Monteverde, rolls on. Back in January, we covered some of the salacious revelations contained in the summary judgment papers.

You know what would be even more juicy? A trial.

And that’s what we might be getting, in the wake of two blows just dealt to the defendants in this matter….

Yesterday Judge Alvin Hellerstein (S.D.N.Y.) issued two rulings in the Marchuk matter. First, the judge denied the defendants’ motion for summary judgment on Marchuk’s defamation claims. Marchuk alleges that the defendants defamed her when they sent out a press release claiming that her original lawsuit “was maliciously brought to extort money from F&F” and to tarnish “the reputation of Juan Monteverde, with whom she was obsessed.”

Second, the judge denied the defendants’ motion to exclude Marchuk’s expert witness on damages, Michael Lord. Judge Hellerstein ruled that Lord “is sufficiently qualified to testify on the issues of lost earnings and employability of lawyers seeking employment,” but must provide the defendants with “information relevant for cross-examination,” including “specific and illustrative earnings information.”

“We are very pleased with the Court’s rulings, and with our case in general,” said Harry Lipman, Marchuk’s lead lawyer. “Our sights are now on trial.”

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And our sights are as well. Trial on all claims is currently scheduled for January 12, 2015 — and rest assured, we’ll be there to cover it.

P.S. Thanks to PacerPro for helping me stay on top of the docket in this case. You can read more about the service in this review by Bob Ambrogi.

(Flip to the next page for copies of the court’s latest rulings, in the form of handwritten annotations on the motion papers.)

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