The Southeastern legal landscape continues to witness significant developments with ongoing lawsuits and the recognition of rising legal talent.
On April 28, 2025, the Daily Report honored a new class of attorneys under the annual Southeastern Legal Awards, specifically recognizing the achievements of young lawyers aged 40 and under. This year’s ‘On the Rise’ honorees represent some of the brightest minds within the Southeast’s legal community.
In other news, several notable lawsuits have caught the attention of legal professionals and media alike.
In a trademark infringement case, industrial equipment supplier Devco Corporation has retained J. Brugh Lower from Gibbons to represent them in litigation filed in the New Jersey District Court. The lawsuit, initiated on December 18, accuses Devco of selling imitation Graco products. The case is presided over by U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi under the title ‘Graco Inc. et al v. Devco Corporation’ with case number 3:24-cv-11294.
Meanwhile, in the realm of securities law, Rebecca Maller-Stein and Kent A. Yalowitz of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer have entered appearances for Hanaco Venture Capital along with its executives, Lior Prosor and David Frankel. This action, filed on December 24 in the Southern District of New York, involves allegations of negligent and fraudulent management of a $1 million investment on behalf of Goldeneye Advisors. U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick is overseeing this case titled ‘Goldeneye Advisors, LLC v. Hanaco Venture Capital, Ltd. et al,’ which is cataloged as 1:24-cv-09918.
Additionally, the Toronto-Dominion Bank is facing a securities class action involving allegations of failures in compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act. Defense attorneys from A&O Shearman have been appointed to defend the bank and other involved parties against claims made by Bleichmar Fonti & Auld. This lawsuit was filed on December 11 in the Southern District of New York, and it highlights serious concerns regarding the bank’s anti-money laundering controls. The case is being managed by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, under the title ‘Gonzalez v. The Toronto-Dominion Bank et al,’ with case number 1:24-cv-09445.
Crown Castle International, a provider of shared communications infrastructure based in Pennsylvania, is also currently embroiled in legal challenges. They are represented by Luke D. Wolf of Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani in a breach-of-contract lawsuit. Filed on November 25 in the Michigan Eastern District Court by Hooper Hathaway PC on behalf of The Town Residences LLC, the lawsuit alleges that Crown Castle failed to transfer approximately $30,000 in utility payments under a rooftop lease arrangement. This case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Susan K. Declercq, recorded as ‘The Town Residences LLC v. T-Mobile US, Inc. et al,’ case number 2:24-cv-13131.
Lastly, in New York, Electrolux Home Products Inc. is facing a product liability lawsuit, with Wilfred P. Coronato and Daniel M. Schwartz of McCarter & English serving as the company’s defense counsel. The lawsuit commenced on November 26, citing defective refrigerator components that allegedly fail shortly after purchase. This case, which involves claims from the plaintiff David Stern, is being handled by U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack, under the title ‘Stern v. Electrolux Home Products, Inc.,’ noted as case number 2:24-cv-08204.
In conclusion, the legal community in the Southeastern U.S. is abuzz with various significant cases and a celebration of emerging talent in the law profession.
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