Slarskey LLC Achieves $10 Million Arbitration Win for Mishcon de Reya New York LLP

January 25, 2024

Even top international law firms sometimes need a helping hand.

In January 2024, Slarskey LLC obtained a Final Award for $9.745 million on behalf of its client Mishcon de Reya New York LLP, the New York office of international law firm Mishcon de Reya LLP, against competitor and international law firm King & Wood Mallesons LLP and ex-client ChanBond LLC.

The dispute arose from Mishcon New York's representation of ChanBond against multiple defendants alleged to have infringed ChanBond's patents. Mishcon New York represented ChanBond through discovery and summary judgment for nearly 4.5 years on a contingency-fee basis but ceased operating in December 2019. When Mishcon New York ceased operating, the Mishcon New York partners handling the matter moved their practice to KWM, where they continued to litigate the ChanBond matters. Thereafter, the ChanBond Actions settled, generating a substantial contingency fee. A dispute arose because KWM and the lawyers that departed Mishcon New York did not inform Mishcon New York about the settlement, and when Mishcon New York discovered the settlement, KWM and ChanBond refused to pay Mishcon New York its compensation due. The Final Award followed a 5-day arbitration hearing before a three-arbitrator panel of former federal and state court judges. The Panel found that "[t]he evidence contradicts" the defenses of KWM and its attorneys—and that Mishcon New York was entitled to its compensation.

Slarskey LLC partner Evan Fried commented, "This case touches to the very core of our profession—the way attorneys treat one another. We are proud to have generated such a positive result for our client."

Slarskey LLC partner David Slarskey noted “This was an international Clash of the Titans: Mishcon de Reya, with 600 lawyers based in London. King & Wood Mallesons, with 3500 legal professionals based in Hong Kong. Pillsbury Winthrop, with 700 lawyers. And then our team. Not every small firm in New York has the confidence of a 600-person London law firm, to carry a claim against a competitor, involving matters of professional ethics, and in front of an arbitration panel of retired federal and state judges. We’re privileged to have the trust of great clients like Mishcon.”

Slarskey LLC zealously and convincingly navigated issues surrounding professional ethics, litigation finance, and risk-adjusted valuation of legal assets, and prevailed on behalf of its client against adversaries represented by international law firms Pillsbury Winthrop and KWM. Even 600-person law firms, like Mishcon de Reya, turn to Slarskey LLC.

David Slarskey, Evan Fried, and Keith Dore represented Mishcon New York.

Link to decision here.