Case Studies
A Race Against the Clock: Billionaire Celebrity Real Estate Deal
One of our resort developer clients called us, panicking. They had an out-of-town billionaire celebrity buyer for the first of hundreds of luxury multi-million dollar custom properties. But to meet loan and marketing commitment deadlines, as well as the demands of his CEO and Board of Directors, they needed to simultaneously sign and close escrow the very next day.
Racing against the ticking clock, we immediately drafted all the paperwork, obtained the client’s notarized signatures, and coordinated with the escrow and title companies. We then flew to the buyer’s home, where we met with him, his lawyer, and a notary. We reviewed, negotiated, revised, finalized, signed and notarized the documents. We also collected the escrow deposit, then raced back to the airport for the flight home.
The moment the plane touched down, we raced to the escrow office with the signed paperwork and the escrow deposit. Escrow was successfully opened and closed that same day. The client and the buyer were both elated and relieved. The real estate company proudly announced the launch and sale of their first multi-million dollar property to their famous celebrity buyer to much press fanfare the following day.
Pirated Website: Shut Down in Only 48 Hours
Our software company client called us, upset. He had just learned that his company’s entire website had been pirated by a competitor based overseas. We informed him of his legal options to shut down the infringer, including some inexpensive ones that might resolve the problem quickly.
He was doubtful about the “quick and inexpensive” part, or even that we could accomplish it at all. The pirate was overseas, aggressive and brazen, not easily reachable, and almost impossible to make subject to the US laws and courts. But through our quick research, sending cease and desist letters, and a Take Down Notice under the US Copyright Act to the appropriate parties, we were nonetheless able to get the offending website permanently shut down and offline within 48 hours.
Quick Hollywood Contract Work: One Week Until Filming
A television producer client called to say they needed to start filming a new reality TV show for the Amazon network the following week. However, they didn’t yet have agreements negotiated or signed with Amazon, or with the show’s on-air talent.
Through quick, diligent, and responsive work, we got the agreements prepared, negotiated, finalized, and signed with Amazon and the show’s on-air talent. Filming and broadcasting was able to start the following week, right on schedule
Rescued from Bankruptcy: Video Distribution Company Saved
Our international video game distributor client was days away from bankruptcy and closing up shop. In part, this was due to the client being over-extended with its European operations. But they had also made a guarantee of their subsidiary’s obligations to a major Japanese video game publisher—obligations that the subsidiary could not perform.
We immediately flew to Europe with the client’s CEO and CFO and spent two weeks there. In that time, we successfully brokered deals for the client’s products to bring in additional revenue, negotiated for relief from the company’s lender, and closed down several of the company’s offices and operations across Europe without liability. We also assisted with cancellation of the guarantee and contract with the Japanese publisher.
Our quick, expert work helped save the company. After the changes we made, the company was able to grow, and was sold a few years later for close to a hundred million dollars.
Intimidation Tactics Shut Down: Successful Cease & Desist for Video Game Distributor
A well-known third-party video game company was about to start distributing a top-selling video game—in direct violation of our client’s exclusive distribution agreement with the game’s manufacturer. We immediately filed a request for an emergency temporary restraining order (TRO) and infringement lawsuit on behalf of the client.
We immediately won the TRO, and the offending party agreed to cease and desist, as well as pay my client damages and attorney fees to dismiss the lawsuit. Then, right before the hearing on the permanent injunction, the offending party’s lawyer tried to intimidate us by threatening to crater the settlement unless we dismissed the lawsuit before they paid our client. We stood firm, and their lawyer backed down. Our client got paid and the case was successfully settled.