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Re: Manhattan Club Lawsuit (by Jeffrey W.):

Devout followers of the Manhattan Club legal case may find the following information instructive:

On Feb. 25, the Manhattan Club principals --- Ian Bruce Eichner, Leslie Eichner, Stuart Eichner and their affiliated companies --- filed a substitution of attorneys document with the New York Supreme Court. No big deal by itself. What is interesting is who is "subbing in" for the former attorneys. The new lead in this case, representing the Manhattan Club, is Gerald L. Shargel, a prominent NY attorney who specializes in criminal trial litigation cases. To repeat, his specialty is criminal defense, not real estate timeshare cases, not civil litigation.

Here are excerpts from Shargel's biography on his firm's website, which portrays him as one of the best criminal defense attorneys in the country. The firm is Winston & Strawn.

"Partner Gerald L. Shargel is one of the most accomplished and well-known defenders in serious criminal cases both in New York and nationally. The New Yorker said he is considered “one of the most brilliant criminal defense attorneys in America… quite possibly the finest of his generation.” "Over more than 40 years, Mr. Shargel has defended numerous high-profile cases at the investigative, trial, and appellate levels. His cases cover a broad array of white-collar and non-white-collar crimes, and he has litigated matters before the most prominent judges in the key courts in New York. "Mr. Shargel was primarily a solo practitioner prior to joining Winston & Strawn and adding his unique experience in high-stakes trials to Winston’s existing litigation..."

You get the idea.

Owners can draw their own conclusions as to why the Eichners would hire an esteemed criminal defense attorney to represent them after a year of stupendously unsuccessful negotiations by their former attorneys with the NY Attorney General's office to resolve questions about the Manhattan Club's sales-and-reservations practices. The club's former attorneys were well known in NY legal circles, as well, for their expertise in handling complicated civil real estate matters.

RedWeek called Mr. Shargel this week and invited him to offer his (initial) perspectives on the Manhattan Club investigation. He did not respond.

Attorneys for both parties, presumably including Mr. Shargel or one of his representatives, will get their next day in court March 6 at a status conference with the court-appointed referee assigned to oversee the AG's yearlong investigation of possible fraud at the Manhattan Club.