Recently, the Firm obtained summary judgment defeating efforts by a NJ condominium and developer for insurance coverage relating to claims of property damage caused by defective construction.

Ford Marrin partner Andrew Mandelbaum, was named by Super Lawyers as New York Metro Rising Star for 2015.  Super Lawyers recognizes outstanding attorneys who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Attorneys are selected annually through research and peer reviews.  Mr. Mandelbaum was also named a New York Metro Rising Star for 2014.

The Appellate Division, First Department, affirmed the dismissal of defamation, General Business Law and breach of contract claims asserted by a New York dentist against Yelp Inc. based on allegedly defamatory reviews written by users of the Yelp website.

The Firm obtained dismissal at the pleading stage of a defamation action brought by a vendor against the Firm’s client who had posted a negative online review on a popular website. The Court held that the online review only concerned a customer’s personal dissatisfaction with the goods and services received and therefore granted a motion to dismiss the complaint.

The firm recently obtained summary judgment on behalf of Selective Insurance Company as subrogee of its insured, Joseph Natoli Construction, the general contractor on the Statue of Liberty monument renovation.  The court held that Sentinel (Hartford) Insurance Company owed Selective’s insured additional insured coverage for over $500,000 in property damage that occurred at the Statue of Liberty monument when an exposed sprinkler pipe burst as a result of sub-freezing temperatures.  The flooding caused extensive damage to the museum portion of the monument.