Posted by Richelle Lyon on December 13, 2011 - 12:54pm
This is a really great story to initiate this blog, which will report on civil and criminal trials, courts and juries in Los Angeles.
Criminal trials seem to attract all the major headlines – but civil trials can be sexy, too.
Just look at the $33 million jury verdict December 8, 2011, awarded to a local mom and pop marketing firm called Concept Chaser, based in El Segundo. Concept Chaser has won a major victory against Pentel of America and its parent company, Pentel Co. Ltd. (Japan), for allegedly stealing ideas the firm had developed for marketing Pentel’s HyperG Gel Pen.
The pen retails for around $2, but the jury found that the company who manufactures it deserves to pay more than $15 million to Concept Chaser for contract damages, fraud and malice, and another $17.5 million for punitive damages and attorney fees. This brings the total judgment to just under $33 million.
Punitive damages are compensation that is awarded to an injured party with the intent to punish a wrongdoer. According to Michael Alder, Concept Chaser’s attorney (www.alderlaw.com), the jury not only found that the manufacturer failed to honor its contract with the small company, Pentel must also be held accountable “for trying to blindside the little guy."
According to Mr. Alder’s press release about the verdict, this win reflects a major victory for any small business owner who, “like the Hayakawas have a tough time getting justice when they're going up against deep pockets.”
Mr. Alder is the managing partner at AlderLaw, and president-elect of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA). He is working to raise public awareness about plaintiffs' (e.g., consumer) attorneys and the important work they do for small business, and anyone who has been the victim of corporate fraud or abuse.
Mr. Alder is to be commended for taking the Hayakawas’ case on a contingency basis, since their small company couldn’t afford the law firm’s regular rate.
Criminal trials seem to attract all the major headlines – but civil trials can be sexy, too.
Just look at the $33 million jury verdict December 8, 2011, awarded to a local mom and pop marketing firm called Concept Chaser, based in El Segundo. Concept Chaser has won a major victory against Pentel of America and its parent company, Pentel Co. Ltd. (Japan), for allegedly stealing ideas the firm had developed for marketing Pentel’s HyperG Gel Pen.
The pen retails for around $2, but the jury found that the company who manufactures it deserves to pay more than $15 million to Concept Chaser for contract damages, fraud and malice, and another $17.5 million for punitive damages and attorney fees. This brings the total judgment to just under $33 million.
Punitive damages are compensation that is awarded to an injured party with the intent to punish a wrongdoer. According to Michael Alder, Concept Chaser’s attorney (www.alderlaw.com), the jury not only found that the manufacturer failed to honor its contract with the small company, Pentel must also be held accountable “for trying to blindside the little guy."
According to Mr. Alder’s press release about the verdict, this win reflects a major victory for any small business owner who, “like the Hayakawas have a tough time getting justice when they're going up against deep pockets.”
Mr. Alder is the managing partner at AlderLaw, and president-elect of the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA). He is working to raise public awareness about plaintiffs' (e.g., consumer) attorneys and the important work they do for small business, and anyone who has been the victim of corporate fraud or abuse.
Mr. Alder is to be commended for taking the Hayakawas’ case on a contingency basis, since their small company couldn’t afford the law firm’s regular rate.
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