John A. speaks with Hardwick's attorney

[pap49cba]

Says former players may be called to testify....

 

[UConnCat]

Trying to up the ante...

"It could take two to three years for the case to be heard," said Randolph M. McLaughlin, counsel for New York law firm Newman Ferrara LLP. "There needs to be a discovery phase, we'll need to bring Auriemma in, put him in a witness chair and take his deposition, along with those of any players who were present [since Auriemma's hiring by USA Basketball in 2009].

"It can be a very nasty business. It could be settled before [the London Olympics in August], but it all depends on what USA Basketball and the NBA want to do. I'm willing to have a conversation, but no one has reached out."

 

[k9fanatic]

Sounds like he thinks that by threatening to involve the players, Geno at al are more likely to cave and settle quickly. Guy could use a lesson or two on subtlety.

 

[easttexastrash]

It would really be a shame for the players to have to be drawn into this. However, if there are players who went to Hardwick to report something that Geno said then they surely knew the position that they were putting themselves in and weighed the consequences.

It sounds as if some of these players developed a comfort level with Hardwick beyond that of a security person.

 

[JimGunther]

I don't think Geno will be intimidated.

Sounds like he thinks that by threatening to involve the players, Geno at al are more likely to cave and settle quickly. Guy could use a lesson or two on subtlety.

 

[k9fanatic]

I don't think Geno will be intimidated.

I don't either. Can you just picture this dude cross-examining Diana? Dromedy at its best.

 

[JS]

Trying to up the ante...

"It can be a very nasty business. It could be settled before [the London Olympics in August], but it all depends on what USA Basketball and the NBA want to do. I'm willing to have a conversation, but no one has reached out."

He's practically screaming for a settlement. If he wants the corporate defendants to reassign Ms. Hardwick back to the Olympic team from commissioner Stern's security detail it seems doubtful they'll go along with that interference with their assignment decisions. If he wants quick money, he's got to be aware that if this goes on very long he loses his Olympics leverage and will have to start racking up the billable hours.

He took some kind of NY law shortcut, skipped all the normal administrative agency process, apparently laid a hurry-up lawsuit on people without reaching out to them (courts don't much cotton to that) and now a couple days later is wondering to the press why they haven't reached out to him yet.

He's claiming jurisdiction of the NY court over a non-domiciliary, Geno, under the NY long arm statute. Most of the "certain circumstances" he cites being plainly inapplicable, he'll need to show Geno committed a tortious act within the state. Don't know what act he's hanging his hat on, but I'd expect an early motion to dismiss on jurisdictional, not to say other, grounds.

 

[rbny1]

His blatant attempt to win a settlement by seeking to intimidate people is unseemly. Is it unethical for a lawyer to act this way? If not, it should be. I don't think Geno will be intimidated, but other defendants in the case may prefer to settle. I hope not.

 

[CL82]

Sounds like he thinks that by threatening to involve the players, Geno at al are more likely to cave and settle quickly. Guy could use a lesson or two on subtlety.

What's the over/under on this guy ending up being sanctioned?

"Yeah, o'course we'd be willing to settle. You know that's a fine Olympic team ya got there. It would be a shame if sumtin' was to happen to it."

 

[Icebear]

He's practically screaming for a settlement. If he wants the corporate defendants to reassign Ms. Hardwick back to the Olympic team from commissioner Stern's security detail it seems doubtful they'll go along with that interference with their assignment decisions. If he wants quick money, he's got to be aware that if this goes on very long he loses his Olympics leverage and will have to start racking up the billable hours.

He took some kind of NY law shortcut, skipped all the normal administrative agency process, apparently laid a hurry-up lawsuit on people without reaching out to them (courts don't much cotton to that) and now a couple days later is wondering to the press why they haven't reached out to him yet.

He's claiming jurisdiction of the NY court over a non-domiciliary, Geno, under the NY long arm statute. Most of the "certain circumstances" he cites being plainly inapplicable, he'll need to show Geno committed a tortious act within the state. Don't know what act he's hanging his hat on, but I'd expect an early motion to dismiss on jurisdictional, not to say other, grounds.

I am with you, JS, that is exactly what I think is going on. I, also, don't think he is even trying to hide that fact. As you said he seems to be screaming, "over here, over here."

 

[winlots]

His blatant attempt to win a settlement by seeking to intimidate people is unseemly. Is it unethical for a lawyer to act this way? If not, it should be. I don't think Geno will be intimidated, but other defendants in the case may prefer to settle. I hope not.

RBNY - a couple years ago, I was invited to give a talk on "Integrity" to a vo-tech senior class in automotive repair. Early on, I asked them to list for me some of the work groups which seemed to them to have a reputation, deserving or not, for lacking integrity. They listed auto mechanics at #3 on their list. I bet some of you are beginning to hone in on their #1 pick.