The Appellate Division, First Department, has denied another attempt by several Wall Street banks to challenge an antitrust lawsuit by a former law firm partner. In March, a First Department panel reinstated Linda Grant Williams' lawsuit against Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs. Grant, who previously practiced at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman and Greenberg Traurig, alleges the banks conspired to block a form of airport financing she devised, and the banks' threats led the two firms to fire her.
In Williams v. Citigroup, 650481/10, the appeals court in March reversed the trial court's conclusion that plaintiff had failed to allege antitrust injuries. After the ruling, the defendants moved for reargument, or for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeals. "Reargument should be granted in this action because, in reversing the trial court's dismissal of plaintiff's Donnelly Act claim, this Court overlooked or misapprehended critical issues of law and fact," the banks' lawyers said (See Opposition to Motion).
