A law firm and two of its attorneys must pay $267,000 for helping the developer of a controversial condominium project file a frivolous lawsuit against its opponents, a judge ruled.
U.S. District Judge Manuel Real on Monday sanctioned Foley & Lardner and two attorneys in its San Diego office, S. Wayne Rosenbaum and Suzanne Washington.
Developer Irving Okovita had brought a racketeering lawsuit against Sandy Steers, executive director of the Friends of Fawnskin, and three Forest Service employees who had fought his proposed Marina Point luxury condominium development on Big Bear Lake.
The Oakland-based First Amendment Project argued that the suit was aimed at intimidating and harassing Steers, who said she was only trying to force Okovita to follow the law. Real threw out the suit in March.
Details here from the AP via LexisONE.com.