Lando & Anastasi, LLP v. Innovention Toys, L.L.C.
Docket: Civil Action No. 11-12103-PBS
Court: District Court, D. Massachusetts; January 19, 2015; Federal District Court
Plaintiff Lando Anastasi, LLP, a law firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts, seeks to recover over $500,000 in attorney's fees from Defendant Innovention Toys, LLC, following Innovention's termination of Lando after a patent infringement lawsuit initiated in 2007. Innovention contends that Lando's representation was inadequate and reserves the right to countersue for legal malpractice. The Court administratively stayed the case pending the outcome of the Louisiana litigation, where a jury ultimately ruled in favor of Innovention, awarding over $6.8 million in damages. However, the Eastern District of Louisiana did not award attorney's fees to Innovention for Lando’s work due to the ongoing dispute in the current case. After the Louisiana litigation concluded, the Court lifted the stay and proposed transferring the fee dispute to the Eastern District of Louisiana for mediation, which was unsuccessful. Neither party objected to the transfer. The Court then conferred with the Louisiana district court and officially transferred the case, invoking 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a), which allows for transfer for convenience and justice. The Court emphasized that the relevant events occurred in Louisiana, where Lando had conducted most of its work for Innovention, thus determining that the case would be more appropriately adjudicated there. Lando faced criticism from the Court for inadequately addressing the damages aspect of Innovention's patent infringement claim. The Eastern District of Louisiana is better positioned to assess Lando's representation quality and its impact on Innovention's judgment due to its familiarity with the lengthy proceedings of the related lawsuit. Transferring the case will prevent inconsistent rulings and allow for consolidated decisions regarding Lando's entitlement to fees and potential compensation from the defendants. Although Lando initially filed in Massachusetts, the relevant facts of the dispute lack a significant connection to that district, and there has been no demonstration that Massachusetts is a more convenient venue. The core of the dispute pertains to services provided by Lando in a federal lawsuit in Louisiana. Consequently, the case has been transferred to the Eastern District of Louisiana for resolution.