New York – Families of cancer represented by the law firm of former Assembly speaker Sheldon Silver are blasting the former pol, saying that being caught in the crossfire of his “illegal quid pro quo” scam cost them financially in their settlements.
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NYPOST.com (http://bit.ly/1GYTySP) reports that in one case, Cape Cod, MA resident Andrea Rega—whose father Aniello was one of dozens of patients referred to Silver’s Weitz & Luxenberg law firm by Columbia University Doctor Robert Taub in exchange for $500,000 in state research grants—says she believes lawyers would have worked a lot harder on her father’s case if one-third of the money hadn’t been going directly to Silver.
“I’m convinced the law firm would’ve worked much harder for my father’s case if they weren’t giving Sheldon Silver the 33 percent. That’s why the law firm wasn’t working as hard as they could — because somebody else was taking the money,” Rega said.
The feds claim Silver netted more than $3.3M off the scheme.
Silver, I’m sure did not get the 33%. He definitely had to split it with the firm with the firm getting most of it. These people are mistaken about who got how much.
Factually ambiguous. Silver wasn’t getting 33% of the settlement money. He was at most getting 33% of the share that the law firm was getting. A common and legal practice.
Actually, it might spur the firm to work harder, so that it’s share is increased to offset Silver’s cut.
Very easy to find former clients with sour grapes. Doesn’t make it a valid complaint or illegal.
I believe #1 is correct. in all such cases the law firm gets a percentage of the settlement. not sure how much. but its not done for free and lawyers don’t take on cases unless they expect to win and make money
Yes its heresay.
Anyone has the right to get a finders or referral fee from a law firm.
If Mr Silver sent clients he was entitled to get a cut of the win. It’s a no brainer.
The client doesn’t have to like it and didn’t have to chose this law firm. Claiming that the lawyers would have worked much harder if they didn’t have to share is ridiculous, these type of lawyers make a percentage of what they win, this way they always have an incentive to put in their upmost best efforts.
So far I don’t see what Silver did wrong.
If Silver were not Frum, you would want him jailed. Same thing with Weberman and Rubashkin.
Shelly it’s OVER. Throw yourself on the mercy of the court. Bow out of Albany GRACEFULLY and enjoy your senior years in the Golden state, not in a rusted jail cell.