July 3, 2019 - Murtha Cullina Wins Jury Trial in City of Hartford Dunkin' Donuts Park Lawsuit
HARTFORD, CT (July 3, 2019)…A jury ruled in favor of the City of Hartford in the lawsuit the developers of Dunkin’ Donuts Park brought in 2017.
The jury verdict, announced on July 2, ordered the developers to pay $335,000 to the City of Hartford. The unanimous jury disagreed with their claim for $90 million for wrongful termination.
“The City of Hartford prevailed in a long and arduous 3-year long litigation,” said Leslie P. King, partner at Murtha who led the litigation. The trial team including Lorey Rives Leddy, James F. Radke, Matthew A. Ciarleglio and Terence J. Brunau is extremely happy with the resounding victory.”
Dunkin’ Donuts Park (named “Best Double-A Ballpark in America” by Ballpark Digest) originally was slated to open in the spring of 2016. However, the developer failed to meet even an extended deadline. This forced Hartford’s new minor league baseball team, the Yard Goats, to play their entire inaugural season away from home. In May of 2016, the City of Hartford hired Murtha attorneys Leslie P. King and Loring A. Cook, III to represent them. Shortly thereafter, in early June of 2016, acting on advice from its attorneys, the City terminated the original project developer and design builder. Almost immediately after termination, the developer sued Hartford for $90 million in the wrongful termination claim. While defending that action, Murtha negotiated an agreement with the surety to complete the project at no additional cost to Hartford.
The trial victory against the developer is a major win for the people of Hartford.
Murtha’s Construction Law Group has been recognized as legal leader in the industry for more than 60 years, successfully representing public and private owners, developers, lenders, general contractors, construction managers, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and material suppliers in all aspects of construction law. Ms. King is a Partner in the firm’s Litigation Department with a practice dedicated to all aspects of Construction law. She represents residential and commercial owners in construction disputes and litigation, and provides contract drafting and negotiation services.
About Murtha Cullina LLP
With more than 100 attorneys in six offices throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, Murtha Cullina LLP offers a full range of legal services to meet the local, regional and national needs of our clients. Our practice encompasses litigation, regulatory and transactional representation of businesses, governmental units, non-profit organizations and individuals. Core practice areas include litigation, insurance recovery, labor and employment, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, construction, energy, health care, trusts and estates, intellectual property, real estate, land use and retail and hospitality.
Murtha Cullina is the exclusive member firm in Connecticut for Lex Mundi – the world’s leading network of independent law firms with in-depth experience in 100+ countries worldwide; and the exclusive Connecticut member firm of State Law Resources, an international network of independent law firms. For more information, visit www.murthalaw.com.
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