Madonna Fans Sue the Queen of Pop
Richard A. Klass, representing plaintiffs, has given interviews and made media appearances about this case on outlets such as CNN, Fox, NBC, BBC and CBC. Further news articles have appeared in a variety of publications including Forbes, Billboard, the Los Angeles Times and Yahoo!. Some of these news stories are listed below.
The New York Times:
Leather and Lace for the Queen of Pop
Madonna fans served up style tributes to their idol on a New York stop of her tour.
January 31, 2024
“…Fans shared their opinions about the opens in a new windowlawsuit filed by two concertgoers against Madonna, who has become known as an unpunctual stage performer, opens in a new windowaccusing her of false advertising and negligent misrepresentation for going on late at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in December. (Her representatives said that they “intend to defend this case vigorously.”)…”
CBC:
Daybreak Alberta with Paul Karchut
Weekend Water Cooler: upsetting the artist/fan contract
BBC:
Madonna ‘vigorously’ defends late concert start lawsuit brought by fans
January 25, 2024
“Madonna will “vigorously defend” legal action brought by fans after she was more than two hours late for a show, her representatives have said.
“The singer is being sued by two fans who attended her concert last month in New York….”
Los Angeles Times:
Madonna, Live Nation to ‘vigorously’ fight fan lawsuit about delayed Barclays show
January 25, 2024
Madonna and concert promoter Live Nation are pushing back against a lawsuit from disappointed fans who lamented the late start of her Celebration Tour launch in Brooklyn last month.
BBC:
Two fans are suing Madonna for lateness. Could this case change the live music industry?
January 23, 2024
“When Madonna sang Express Yourself, it’s unlikely the pop juggernaut meant through a lawsuit. Two angry Madonna fans have done just that, though, taking legal action against the star – and in the process, they are putting the artist-fan relationship to the test.
“As reported on Friday, Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden sued Madonna for starting a 13 December concert at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, more than two hours late. According to the suit, the plaintiffs allege the delay “left [them] stranded in the middle of the night”, where they encountered “limited public transportation, limited ride-sharing, and/or increased public and private transportation costs”. Barclays Center and Live Nation are also named in the suit, and Madonna’s representatives issued a statement that they “intend to defend this case vigorously.”…”
Fox 5:
Two Madonna fans sue
Posted January 23, 2024
“The suit claims false advertisement after the singer made fans wait hours for her to perform. FOX 5 NY’s Teresa Priolo has the latest.”
New York Magazine:
Can You Also Sue Madonna?
January 22, 2024
“Madonna took the lyrics of “Hung Up” a little too literally last month, after the queen of pop started her trio of concerts at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center more than two hours late each night.”
CNN:
Laura Coates Live
Posted January 20, 2024
“…two Madonna fans tell Laura Coates why they’re suing the singer for concert delays….”
BBC:
Madonna sued by fans in New York over late concert start time
January 19, 2024
“Two Madonna fans are suing the US singer for being late by more than two hours for a show last month in New York, according to court documents.
“They state the show was meant to start at 20:30 EST on all three nights, but in each case it did not begin until after 22:30, ending around 01:00….”
Yahoo! News:
Madonna sued by concert fans for her ‘difficulty ensuring timely performance’
January 19, 2024
“Fans of Madonna have filed a lawsuit alleging she started her gig in New York City more than two hours late.
“The 65-year-old megastar played concerts at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn for the North American leg of her Celebration tour in December which Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden attended….”
Today:
Madonna sued by fans for being late to her concerts
January 19, 2024
“Two fans have filed a lawsuit against Madonna, accusing her of “false advertising, negligent misrepresentation and unfair and deceptive trade practices” after she started her Celebration tour concerts hours late in Brooklyn last month.”
CBC:
As It Happens with Nil Köksal, Chris Howden
Aired: January 19, 2024
Zuckerberg AI, Netanyahu comments, Madonna lawsuit, Alabama gas execution, Manitoba water protection, Churchill dentures, Encore: Big edible mushroom and more
Global News:
Madonna sued by fans for starting New York concert over 2 hours late
Posted January 19, 2024
“…Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden on Wednesday initiated the lawsuit against Madonna, the tour promoter Live Nation and New York’s Barclays Center, where she performed.
“On the tickets purchased by Fellows and Hadden, Madonna’s sold-out Celebration Tour performance on Dec. 13, 2023 was scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. local time. The 65-year-old singer did not appear on stage until after 10:30 p.m….”
NBC:
Madonna fans sue Material Girl and promoters after show begins 2 hours after ticketed start
January 18, 2024
“Two Madonna fans filed a federal lawsuit against the iconic performer on Wednesday, accusing her of showing up hours late at a show last month and needlessly inconveniencing concertgoers….
“…That late finish left fans on the borderline of being stuck in Brooklyn with “limited public transportation, limited ride-sharing” options or “increased public and private transportation costs at that late hour,” said the civil complaint written by attorneys Richard Klass and Marcus Corwin….”
Billboard:
Madonna Sued Over Delayed Concert Starts by Fans Who ‘Had To Get Up Early To Go To Work’
January 18, 2024
“Lawyers for New York City ticket buyers say fans were “left stranded in the middle of the night” because the Brooklyn concerts started two hours later than advertised….”
“…Madonna is facing a federal class action lawsuit because she allegedly started three New York City concerts later than scheduled, a delay that her accusers say caused real legal harm to ticket buyers who “had to get up early to go to work” the next day….”
Forbes:
Madonna’s Own Fans Are Suing Her
January 18, 2024
“Fans are usually the ones who will do anything for the musicians they love. Die-hard followers will spend their money to support their favorite artists, but some of Madonna’s followers are actually doing the exact opposite following a bad experience at one of her recent concerts—they’re asking for an unspecified sum from one chart-topper.”
Variety:
Madonna Sued for Late Concert Start Times; Fans Allege ‘Deceptive Trade Practices’ and ‘False Advertisement’
January 18, 2024
“Madonna is being sued by a pair of her fans who claim the “Material Girl” is falsely promising a concert start time that she has repeatedly failed to meet.”
Today:
Madonna is being sued for starting her NYC concerts late
January 18, 2024
“Two fans of Madonna filed a lawsuit against the singer on Jan. 17, accusing her of “false advertising, negligent misrepresentation and unfair and deceptive trade practices,” after she started her Brooklyn, New York, concerts hours late in December.”
Page Six reveals that reality star Julia Haart is being sued by her former divorce lawyer, Hillman, for almost $500,000.
Page Six writes, “Court papers seen by Page Six state that Hillman — who is being represented by Richard A. Klass — rendered legal services ‘in connection with negotiating a separation agreement and/or representation in a matrimonial action.’ “…
The Brooklyn Bar Association celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2022
“The Brooklyn Bar Association celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2022 and to kick off the year it held a virtual flag raising ceremony recorded outside of its building on Wednesday, February 2.
” ‘In many ways (the Brooklyn Bar Association) was born into a different world — the end of the Civil War, the end of slavery, was less than a decade old and Brooklyn was its own city, and the legal profession was mostly white and male,’ said Attorney General Letitia James, who spoke at the ceremony.”
Richard Klass in the news: Read at Law.com: “Tinder, Match.com in $50M Class Action Crosshairs”
It continues:
Brooklyn Bar Association helps attorneys improve their resumes during COVID-19
Reported by Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor
opens in a new windowBrooklyn Daily Eagle
May 26, 2020
“More than two million New Yorkers have filed for unemployment since the COVID-19 pandemic started, and lawyers are not immune. To help laid-off attorneys and people who are simply looking for a new job, the Brooklyn Bar Association held a continuing legal education seminar to help ensure that lawyers are putting their best foot forward.
“On Monday, May 18, Richard Klass, second vice president of the Brooklyn Bar Association, moderated a two-hour CLE entitled, “Resume Building and Interview Skills” along with panelists Andrea Bonina and David Sarnoff….”
Madonna, Live Nation Face Another Lawsuit Over Concert Delays
“Pop icon Madonna has faced several hardships on her Madame X World Tour, cancelling shows and arriving late to others. Now, she is facing a class-action lawsuit in the state of New York for her tardiness at two Brooklyn gigs.
“Andrew Panos and Antonio Velotta filed the suit against the pop singer, noting that she was three hours late to Brooklyn concerts on September 21 and October 1, according to documents filed by attorneys Richard Klass and Marcus Corwin in Kings County Supreme court, opens in a new windowBillboardreports. Live Nation, the promoter of the tour, has been named as a co-defendant in the suit….”
opens in a new windowMadonna Faces Second Class-Action Lawsuit Over ‘Madame X’ Concert Delays
“Madonna’s storied tardiness has gotten her in even more legal hot water, this time in the state of New York. Andrew Panos and Antonio Velotta have filed a class-action suit against the Queen of Pop for showing up three hours late to Brooklyn concerts on Sept. 21 and Oct. 1, 2019, according to documents filed by attorneys Richard Klass and Marcus Corwin in Kings County Supreme Court….”
What Is a Sheriff’s Sale? Yes, Your Local Law Enforcement Is Involved
The homes included in these sales are in the foreclosure process, but a sheriff’s sale isn’t as cut-and-dry as it might seem.
Published on SFGate.com 3:30 am PDT, Friday, October 4, 2019
See articles by Kristine Gill, published on REALTOR.COM
“Home buyers are always looking for a bargain. But if you’re really looking to save some dough, consider a sheriff’s sale. As the name suggests, it’s a real estate sale that involves your local authorities….
“If the successful bidder fails to come up with the rest of the purchase price within the 30-day period, the deposit made on the property will be forfeited, says Richard Klass, an attorney in Brooklyn, NY. In that situation, the second-highest bidder will be given the chance to purchase the property….
Follow these links to read the entire article in its original form at:
SFGate.com.
Bankrupt Ponquogue Point Condo Project Put Up For Sale
By Brendan J. O’Reilly
The East Hampton Press & The Southampton Press
Aug 26, 2019
“A court has ordered the sale of Ponquogue Point, the bankrupt condominium project on Foster Avenue in Hampton Bays that stalled when it was near completion.
“Ponquogue Point has sat mostly idle for a few years as the project has been caught up in legal battles. But now, with the court-ordered bankruptcy sale, a new owner could soon step in to finish the development, and residents could start moving in shortly thereafter….”
“…Mr. Sperry’s bankruptcy attorney, Richard A. Klass of Brooklyn, said the mortgage holder is CC Foster LLC — not a bank— and the mortgage is secured by the property….”
Brooklyn Attorneys Michele Mirman and Richard Klass Honored
By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor
opens in a new windowBrooklyn Daily Eagle
January 3, 2019
As the Brooklyn Eagle reports:
“A pair of Brooklyn attorneys active in the local bar associations, Michele Mirman and Richard Klass, were honored in the new year by separate organizations….
“…Klass is the secretary at the Brooklyn Bar Association and is in line to become its president in 2022/2023. He will be honored by the New York State Bar Association during its annual meeting on Jan. 17 with the General Practice Section Award. The award is given to an attorney who has worked to improve daily practice for general practitioners in the state and and advocate for the profession…. “
Steve Cohn encourages people to hug their neighbors at Cheesecake Breakfast
By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor
opens in a new windowBrooklyn Daily Eagle
November 2, 2018
“One of Brooklyn’s greatest modern political traditions turned 25 on Friday as it was the 25th anniversary of Steve Cohn’s annual “Cheesecake Breakfast” at Junior’s Restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn on Friday. “The annual event takes place on the Friday before Election Day and while it is a networking event for local and state politicians, it is low key. Attendees, which easily number over 200 people, arrive, have breakfast together and take some cheesecake home with them. ” “What we’ve been doing here and what we’ve done for many years is to bring people together,” Cohn said. “Look around, we’re defeating hate and giving love. And that’s what this is about.” “…
[ To read the entire article, click here. ]
Meet the Bar Leaders: Richard Klass
By Rob Abruzzese, Legal Editor
opens in a new windowBrooklyn Daily Eagle
April 4, 2017
“Richard Klass decides on law career after father’s business ends, parents split…
“Richard Klass grew up with the assumption that he would someday take over his father’s advertising and print business. After all, he had started working with his father from the age of 13 and went to Hofstra University to major in communications with the idea that it would help him down that path….”
opens in a new windowThe Brooklyn ‘Court Street Lawyer’ gains partial acceptance, but still snubbed
By Charisma L. Troiano, Esq.
opens in a new windowBrooklyn Daily Eagle
December 17, 2014
opens in a new windowWeb version
A Brooklyn “Court Street lawyer” is not merely an attorney with an office on the long Brooklyn Heights block, which is known as prime office real estate for the borough’s legal community due to its close proximity to all Brooklyn courthouses.
“When people say ‘Court Street lawyer,’ they generally mean a street-smart sharpie who may not have an Ivy League degree, but does possess verve, hustle and a striver’s charisma,” opens in a new windowa Dec. 12 New York Times article quoted….
…With the Times’ most recent description of the Downtown Brooklyn lawyer, many actual Court Street attorneys sense a turnaround in respect.
“I thought the comment that a Court Street lawyer is a ‘sharpie’ with ‘verve’ was great,” said Richard Klass, a Brooklyn attorney who has embraced the phrase.
Klass’ website is courtstreetlaw.com with the tagline “Your Court Street Lawyer.”…
Malpractice Rulings Extend NYC Lawyers’ Ties To Old Clients
By Pete Brush
Law360, New York
September 11, 2014, 8:22 PM ET
opens in a new windowPDF version
New York City trial court and appellate rulings extending the clock on professional negligence claims against law firms that no longer directly represent those clients could boost malpractice risk and leave attorneys with tough choices over communicating on past matters, experts say….
…The current lay of the land in New York City, where the First Department holds sway, means lawyers must take careful approaches when considering how they might communicate with clients — especially unhappy clients — after the work at hand is done, according to Brooklyn-based attorney Richard A. Klass, who represents malpractice plaintiffs and defendants.
Transactional lawyers, for example, might want to foreclose advice on litigation or appeals at the outset, according to Klass, and they also may want to make it clear that no more advice will be forthcoming at the completion of an engagement in order to shield themselves.
“They should beef up both their hello letters and their goodbye letters,” Klass said.
Yoko Ono’s publicist sues Eataly for $20M after bouncer ‘beatdown’
By Julia Marsh and Natasha Velez
PageSix
August 29, 2014 | 11:52am
opens in a new windowPDF version
Maybe the security guards at Mario Batali‘s Eataly need to give peace a chance.
Yoko Ono‘s publicist is suing the Manhattan pasta emporium for at least $20 million after he was allegedly beaten up by bouncers, thrown through a glass window and then called a “p—–” and a “f—–.”
Kip Kouri, head of Tell All Your Friends PR, was trying to get a table at Eataly’s popular rooftop beer garden Birreria on July 17 when he was “violently assaulted by” 10 unnamed security guards, according to his Manhattan civil suit.
His attorney, Richard Klass, told The Post his client was at the Fifth Avenue eatery with his boyfriend, sister and stepmother and got into an argument with the hostess about his reservation….
Eataly sued by Yoko Ono’s public relations agent, who restaurant rep says was ‘visibly intoxicated’
Kip Kouri claims he was ‘thrown’ through a plate glass window by bouncers who also made homophobic remarks. In a statement, restaurant spokeswoman Cristina Villa said Kouri was ‘acting as a potential threat to others.’
By Barbara Ross and Corky Siemaszko
New York Daily News
Published: August 29, 2014, 11:29am
Updated: August 30, 2014, 12:14am
opens in a new windowPDF version
What a pane!
Yoko Ono’s flack claims he was “thrown” through a plate glass window by three bigoted bouncers at celebrity chef Mario Batali’s eatery Eataly, and is now suing the operation for $10 million.
Kip Kouri claims in court papers the strongmen called him a “p—y” and a “f—-t” and that he suffered a severe gash on one leg that required 60 stitches to close.
“It took a significant amount of force to do what they did,” Kouri’s lawyer, Richard Klass, said Friday. “This was a thick window.”…
Yoko Ono Publicist Kip Kouri Injured at NYC Restaurant, Alleges Homophobic Harassment
By Andrew Hampp
Billboardbiz
July 25, 2014 6:00 PM EDT
Kip Kouri, founder of Tell All Your Friends PR, is one of the most familiar and well-liked faces on the New York indie-rock circuit, repping everyone from Yoko Ono to Les Savy Fav to Guided By Voices to white-hot duo Sylvan Esso.
But a recent visit to Eataly, Mario Batali’s food emporium in New York’s Gramercy Park, ended in a violent altercation with the wait staff, leaving Kouri in stitches after allegedly being thrown through a plate glass window by a security guard. Kouri declined public comment while he sought legal counsel, but clients like Frenchkiss Records’ Syd Butler and Miniature Tigers began tweeting in Kouri’s defense, suggesting the incident was a hate crime and that a security guard used homophobic slurs against Kouri….
…Kouri declined comment, but deferred to his lawyer Richard Klass, who responded to Billboard in a statement: “Mr. Kouri vehemently denies the allegations made in the statement of Eataly’s representative. Mr. Kouri was at Eataly with his stepmother, sister and boyfriend, and a disagreement arose concerning the mishandling by Eataly of Mr. Kouri’s reservation. Mr. Kouri proceeded to leave the store after being harassed by Eataly’s staff, including being called homophobic slurs and enduring the staff’s homophobic hand gestures at him.
“As Mr. Kouri was exiting,” Klass continued, “three security guards became physical and began to push Mr. Kouri, his stepmother and sister, all the while calling him names. The security guards then tackled Mr. Kouri and threw him through a glass door, causing him to sustain serious injuries. Footage from Eataly’s security cameras were reviewed by the New York City Police Department and the investigation of the matter is pending.”
Klass presents award to Lew Tesser for service to the New York State Bar Association
Current General Practice Section Chair Richard A. Klass presents award to Immediate Past Chair Lew Tesser for his service to the membership of the New York State Bar Association at the Executive Committee Meeting held on July 17, 2014, at the City Bar.
Greenberg Traurig Ruling Will Boost Lawyer Deceit Claims
By Pete Brush
Law360, New York
April 01, 2014, 6:35 PM ET
A hedge fund owner had six years — not three — to bring a deceit claim against Greenberg Traurig LLP and one of its well-known former attorneys over an allegedly bogus contract rider, New York’s top court said Tuesday, a ruling experts say opens the way for more claims of courtroom trickery against lawyers.
The unanimous New York Court of Appeals reversed New York City’s First Department and found that plaintiff James L. Melcher’s claim against Greenberg Traurig and attorney Leslie D. Corwin, who recently jumped…
New York Ruling Bucks Trend Of Legal Malpractice Dismissals
By Pete Brush
Law360, New York
January 24, 2014, 8:09 PM ET
A New York appellate panel’s rare move to revive a legal malpractice suit that had been summarily dismissed has triggered debate among malpractice lawyers, with some suggesting appellate judges may be pushing back when potentially viable damages claims against lawyers are tossed on a hair-trigger basis.
The decision, in Endless Ocean LLC v. Twomey Latham Shea Kelley Dubin & Quartararo LLP, saw a Brooklyn-based appeals panel put the kibosh on a trial judge’s summary dismissal of the damages suit. The appeals court reasoned that the lawyer-defendants had not utterly refuted the allegations at the summary dismissal stage….
“…Most New York legal malpractice experts believe the state is a veritable killing zone for claims against lawyers, where judges tend to err on the side of the defense, according to Brooklyn-based lawyer Richard A. Klass, who represents both plaintiffs and defendants in legal malpractice cases.
“A lot of lawyers won’t take legal malpractice cases on the plaintiff’s side,” Klass said. “Traditionally, New York is seen as less friendly to plaintiffs.”…
…Still, Klass said, there might be other reasons to think legal malpractice jurisprudence is evolving slowly in favor of plaintiffs. For example, a recent New York Court of Appeals decision — Schneider v. Finmann — gave leave for fiduciaries to an estate to stand in the shoes of a dead person in bringing legal malpractice claims, he said.
Nevertheless, according to Klass, the tough “case within a case” standard is no danger of being disposed of anytime soon — grumbling about its application in court by plaintiff’s lawyers notwithstanding — because to do so would likely expose lawyers to a tide of meritless litigation.
“If you had a poor case, and you also had a poor lawyer, it doesn’t mean the lawyer should be liable for everything,” Klass said….
Seward Park co-op board voids sale of one-bedroom that went at auction for $329G
By Barbara Ross
New York Daily News
Thursday, December 1, 2011
“Linda Salamon thought she won the real estate lottery last May when she bought a $400,000 one-bedroom co-op apartment on the lower East Side for $329,000 at a public auction….”
“…Salamon declined to discuss her battle, but her lawyer Richard Klass said that under state law, the co-op board cannot exercise its right of first refusal because the sale is not voluntary; it was forced by the lender.
“He also noted that Seward Park’s board was notified of the auction and could have bid on the apartment when Salamon won the unit….”
opens in a new windowOy! It’s Kosher Combat
Top Eatery ‘Smear’ Rap
By Bill Sanderson
New York Post
March 28, 2007
March 28, 2007 — Everything is kosher at Manhattan’s popular Le Marais steakhouse, its owners insist. And they’ve filed a $10 million lawsuit to bar a former supervisor at the restaurant from saying otherwise….
