NY Lawyer Drops Suit Against NY Lawyer Who Sued Him
Andrew Keshner,web-editor
Steven J. Baum of Amherst has agreed to discontinue his defamation case against attorney Susan Chana Lask, who had sued Mr. Baum’s firm for fraud and conspiracy, now that those claims have been settled. Mr. Baum sued Ms. Lask, of Manhattan, last November for comments she allegedly made about him in a press release, a newspaper article and a YouTube video (NYLJ, Feb. 17). But on April 14, Western District Judge Richard J. Arcara signed a stipulation of dismissal in Mr. Baum’s defamation suit. The case was discontinued with prejudice and without costs to either party, according to the stipulation.
Ms. Lask represented two homeowners in a putative class action lawsuit against Steven J. Baum P.C. and MER-SCORP, the owner of electronic mortgage registry. On April 11, the plaintiffs settled with the Baum firm, but the case against MERSCORP was dismissed without prejudice (NYLJ, April 27).
The defamation case, originally filed in Erie County Supreme Court, called for $6 million in damages and was re-moved to the Western District in March. Nelson Perel of Webster Szanyi in Buffalo represented Ms. Lask during part of the case before she became the attorney of record. In a motion to dismiss, Mr. Perel argued, “Baum’s frivolous lawsuit is nothing more than an invalid effort to harass and intimidate Lask.” Vincent E. Doyle III of Connors & Vilardo in Buffalo represented Mr. Baum. A spokesman for Mr. Baum did not return a call for comment.
