GERE v. LOUIS (N.J., March 6, 2012)In Gere, a client had retained the defendant, John DeBartolo, Esq., to represent her in a divorce case and subsequent related proceedings in New Jersey. Mr. DeBartolo replaced the plaintiff’s prior counsel who had allegedly made an error that arguably waived the plaintiff’s interest in property that was the subject of a settlement agreement entered into during the divorce case. The related proceedings encompassed post-judgment litigation focused on whether the plaintiff had, in fact, waived her rights in the above noted property.

GERE v. LOUIS (N.J., March 6, 2012)Between 1997 and 2007, the plaintiff, Julia Gere, was represented by three different lawyers related to the divorce action filed by her husband. She sued the first lawyer, Frank Louis, and the second lawyer, John DeBartolo, who both claimed she was barred from pursuing malpractice claims against them, pursuant to the New Jersey Supreme Court’s prior ruling in Puder v. Buechel, 183 N.J. 428 (2005).Louis had helped Gere reach a 2000 settlement that gave her a half interest in a marina and other properties.