Benjamin E. Haskin Achieves Seventh Circuit Appellate Victory

09.05.23

On behalf of Benjamin E. Haskin’s client, the Seventh Circuit has sanctioned a New Jersey attorney who defied court orders to halt legal actions against his former client.

The long-running legal dispute began in 2006 after a payment dispute emerged between James Mac Naughton and his former client, leading Mac Naughton to purchase the judgment entered against his client. Over the years, Mac Naughton filed numerous lawsuits to the collect the judgment entered against his client, including a variety of fraudulent conveyance allegations related to home-ownership and stock transfers.

In the midst of the “torrent of actions,” the client moved to disqualify Mac Naughton based on a conflict of interest due to their previous working relationship, which was approved and prohibited the attorney from pursuing further litigation related to the judgment. Nevertheless, Mac Naughton continued to litigate these matters, including a suit against his former client’s son, whom Ben represented in the District Court and in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

The District Court for the Northern District of Illinois dismissed the suit against Ben’s client and Mac Naughton appealed. The Seventh Circuit upheld the dismissals, and granted Ben’s motion for sanctions against Mac Naughton for filing a frivolous appeal. The court ruling requires him to pay attorneys’ fees.

This case was covered in Law360 (subscription required).

As co-chair of Aronberg Goldgehn’s commercial litigation practice, Ben handles disputes involving contracts, shareholders/members, employees, trademarks, fraud and other wrongdoings, representing clients in state and federal courts. His practice also involves all phases of civil litigation and has a strong record in successful appeals.