Justice in Wine Country: Securing a $1.185 Million Jury Verdict in Napa

This summer, I had the privilege of spending two weeks in Napa, not for a wine tour, but for a high stakes trial in the Napa County Superior Court. I am thrilled to announce that our team at ArentFox Schiff secured a $1.185 million jury verdict for our client, M5 Automotive LLC.

The Case:

The dispute arose from a 2021 agreement in which our client contracted to purchase a Honda dealership and its underlying real estate for $16 million. However, despite our client being ready and willing to close the deal, the owner terminated the agreements and sold the property to another buyer for $17.5 million.

Our client filed suit for breach of contract and fraud, arguing that a deal is a deal and that the seller breached the contract by unlawfully terminating the deal and selling the dealership to another buyer.

The Trial:

Trial work is always a marathon, and this one was no exception. Over the course of two weeks, we presented evidence showing that the seller wrongfully terminated the contract to chase a higher offer. The defense filed multiple post-trial motions to challenge the outcome, but the court ruled in our favor, upholding the jury’s finding that the agreement had been breached.

The Team:

Victories like this are never a solo effort. I was lucky to work alongside a stellar group of attorneys and other legal professionals in ArentFox Schiff’s Transportation and Mobility Practice Group, including Victor Danhi, John Bronstein, Gary Brophy, Susanne Boniadi, Ryan Therrian, Barbara Kazior, and Natalie Moore. 

You can read the official press release here.