Pretzel & Stouffer Attorneys Obtain Historic Judgment in Bankruptcy Case

A Pretzel & Stouffer trial team, led by Edward Ruff and Michael Turiello and including Paula Villela, along with Douglas Lipke and William Thorsness of Vedder Price P.C. obtained a judgment in the amount of $9,539,768.54 for damages stemming from Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland (“F&D”) for contempt and violation of a bankruptcy court’s Confirmation Order in the In re Kimball Hill, Inc. bankruptcy proceedings. United States Bankruptcy Judge Timothy Barnes awarded these damages based upon F&D’s contemptuous pursuit of state court litigation against the firm’s client.

The award is one of the largest bankruptcy contempt awards in US history and appears to be the largest ever entered in the 7th Circuit. In arriving at his decision, Judge Barnes commended the work of the lawyers from Pretzel & Stouffer stating that “[t]he court has reviewed all compensation paid to Pretzel * * * and it is reasonable and necessary to [its] efforts in pursuing the Motion. Pretzel’s litigation expertise and experience was beneficial to the efficient resolution of the matter before the court.”