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AZA’s $11.4 Million Verdict in False Accusations Case Ranked Top Texas Jury Award of 2014 for Intentional Torts
May 22, 2015

HOUSTON – The $11.4 million jury verdict won by AZA, or Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing, for Houston technology company Function One Consulting Group LLC has been ranked as Texas’ top verdict of 2014 in the intentional torts category, according to the legal reporting service VerdictSearch.

In addition to being ranked No. 1 in the intentional torts category, the Function One jury award is listed as the 28th largest Texas verdict during 2014 in the VerdictSearch report published in the May 25 issue of Texas Lawyer newspaper.

AZA partner Steven Mitby and firm associate Adam Milasincic won the case against Function One competitor Accudata Systems Inc. The jury determined that Accudata relayed its false allegations of tax violations to Function One’s biggest customer, causing the company to lose the contract.

“This was an outstanding result for our client. Function One both got back its good name and was compensated for the lost business. It’s wonderful to help clients get what they need and what they want,” says Mr. Mitby, lead trial counsel for Function One.

The false allegations began after Function One hired several employees who previously worked at Accudata. Function One filed suit, and Accudata responded with a counterclaim for mental anguish based on Function One’s use of a private investigator and Function One’s owner parking his Lamborghini sports car in front of Accudata’s offices. That claim was tossed in a directed verdict by Harris County State District Judge Michael Landrum.

The award by the Harris County jury included $1 million in punitive damages against Accudata, which also made its false claims about Function One to the IRS, FBI and the Texas Workforce Commission.

The case is Function One Consulting Group L.L.C. v. Accudata Systems Inc., et al., No. 2009-79590

AZA, or Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing, is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, intellectual property, and business dispute cases. AZA is recognized in Chambers USA 2015 among the best in Texas commercial law; U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America as one of the country’s best commercial litigation firms in 2014; Texas Lawyer as a Top 2015 Texas Litigation Department and Law360 as a 2014 Texas Powerhouse law firms. National corporate counsel named AZA one of the country’s best in client service among law firms serving the Fortune 1000. Read more at https://azalaw.com.

 

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1221 McKinney St, Suite 2500
Houston, TX 77010
(713) 655-1101

© 2024 All rights reserved.

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