92 year-old man awarded title to his home and compensatory and punitive damages resulting from a real estate scam

Client(s) Jimenez, Manual

A team from Jones Day Los Angeles recently scored a significant victory for our 92-year-old pro bono client, Manual Jimenez. Mr. Jimenez came to Jones Day through Public Counsel after discovering he had been the victim of a real estate scam perpetrated by his former lawyer and the lawyer's paralegal and that his house was about to be sold at foreclosure.

After a bench trial in Los Angeles Superior Court, the client was awarded title to his home, compensatory and punitive damages of more than $2.5 million, and attorneys' fees and costs. Public Counsel reported that the judgment in this case was the largest judgment ever obtained on a Public Counsel pro bono consumer law case. The trial was the culmination of almost two years' work that included, beyond the usual motion, discovery, and pretrial work, multiple applications for temporary restraining orders to stop foreclosures and negotiation of a six-figure settlement with one of the initially named defendants and a number of smaller settlements with other defendants who had been dismissed before trial. The four defendants remaining were found jointly and severally liable for nine causes of action, including fraud and malpractice. The team included Jackie DeCamara, Natalie Ikhlassi, and Dan Lucas.

Manuel Jimenez v. Joseph Luna, et al., No. BC335310 (L.A. County Super. Ct.)