Does This Make You Uncomfortable?
Named In Suit
Max Fisher's attorney
calls claim frivolous.
ALAN ABRAMS
Special to the Jewish. News
T
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he New York lawyer for Franklin's
Max Fisher has called "frivolous"
the addition of the philanthropist and
communal leader to the list of defen-
dants in a lawsuit against Sotheby's
auction house.
Fisher, 92, is vice chairman of
Sotheby's Holdings Inc. and a major
stockholder in the New York-based
company. The suit seeks compensation
for Sotheby's clients who participated
in auctions overseas in light of allega-
tions that Sotheby's and Christie's, its
London-based major competitor, con-
spired to fix commissions and thus
limit negotiations with clients to lower
buying or selling costs.
A settlement offer of
$512 million is before a
federal judge in New York
in an attempt to settle a
similar class-action suit
covering auctions conduct-
ed stateside by the two ven- Max Fisher
erable auction houses.
However, that settlement
requires the plaintiffs to relinquish
claims stemming from overseas auc-
tions.
In a Nov. 6 telephone interview,
Fisher's attorney, Andrew Levander of
Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman LLP,
told the Jewish News, "As anybody who
knows Max Fisher recognizes, this law-
suit is totally frivolous and doesn't war-
rant any further comment."
Sources close to Fisher, who are out-
raged that any allegation of wrongdo-
ing would be brought against him,
believe the addition of his name to the
lawsuit will be thrown out of court.
Fisher's name was added along with
seven other defendants, all currently or
formerly with the auction houses in
management positions.
Fisher is a friend of A. Alfred
Taubman, who was forced to resign as
chairman of Sotheby's in February in
the wake of the scandal. Taubman of
Bloomfield Hills still controls
Sotheby's. He has vowed to "vigorously
defend" himself against any charges
that may be lodged against him.
But so far, the only individual facing
criminal charges is Diana Brooks,
Sotheby's former CEO. In entering a
guilty plea to charges of violating
antitrust laws, Brooks agreed to testify
against Taubman. No charges have
been filed against Taubman. 17