News Article

CLEVELAND—An ongoing criminal case being litigated by Womble Carlyle attorneys Mark Schamel, Cathy Hinger, Josh Greenberg, Steven Robertson and Al Cornish received attention in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

 

The Womble Carlyle led defense team is defending the software company and its principles in Ohio from efforts to put the Internet cafes out of business. Back in May, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office launched a campaign to bar these businesses and charged the software providers and Internet café owners with racketeering, money laundering and illegal gambling counts. In all, 10 people and seven businesses were charged in a 70-count indictment.

 

At a December 11, 2012 motions hearing, during Mark Schamel’s cross examination of the prosecution’s lead investigating officer, the Womble team uncovered collusion between the prosecution and the lobbyist for the Casino industry, confirming that an Ohio casino that opened just before the indictment is behind the effort to shut them down. The January 8^th Plain Dealer article discusses e-mail communications between the casino lobbyist, the lead prosecutor and the lead investigating officer involved in bringing the charges against the Internet café owners.

 

Mark Schamel focuses his practice on white collar criminal defense, having represented clients in high-profile cases, both in the Washington, D.C., area and across the United States. His experience includes a wide range of white collar cases, including defending clients charged with fraud, perjury/false statements, embezzlement, price-fixing, and professional malfeasance.

 

Cathy Hinger represents companies in business disputes involving residential and commercial real estate projects, commercial real estate finance, challenges to state enforcement of gaming laws, employment discrimination, commercial contracts and business fraud. Hinger also has litigated cases involving commercial premises liability, severe property damage, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful death.

 

Josh Greenberg represents clients in complex civil litigation and criminal matters. He has substantial experience in products-liability and consumer-protection lawsuits by individuals, putative classes, and state attorneys general; judgment-enforcement and breach-of-contract actions involving real estate; and white-collar prosecutions.

 

Steven Robertson focuses his business litigation practice on representing developers and landowners in commercial and residential real estate disputes. His experience includes fraud allegations, counseling clients on contract issues, and easement rights. Robertson practices in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

 

Al Cornish is a business litigation attorney in Womble Carlyle’s Washington, D.C. office. He concentrates his practice on negotiations and complex business litigation, with a focus on sports law, fraud, consumer protection and unfair business practices, and breach of contract matters.