874 N.Y.S.2d 52 (App. Div., 1st Dep’t 2009)
On behalf of documentary filmmaker defendants, the Firm successfully defended appeal of lower court’s dismissal of plaintiffs’ defamation claims for lack of personal jurisdiction. The appellate court also affirmed lower court’s dismissal on merits of plaintiffs’ claims against codefendants arising out of allegedly defamatory statements in Dateline NBC telecast entitled “Rescue or Ripoff,” which investigated whether plaintiff Doug Copp was a hero or had sought to capitalize on the 9/11 tragedy by gaining access to Ground Zero under false pretenses, and by obtaining $600,000 payment from 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund for illnesses supposedly caused by exposure to toxic chemicals at Ground Zero.