November 21, 2002
Litigation partner Robert J. Kheel, counsel to the Commissioner’s Office, told the AP ``we have believed from the outset that this lawsuit was just a partnership dispute masquerading as a (racketeering) claim so that the Canadian partners could obtain publicity."
The Associated Press reports that a federal judge has stayed an alleged racketeering lawsuit filed by the former limited partners of the Montreal Expos against the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball and others. Refusing to allow the litigation to proceed in federal court, the U.S. District Court in the Central District of Florida (Miami) directed that the plaintiffs would first have to arbitrate their claims against their general partner, Jeffrey Loria. Willkie partner Robert J. Kheel, counsel to the Commissioner’s Office, told the AP "we have believed from the outset that this lawsuit was just a partnership dispute masquerading as a (racketeering) claim so that the Canadian partners could obtain publicity. Their complaints are really about how the plaintiffs' partnership interests were treated. The Canadian partners agreed that any disputes about their partnership would be dealt with in arbitration, and not in court.'' Robert Kheel is a partner in Willkie’s Litigation Department, specializing in complex commercial litigation with an emphasis on labor and sports law. He represents clients on matters including employment discrimination and raiding cases, NLRB proceedings, arbitration and accountant's liability litigation, and Major League Baseball related transactions and issues.