Meister Seelig & Fein is proud to announce a significant victory for our client Pensack Sports, following a federal court ruling that dismissed all claims former NBA player Noah Vonleh asserted against his former sports agents, Pensack Sports.

The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled in favor of Pensack Sports, agreeing that Vonleh’s claims were barred under the doctrine of claim preclusion after the Swiss-based Basketball Arbitral Tribunal (BAT) previously found that Vonleh owed agent fees to Pensack Sports. After Meister Seelig & Fein represented Pensack Sports in securing a federal judgment in Georgia that confirmed the BAT arbitration award, Vonleh brought a new lawsuit in California state court asserting tort claims against Pensack Sports and other defendants. Pensack Sports removed the case to federal court under an international treaty governing the enforcement of foreign arbitration awards, and filed a pre-answer motion to dismiss Vonleh’s claims. In response, Vonleh moved to remand the case back to state court and opposed the motion to dismiss. The District Court denied Vonleh’s motion to remand and dismissed all claims brought against Pensack Sports.

Pensack Sports’s legal team was led by Mitch Schuster, Partner and Chair of the Commercial Litigation Department, and Litigation Partner Eugene Meyers. They were assisted by Associate Ben Bistricer, as well as Mark Chassman serving as local counsel in California. Their combined expertise ensured strong representation and a favorable outcome for Pensack Sports.

“We are proud to have helped Pensack Sports achieve another legal victory and expect that this ruling will bring an end to a long-running dispute,” said Mitch Schuster.

This marks the third consecutive legal win for Pensack Sports on this matter, highlighting Meister Seelig & Fein’s experience in sports law, high-stakes commercial litigation, and representing clients in different venues across the nation.