Braden M. Wayne Helps Achieve RICO Settlement on Behalf of Diamond Doctor

08.23.17

SettlePou attorney Braden M. Wayne successfully represented Diamond Doctor in a highly-publicized RICO and business disparagement case in Federal Court in the Eastern District of Texas by obtaining a favorable settlement and permanent injunction following jury selection. Braden, who also serves as outside general counsel for Diamond Doctor and its related entities, was part of a high-powered trial team in Diamond Doctor’s case against Cummings Manookian PLC, a Tennessee law firm alleged to have orchestrated a $3 million scheme to extort money from the Dallas-based jeweler.

Braden worked with his client on the settlement through the night until a deal was reached shortly before 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The tipping point was the Court ruling that Brian Manookian acted in bad faith by deliberately obstructing the Court’s efforts to determine how a third-party obtained proprietary Diamond Doctor’s customer lists and acted deliberately to “interfere with or improperly influence potential jurors and witnesses.”

The case, Diamond Consortium, Inc. et al v. Manookian, 4:16-cv-00094, was covered extensively by The Dallas Morning News, Law360, and The Texas Lawbook.

Diamond Doctor President David Blank, who was countersued personally by Cummings Manookian, spoke highly of Braden’s involvement: “Braden is a sharp, aggressive litigator who played a pivotal role in achieving this outcome for Diamond Doctor. He was able to craft creative solutions to seemingly impossible situations.” Braden’s work with the Diamond Doctor is illustrative of his practice in which he combines his litigation experience with his transactional acumen to provide well-rounded business representation to his clients, including software companies, retailers, and entrepreneurs.