Quinn, Davidoff Face Fight Over $45 Million Hamptons House Sale

Two law firms are targets in a bankruptcy fight over the sale of a $45 million Hamptons property linked to Nir Meir, who faces fraud charges over the collapse of once-prominent real estate empire HFZ Capital Group.

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee is trying to claw back about $1.25 million from the sale that he said was fraudulently transferred to law firms Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan and Davidoff Hutcher & Citron, court filings in Delaware show. Meir sold the property to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft as part of a plan to evade creditors, the trustee claimed. Trustees are typically appointed to recover certain assets for the bankruptcy estate.

The Delaware court fight marks the latest chapter in a staggering fall for Meir, 49, a former executive for HFZ, once a high-profile condo developer in Manhattan. The company’s collapse has landed Meir on Rikers Island, where he is being held ahead of trial on charges of stealing more than $86 million from investors, subcontractors, and New York City through a series of illicit schemes.

HFZ’s chairman, Ziel Feldman, in 2021 also sued Meir, once his former top aide, accusing him of stealing millions of dollars from the company and using bogus documents to keep Feldman unaware. He has accused Meir of faking his signature to gain ownership of the oceanfront Hamptons home later sold to Kraft.

Meir bought and sold the home through a limited liability company called EAM 40 Meadow Lane LLC that filed for bankruptcy in Delaware in 2022.

Following the home sale, Meir directed roughly $1 million to Davidoff Hutcher & Citron and $250,000 to Quinn Emanuel, Miller claimed in Delaware court. The law firms are among several entities Miller is targeting for funds in his role as the Chapter 7 trustee.

Davidoff Hutcher is accused of forming a separate LLC for Meir in order for him to steer the proceeds away from creditors, Miller alleged. He accused the firm of legal malpractice and of aiding and abetting the breach of a fiduciary duty. Miller didn’t accuse Quinn Emanuel of wrongdoing in court filings.

“We are confident that none of the claims have any merit and we intend to make a motion to dismiss,” Davidoff Hutcher managing partner Larry Hutcher said. He declined to comment on allegations relating to the LLC.

Quinn Emanuel declined to comment.

Davidoff Hutcher, whose clients have included ex-New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani and Steve Bannon, once worked as Meir’s personal counsel. That representation stopped at least six months ago after a “difference of opinion,” Hutcher said.

Meir’s connection to Quinn Emanuel, a litigation powerhouse whose clients include Elon Musk and Alphabet Inc.'s Google, is not clear.

Miller’s lawyers at Cozen O’Connor and counsel for Meir did not immediately return requests for comment on Monday. Meir has previously denied wrongdoing.

Hamptons Beach House

Meir formed EAM 40 Meadow Lane LLC for the sole purpose of purchasing the Southampton, NY property, Miller claimed in court filings. HFZ initially had a 100% ownership interest, which shrunk to 5% by the time of the bankruptcy petition. The other 95% is held by a separate LLC tied to Meir, Miller said.

Meir’s LLC is said to have bought the Hamptons property in December 2013 for $10.5 million and later borrowed more than $18.3 million from a lender for reconstruction costs. Meir, who also used the property as collateral for personal loans, lived there with his family until 2021, when he sold it to Kraft for $44.9 million, according to the trustee.

Meir directed transfers of sales proceeds, including to his and his wife’s bank accounts, Miller alleged. One transfer for over $10 million was sent to Ermitage One LLC, a company organized by Davidoff Hutcher just 10 days prior to the sale, the trustee said. Meir’s wife, Ranee Bartolacci, is the sole member of Ermitage.

“Meir knew or should have known that selling 40 Meadow Lane and transferring the sale proceeds away from the debtor, including to Davidoff Hutcher and to the insiders, would leave the debtor with unreasonably small capital to pay its debts,” the trustee said.

Meir filed personal bankruptcy in Florida in February, claiming to be facing $30 million in liabilities while having only $50 to his name, Bloomberg News reported.

The case is Miller v. Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, Bankr. D. Del., No. 1:24-ap-50032, 4/5/24.