Greenberg Settles With Alabama-Coushatta

In a move that was considered by many to be just a matter of time, Greenberg Traurig settled on behalf of its former employees one of the last outstanding tribal disputes stemming from convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s activities while at Greenberg. The financial terms of the settlement reached yesterday with the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas are undisclosed. The Tribe filed suit in July 2006 in a federal court in Austin, Texas against Abramoff, his former business associate Michael Scanlon, as well as former Greenberg Traurig lobbyists Jon van Horne, Neil Volz, and former head of the Christian Coalition Ralph Reed for allegedly defrauding the tribe, which prevented it from opening casino. The tribe was never a client of Greenberg Traurig. As a result of the settlement, Abramoff, van Horne, and Volz are no longer defendants. The Tribe also dismissed its suit against Scanlon and Reed. According to the Tribe, Reed made no financial payment to the Tribe.