stanley kusper, jr. deposition transcript
DESCRIPTION
page 11 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 vs. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 The discovery deposition of STANLEY T. KUSPER, JR., taken before Cathleen M. Baker, CSR, a notary public within and for the County of Cook and State of Illinois, on June 30, 2011, at the hour of 1:00 o'clock p.m., at 444 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2600, Chicago, Illinois. KUSPER AND RAUCCI CHARTERED, Defendant/ Counterplaintiff. EDWARD X. CLINTON, P.C., Plaintiff/ Counterdefendant, ) ) ) ) ) Case No. ) 11 CH 19310 ) ) ) ) ) IN TTRANSCRIPT
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1
2 STATE OF ILLINOIS ) ) SS. 3 COUNTY OF C O O K )
4 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF 5 COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT, CHANCERY DIVISION 6
7 EDWARD X. CLINTON, P.C., ) ) 8 Plaintiff/ ) Counterdefendant, ) 9 ) Case No. vs. ) 11 CH 19310 10 ) KUSPER AND RAUCCI ) 11 CHARTERED, ) Defendant/ ) 12 Counterplaintiff. )
13
14 The discovery deposition of
15 STANLEY T. KUSPER, JR., taken before
16 Cathleen M. Baker, CSR, a notary public
17 within and for the County of Cook and State
18 of Illinois, on June 30, 2011, at the hour
19 of 1:00 o'clock p.m., at 444 North Michigan
20 Avenue, Suite 2600, Chicago, Illinois.
21
22
23
24
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1 APPEARANCES:
2 MR. DENNIS C. WALDON 3 LAVIN & WALDON 444 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2600 4 Chicago, Illinois 60611 (312) 670-4260 5 (312) 670-4275 facsimile [email protected] 6 appeared on behalf of 7 plaintiff/counterdefendant;
8 MR. EDWARD X. CLINTON, JR. 9 LAW OFFICES OF EDWARD X. CLINTON, P.C. 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 3400 10 Chicago, Illinois 60602 (312) 357-1515 11 (312) 201-0737 [email protected] 12
13 Appeared on behalf of the plaintiff/counterdefendant; 14
15 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER KUSPER & RAUCCI CHARTERED 16 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 3400 Chicago, Illinois 60602 17 (312) 332-5000 (312) 332-4663 facsimile,
19 appeared on behalf of defendant/counterplaintiff. 20
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1 I N D E X
2 WITNESS: Stanley T. Kusper, Jr. PAGE
3 Examination by Mr. Waldon 4
4
5 PLAINTIFF'S EXHIBITS 6 No. 1 18 7 GroupNo. 2 24 8 No. 3 29 9 No. 4 35 10 No. 5 41 11 No. 6 43 12 No. 7 45 13 No. 8 49 14
No. 9 60 15 No. 10 64 16 No. 11 67 17 No. 12 70 18 No. 13 21 19
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24
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1 (Witness sworn.)
2 STANLEY T. KUSPER, JR.,
3 called as a witness, having been first duly
4 sworn, was examined and testified as
5 follows:
6 EXAMINATION
7 BY MR. WALDON
8 Q. Would you state your name and
9 address for the record, please?
10 A. Stanley T, middle initial,
11 Kusper, K-u-s-p-e-r, Jr. My home address
12 is 1040 North Lake Shore Drive, Apartment
13 23A, Chicago, Illinois, 60611.
14 Q. Let the record reflect that
15 this deposition is taken pursuant to notice
16 and all applicable rules.
17 Mr. Kusper, have you been
18 deposed before?
19 A. Yes.
20 Q. How many times?
21 A. I have no recollection of that.
22 A few.
23 Q. So you know how depositions
24 work. Did you discuss your testimony today
page 5
1 with anyone other than your counsel?
2 A. No.
3 Q. Did you review any documents in
4 anticipation of your deposition today?
5 A. Yes.
6 Q. What did you review?
7 A. Pleadings, exhibits.
8 Q. Exhibits to the pleadings?
9 A. Exhibits to the pleadings and
10 other exhibits that were introduced at
11 other deps.
12 Q. Okay. Anything else?
13 A. I can't recall. I don't think
14 so.
15 Q. For the record, what is your
16 occupation?
17 A. I am an attorney.
18 Q. Would you summarize your
19 education, please?
20 A. How far back do you want me to
21 go?
22 Q. Oh, high school.
23 A. Weber High School, Archbishop
24 Weber High School, Chicago; University of
page 6
1 Illinois undergraduate, Bachelor of Arts
2 1957; Northwestern University School of
3 Law, Juris Doctor 1960.
4 Q. Are you licensed in Illinois?
5 A. Yes.
6 Q. Any other states?
7 A. No other states, no.
8 Q. What has been your area of
9 practice?
10 A. Oh, it's been varied over the
11 course of the 51 years. I do principally
12 now labor law, governmental law, education
13 law, EEOC work, Illinois human rights work,
14 collective bargaining agreements,
15 personnel.
16 Q. Have you ever done any real
17 estate work?
18 A. Yes.
19 Q. Would you summarize for the
20 record your political experience and
21 positions?
22 A. On November 1, 1961, I became
23 the assistant attorney at the Board of
24 Election Commissioners at the City of
page 7
1 Chicago. In 1963, I believe somewhere
2 around April or May, I became the acting
3 attorney for the Board of Election
4 Commissioners of the City of Chicago. In
5 1964, I became full counsel there. In
6 1969, I filled a vacancy and became a
7 member of the Board of Election
8 Commissioners and chairman. That lasted
9 until March of 1973, when I was appointed
10 by the County Board to fill a vacancy in
11 the Office of County Clerk of Cook County;
12 and I successfully held that office until
13 1990.
14 Q. And during that time, were you
15 a member or affiliated with any law firm?
16 A. I had a brief tenure with the
17 law firm of McCoy, Ming and Black. That
18 lasted for less than a year. And I
19 practiced law then on my own.
20 Q. Starting in 1990?
21 A. No, no, no. During the tenure
22 of my public life, did you ask?
23 Q. Yes.
24 A. I had an affiliation with
page 8
1 McCoy, Ming and Black for less than a year;
2 and then after that, it was just my sole
3 practice.
4 Q. Have you as an individual been
5 a party to any lawsuit?
6 A. Yes.
7 Q. When was that?
8 A. Back in the late '50s,
9 something like '59, '60, I was involved in
10 a personal injury case. I was a plaintiff.
11 Q. Anything else as an individual?
12 A. Well, when you are in public
13 life, you get sued in your official
14 capacity and your individual capacity. I
15 was involved in about 25,000 cases with me
16 as an individual.
17 Q. Other than in your official
18 capacity?
19 A. I don't believe so.
20 Q. As an attorney have you ever
21 been the subject of any disciplinary
22 proceeding?
23 A. No. Well, let me correct. I
24 am sorry. During one campaign, one of my
page 9
1 opponents brought a charge against me
2 before the ARDC, which was dismissed.
3 Q. What is your current firm?
4 A. Kusper and Raucci Chartered,
5 R-a-u-c-c-i, Chartered.
6 Q. So Raucci?
7 A. Raucci.
8 Q. I have heard it a number of
9 ways.
10 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Yes.
11 Mr. Clinton, Sr. was pronouncing it
12 incorrectly, but I left it alone.
13 BY MR. WALDON:
14 Q. When did that firm start?
15 A. In the '70s.
16 Q. And briefly over the years,
17 what has been the size? Has it fluctuated?
18 Has it been small? What's the largest it's
19 been, just in summary?
20 A. Depends on your definition of
21 "small." We have been somewhere -- well,
22 when Andy Raucci and I started it, it was
23 the two of us. It got up to at one point,
24 I believe, ten; and we are now seven.
page 10
1 Q. And at times, to shorten
2 things, if I say KRC, can we use that as
3 Kusper and Raucci Chartered?
4 A. Fine.
5 Q. Are there officers and/or
6 directors of KRC?
7 A. Yes.
8 Q. And who are they?
9 A. I am all of it.
10 Q. Are you the decision maker on
11 all issues at KRC?
12 A. Well, I was, with my partner
13 Andy Raucci. We were equal partners at the
14 time. I was president. He was secretary.
15 But now with the advent of his retirement
16 some nine years ago, I guess, in the advent
17 of Stewart joining the firm, I still have a
18 two-share majority of the stock, but we
19 jointly make decisions.
20 Q. Jointly you and Stewart, the
21 gentleman to your right?
22 A. That's correct.
23 Q. Is Stanley Kusper, III, an
24 attorney in your firm?
page 11
1 A. Yes.
2 Q. And what is his area of
3 practice?
4 A. Whatever we ask him to do, Jack
5 of all trades.
6 Q. Specifically with regard to
7 potential sub-tenants -- well, withdrawn.
8 KRC is in Suite 3400 at 30 North LaSalle in
9 Chicago, correct?
10 A. Correct.
11 Q. With regard to sub-tenants or
12 potential sub-tenants for Suite 3400, who
13 decides on whether to accept them or not?
14 A. I do. Or I did. It would now
15 be, "We would." But I used to. Stewart,
16 my son Stewart, has only been a member of
17 the firm since, I believe, September
18 the 15th of 2010.
19 Q. 9-15-10, okay. With regard to
20 KRC's staff, people working for you who are
21 not attorneys, over the years, what has
22 been the range of people, non-attorneys,
23 working for KRC?
24 A. Four, five maximum.
page 12
1 Q. And how many at the present
2 time, non-attorney employees of KRC?
3 A. Four, I believe.
4 Q. And is Donna Carlson one of
5 those?
6 A. Yes.
7 Q. And is Pamela, whose name
8 starts with a "G," one of those?
9 A. Graniczny, G-r-a-n-i-c-z-n-y.
10 Q. And who are the other two, for
11 the record?
12 A. Then there is Pam, whose last
13 name I always mispronounce.
14 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER:
15 Prokaski, P-r-o-k-a-s-k-i.
16 BY MR. WALDON:
17 Q. How long has she been with the
18 firm?
19 A. Approximately, a little longer
20 than Stewart, so mid-2010.
21 Q. And who is the fourth staff
22 person?
23 A. Our receptionist Maria.
24 Q. What's Maria's last name?
page 13
1 A. Gonzalez? No, it's not
2 Gonzalez. Can't tell you.
3 Q. How long has she been with the
4 firm?
5 A. Very short period of time.
6 Q. With regard to Pamela G., what
7 are her duties?
8 A. Assistant, secretarial, right
9 arm.
10 Q. Right arm to you?
11 A. Um-hum.
12 Q. That's a "yes"?
13 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: You got
14 to answer out loud in words.
15 THE WITNESS: Yes. I am sorry.
16 That's correct.
17 BY MR. WALDON:
18 Q. When did Donna Carlson start
19 with KRC, approximately? You can make it a
20 year.
21 A. Nine, ten years ago.
22 Q. And what is her job description
23 and duties?
24 A. Office manager.
page 14
1 Q. How long has she held that
2 position?
3 A. Ever since we hired her.
4 Q. In the time that she has been
5 the office manager of KRC, have you ever
6 heard any complaints about her from any of
7 your sub-tenants?
8 A. Yes.
9 Q. And can you generalize or can
10 you recall specifics about those
11 complaints?
12 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
13 to the form of the question. It's very
14 overbroad and vague. You can answer if you
15 understand it.
16 THE WITNESS: Generally,
17 tenants, sub-tenants complain when she
18 enforces the rules or asks for overdue rent
19 or any other matters that she deems
20 appropriate to bring to my attention -- to
21 our attention now.
22 BY MR. WALDON:
23 Q. Have you ever received any
24 complaints about Donna from other KRC staff
page 15
1 people?
2 A. I can't recall any.
3 Q. Have you ever received any
4 complaints about Donna from any other KRC
5 attorneys?
6 A. I can't recall any.
7 Q. With regard to Pamela G., if I
8 could call her that, to your knowledge,
9 what does she know about the facts or
10 issues relating to this?
11 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
12 to the form of the question. It's vague
13 and overbroad. If you understand, you can
14 answer.
15 THE WITNESS: She has knowledge
16 of some of the matters that came up which
17 resulted in some of the actions that we
18 took, yes.
19 BY MR. WALDON:
20 Q. Can you recall any,
21 specifically, that she has knowledge of or
22 had involvement with?
23 A. The urination on the floors of
24 the bathrooms.
page 16
1 Q. Anything else?
2 A. At this time, I can't think of
3 anything else.
4 Q. How long has KRC been in Suite
5 3400 at 30 North LaSalle?
6 A. Forever. About 34 -- 33,
7 34 years.
8 Q. And how many attorney offices
9 are there, ballpark, or exactly if you
10 know, in Suite 3400?
11 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
12 to the form of the question. It's vague.
13 Are you talking about now? Are you talking
14 about ever?
15 MR. WALDON: Now.
16 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: You mean
17 now currently being used by K & R
18 attorneys? You asked a prior question
19 about the fluctuation in attorney numbers,
20 so I am just trying to be precise.
21 BY MR. WALDON:
22 Q. At the current time, how many
23 attorney offices are there in Suite 3400?
24 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Still
page 17
1 object to the form of the question. It's
2 still vague the way you have worded it. If
3 you understand, you can answer.
4 THE WITNESS: I believe 18,
5 thereabouts. Could be 17. Could be 19.
6 BY MR. WALDON:
7 Q. Did KRC's -- who is the
8 landlord of KRC, Tishman Spire?
9 A. Tishman Spire.
10 Q. And did KRC sign a master lease
11 with Tishman Spire at some point?
12 A. No.
13 Q. When KRC moved in 34, 33,
14 34 years ago, with whom did it sign a
15 lease?
16 A. I believe that it was
17 Prudential Insurance Company at the time.
18 They had taken the building over from the
19 original developers.
20 Q. And when did Tishman Spire take
21 over?
22 A. When Sam Zell sold his
23 holdings, I believe. This is what, three,
24 four years ago maybe, give or take? Let me
page 18
1 correct that. Somebody came in after Zell
2 sold and then sold to Tishman Spire, so
3 Tishman Spire's been around for a couple,
4 three years maximum.
5 Q. Has the initial lease that KRC
6 signed been amended at any time?
7 A. Yes.
8 Q. How many times?
9 A. Approximately three, maybe four
10 times.
11 Q. And do you refer to that as a
12 master lease?
13 A. Yes.
14 Q. And is it your understanding
15 that in the discovery process in this case,
16 the production of that master lease and
17 amendments has been requested and that the
18 defendant has objected to producing it?
19 A. Yes, I am aware of that.
20 MR. WALDON: Would you mark
21 this as Plaintiff's Exhibit 1, please?
22 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No. 1
23 was marked for
24 identification.)
page 19
1 BY MR. WALDON:
2 Q. Please take a look at what has
3 been marked Plaintiff's Exhibit 1, and tell
4 me if you recognize that as Defendant's
5 Response to Plaintiff's Request for
6 Production of Documents?
7 A. That's the title it bears.
8 Q. If you would turn, please, to
9 -- there is no page number, so one, two,
10 three, fourth page, the request and the
11 response to Number 5. It's at the bottom
12 of the page. See request Number 5 for the
13 master lease and any amendments thereto and
14 then the answer?
15 A. Yes.
16 Q. Do you see that the one
17 objection is that the request is overbroad?
18 Do you see that?
19 A. Yes.
20 Q. How many pages is the master
21 lease and the amendments?
22 A. I haven't looked at that master
23 lease in a long time. The only thing I
24 have been looking at is the amendments to
page 20
1 it. And the amendments run sometimes
2 three, four or five pages. Overall, I
3 could not even conjecture with any
4 reasonable accuracy as to how long it is.
5 Q. And do you have any
6 understanding as to why it would be unduly
7 burdensome to have someone copy and have
8 that master lease and amendments produced?
9 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: I am
10 going to object to the form of the
11 question. It is totally improper to ask
12 opinions of someone who is here as a fact
13 witness. I am attorney of record. If you
14 want to take up a discovery issue with me,
15 you can do it in court with the Illinois
16 Supreme Court rules and 201(k), in
17 particular. You don't get to harass a
18 witness and ask him about the legal bases
19 and factual bases for objections I have
20 made. If you want to persist in this, I am
21 instructing him not to answer.
22 He is not here as an attorney.
23 He is here as a fact witness only.
24 MR. WALDON: A fact witness can
page 21
1 testify as to how lengthy or not the
2 document is that's at issue.
3 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: And he
4 gave you that. You are now asking him to
5 opine on the bases of the objections that
6 have been leveled. That's proper only for
7 a Rule 201(k), not in a fact witness
8 deposition. I am happy to have that with
9 you if you ever request it, but you have
10 not.
11 MR. WALDON: Do you stand by
12 your attorney's comments?
13 THE WITNESS: I do.
14 BY MR. WALDON:
15 Q. At the current time, how many
16 sub-tenants are in Suite 3400?
17 A. Approximately 14.
18 MR. WALDON: Let's mark this,
19 if you would, please, as Plaintiff's
20 Exhibit 13.
21 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No. 13
22 was marked for
23 identification.)
24
page 22
1 BY MR. WALDON:
2 Q. I have some premarked exhibits.
3 Let me show you what's been marked
4 Plaintiff's Exhibit 13, a letter from your
5 counsel from a little bit ago today sending
6 over some supplemental production of
7 documents. I would ask you if you would
8 turn to the last page, please, which is
9 marked at the lower right "1208." And do
10 you know what this document indicates?
11 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: For the
12 record, before he answers, my
13 secretary/assistant did not mark,
14 obviously, what's been redacted here, which
15 is the rental terms pertaining to the other
16 ten apartments, sub-tenants on here, so it
17 should have been so marked. I apologize.
18 MR. WALDON: I presumed
19 that that's what that was.
20 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: I am
21 sorry. You can answer the question if you
22 remember what it was.
23 THE WITNESS: He wanted to know
24 how many subtenants there are.
page 23
1 MR. WALDON: Why don't you just
2 read back the question, please?
3 (Question read back by the
4 reporter, as requested.)
5 THE WITNESS: Well, it's titled,
6 "Leases 2008/2013." And I think it
7 indicates 21 sub-tenants.
8 BY MR. WALDON:
9 Q. It says "leases," but these are
10 subleases?
11 A. That's correct.
12 Q. And are they in, roughly,
13 chronological order?
14 A. I have no idea.
15 Q. Toward the bottom on the left,
16 I see "490-591." Do you know if there is
17 another one beyond that? It's sort of cut
18 off. Or do you know, counsel?
19 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: I don't.
20 You should have called me. I would have
21 checked. But I will check on a break.
22 BY MR. WALDON:
23 Q. Okay. Are sub-tenants of Suite
24 3400 with, I presume, lease terms beginning
page 24
1 from 2008 and to some extent -- and the
2 later ones running to 2013?
3 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
4 to the form of the question. It's vague.
5 If you understand and you know, you can
6 answer.
7 THE WITNESS: I do not know, but
8 I know what the caption says, "leases
9 2008/2001." I don't have individual
10 knowledge about individual leases.
11 MR. WALDON: Mark this, please,
12 as Plaintiff's Group Exhibit 2.
13 (Plaintiff's Group Exhibit
14 No. 2 was marked for
15 identification.)
16 BY MR. WALDON:
17 Q. Please take a look at Group
18 Exhibit 2, which bears the defendant's
19 document production number 169 through 200
20 and appears to be four subleases with
21 regard to Suite 3400 with Kevin Mix, Robert
22 Karr, John Martin and David Stringer.
23 Please take a quick look. And do these
24 look to be those subleases?
page 25
1 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: I am
2 going to caution the witness, you don't
3 have to take a quick look. You can take as
4 long a look as you need to to familiarize
5 yourself with the documents. Be confident
6 in your testimony.
7 THE WITNESS: There is a lease
8 with Kevin Mix.
9 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER:
10 Sublease.
11 THE WITNESS: Sublease, I should
12 say. There is a sublease with David N.
13 Stringer, sublease with Robert W. Karr and
14 a sublease with John C. Martin LLC.
15 BY MR. WALDON:
16 Q. Okay. Just one point. The
17 second one, which appears with David N.
18 Stringer --
19 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: I think
20 that's page 177.
21 MR. WALDON: That's right, yes,
22 177. A quick look, I don't see Stringer's
23 name on Document 1208 on PX 13. Would that
24 be identified under some other name, do you
page 26
1 know?
2 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Well,
3 look. For the record, I am going to note,
4 some of these are noted by first names.
5 THE WITNESS: 490-49 at the end
6 of the first column has "David." That
7 could be David.
8 BY MR. WALDON:
9 Q. That could be Stringer?
10 A. It could be Stringer. The one
11 above it, for instance 490-47, that's Gail.
12 That's Weiss. So there are mixtures of
13 first and last names here.
14 Q. With regard to -- and your
15 Document Production Request says that
16 "Sample subleases have been produced."
17 With regard to Document 1208 in Plaintiff's
18 Exhibit 13, do you know if all of those
19 subleases were in the same form as the four
20 subleases that constitute Group Exhibit 2?
21 A. I do not know.
22 Q. With regard to the sublease
23 forms that are in Plaintiff's Group
24 Exhibit 2, who drafted that sublease?
page 27
1 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: I am
2 sorry. Which one?
3 THE WITNESS: These four. I
4 think the form was put together by Stanley
5 Kusper, III.
6 BY MR. WALDON:
7 Q. And I am not sure I asked. How
8 long has he been with KRC?
9 A. I'd have to conjecture. It's
10 about 9, 10 years.
11 Q. Now, you have got Group
12 Exhibit 2? Just look at the first page.
13 The paragraph 2 refers to "KRC's master
14 lease," correct?
15 A. Yes.
16 Q. And KRC is, in fact, the tenant
17 for Suite 3400 on the master lease?
18 A. That's correct.
19 Q. And Suite 3400 is described as
20 "the Premises," capital "P" in quote, is
21 that correct, at the end of paragraph 2?
22 A. Yes.
23 Q. And in paragraph 3 of the first
24 page of this sublease, paragraph 3 states
page 28
1 that what's being subleased are "the
2 Premises," capital "P," is that correct?
3 A. Yes.
4 Q. So if the premises are the
5 subject of the master lease and it's
6 mentioned in the same term as the paragraph
7 3, how is it that the master lease is not
8 relevant to the issues in this case?
9 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
10 to the form of the question. I am going to
11 go back to the same thing that we talked
12 about before. If you would like to discuss
13 the objections that were made to your
14 document request, you need to take it up
15 pursuant to the Illinois Supreme Court
16 rules, which is not doing it in the context
17 of questioning a witness who is here as a
18 fact witness, but rather talking to me as
19 counsel of record.
20 If you want to persist in this,
21 I will make the objection. I will instruct
22 him not to answer. And I am happy to make
23 myself available for the same 201(k) that I
24 invited you to have earlier when you did
page 29
1 the same thing with this witness.
2 BY MR. WALDON:
3 Q. Prior to this case for which
4 you are here today, has KRC been in any
5 litigation involving this form of the
6 sublease?
7 A. No.
8 MR. WALDON: Mark this, please,
9 as Plaintiff's Exhibit 3.
10 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No. 3
11 was marked for
12 identification.)
13 BY MR. WALDON:
14 Q. Take a look at Plaintiff's
15 Exhibit 3, please. The first question is,
16 this is the sublease with Edward X.
17 Clinton, P.C., is that correct?
18 A. Yes.
19 Q. And this is the same form as
20 the four samples that were in Group
21 Exhibit 2, is that correct?
22 A. Yes.
23 Q. Do you think it was reasonable
24 for the Clinton firm to rely upon the terms
page 30
1 of the lease that you drafted?
2 A. I can't answer that.
3 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: I object
4 to the form of the question.
5 BY MR. WALDON:
6 Q. In connection with Plaintiff's
7 Exhibit 3, the Clinton firm's sublease,
8 what was your involvement, if any, in
9 negotiation and/or signing or discussion of
10 this sublease?
11 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
12 to the form the of the question. It's
13 vague and ambiguous. If you understand,
14 you can answer.
15 THE WITNESS: I understand the
16 signing portion of it. I signed it.
17 BY MR. WALDON:
18 Q. Were you involved at all in any
19 discussions about the sublease prior to
20 your signing it?
21 A. With whom?
22 Q. Okay. Did you have any
23 discussions with Mr. Clinton, Jr. or
24 Mr. Clinton, Sr. before you signed the
page 31
1 sublease?
2 A. No.
3 Q. Did you have any discussions
4 with Mary Winch of the Clinton firm before
5 signing the sublease?
6 A. No.
7 Q. It's dated February 20, 2009.
8 And please turn to page 6. Is that your
9 signature as the president of KRC?
10 A. Yes.
11 Q. And you believe you signed it
12 on or about February 20, 2009?
13 A. That's the date it bears.
14 Q. Do you recall what time of day
15 you may have signed it?
16 A. No, sir.
17 Q. Prior to your signing this
18 lease, did you have any discussion about
19 the sublease with Stanley Kusper, III?
20 A. I don't believe so.
21 Q. And Stewart Kusper was not
22 there in 2009, correct?
23 A. That's correct.
24 Q. Prior to your signing this
page 32
1 sublease, Plaintiff's Exhibit 3, did you
2 have any discussion about it with Donna
3 Carlson?
4 A. Yes.
5 Q. And when and what was
6 discussed?
7 A. When? It was prior to the
8 execution of the lease. It was during the
9 time that she was having discussions, I
10 believe, with Mary Winch, who was
11 negotiating on behalf of the Clintons. I
12 remember being involved to the extent that
13 the Clintons were seeking two offices,
14 larger, as large as they could be. They
15 were looking for larger space, and we only
16 had one that was available.
17 And I undertook discussions
18 with one of our other sub-tenants who was
19 having some difficulty with the practice
20 and finances and persuaded that person to
21 vacate her office and move to another
22 office in the suite, which was smaller and
23 less expensive in rent, so that we could
24 have the availability of a second office;
page 33
1 and that is the office which Mr. Clinton,
2 Sr. now occupies.
3 Q. And with regard to any
4 discussions with Donna Carlson, anything
5 else, terms, rent, anything about the
6 sublease that you recall?
7 A. She just indicated to me what
8 the terms were that they had agreed to.
9 Q. Do you recall anything else
10 about any other discussions with Donna
11 Carlson about this sublease prior to it
12 being signed?
13 A. I can't recall at this time.
14 Q. For example, one detail? Did
15 she tell you anything that anyone from the
16 Clinton firm said to her about what they
17 were looking for, other than the two
18 offices that you have testified to?
19 A. I don't recall. I really
20 don't.
21 Q. Besides Donna Carlson, did you
22 have any discussions with anyone else,
23 staff or attorneys, at KRC about this
24 sublease, other than what you have just
page 34
1 testified to?
2 A. I don't recall.
3 Q. Has the Clinton firm made all
4 of its rent payments under the sublease,
5 Plaintiff's Exhibit 3?
6 A. I believe they have.
7 Q. Are you aware of anything that
8 the Clinton firm has not done pursuant to
9 the terms of the sublease Plaintiff's
10 Exhibit 3?
11 A. Yes.
12 Q. What is that?
13 A. They haven't furnished us with
14 Workers Compensation insurance coverage.
15 That was provided for in the lease. I
16 don't believe they have given us the
17 certificate.
18 Q. And that's pursuant to
19 paragraph 12? Is that what you are
20 referring to?
21 A. Yes, sir, that is correct.
22 Q. 12(2)?
23 A. That is correct. And I am not
24 sure whether or not they are current on
page 35
1 their liability coverage.
2 Q. So your testimony is that the
3 certificate of insurance hasn't been
4 supplied, and you don't know whether or not
5 the insurance is actually in place, or do
6 you?
7 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: I object
8 to the form of the question. You are
9 mischaracterizing what he just testified
10 to.
11 MR. WALDON: Well, I am trying
12 to clarify it.
13 THE WITNESS: I do know that
14 they have not furnished us with the
15 certificate of insurance for Workers
16 Compensation. I do not know whether or not
17 they are current on their liability
18 insurance certification.
19 MR. WALDON: Would you mark
20 this, please, as Plaintiff's Exhibit 4?
21 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No. 4
22 was marked for
23 identification.)
24
page 36
1 BY MR. WALDON:
2 Q. Please take a look at what has
3 been marked Plaintiff's Exhibit 4, the
4 Defendant's Answer, Affirmative Defenses
5 and Counterclaim in this case. Have you
6 seen this document before?
7 A. Yes.
8 Q. If you would turn, please, to
9 page 8, and direct your attention to the
10 allegation and answer with regard to
11 paragraph 19, allegation that, "The Clinton
12 firm has performed all material obligations
13 required of it under the lease." And after
14 the objection at the end, it states, "K &
15 R," which is KRC, "denies the allegations."
16 Do you know the basis for the denial of
17 paragraph 19?
18 A. Well, I just indicated to you
19 that there is a question concerning the
20 insurance coverage, and I imagine that
21 might be the answer. But I didn't certify
22 this, so I don't know.
23 Q. To your knowledge, do you know
24 of anything else besides the insurance
page 37
1 issue you just mentioned?
2 A. At this time, I can't think of
3 anything.
4 Q. Going back to -- just keep it
5 handy -- the sublease, Exhibit 3.
6 A. Yes.
7 Q. So to your knowledge, what did
8 KRC intend to sublet to the Clinton firm in
9 Suite 3400?
10 A. Two offices and one work
11 station.
12 Q. In addition to those spaces,
13 did KRC intend that the Clinton firm would
14 have access to and use of the hallways in
15 the Suite 3400?
16 A. The sublease doesn't say that
17 it does.
18 Q. Well, I am not asking. My
19 question is with regard to KRC's intent or
20 understanding. Did you understand that the
21 Clinton firm personnel would have access to
22 and use of the hallways in Suite 3400?
23 A. They would have permission to
24 use the hallways in Suite 3400, yes.
page 38
1 Q. And same thing with closets,
2 closet space?
3 A. They would have permission to
4 do that, too.
5 Q. And the reception area, same
6 thing?
7 A. They would have permission to
8 utilize that service, also.
9 Q. And the copy room?
10 A. The answer is same.
11 Q. Same. And the kitchen?
12 A. They would have permission to
13 use the kitchen, yes.
14 Q. And at the time the lease was
15 filed -- sublease was signed, I am sorry --
16 access to and use of two internal bathrooms
17 in Suite 3400?
18 A. That is not included in the
19 lease. They would have permission to use
20 that.
21 Q. You say they would have
22 permission to use that?
23 A. It is not part of the lease,
24 but we would grant them permission to do
page 39
1 so.
2 Q. And the same with conference
3 rooms in Suite 3400, have access to and use
4 of the conference rooms?
5 A. They and all the other
6 sub-tenants would have our permission to
7 utilize those, yes, according to the rules
8 and procedure we have for that.
9 Q. And after the Clinton firm
10 moved into Suite 3400, and certainly for a
11 number of months thereafter, Clinton firm
12 personnel did have access to and use of
13 those common areas that we were just
14 talking about, is that correct?
15 A. They had permission to use
16 them, yes.
17 Q. With regard to this type of
18 arrangement in Suite 3400 and your other
19 sub-tenants, would you call that a shared
20 office arrangement?
21 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
22 to the form of the question. It's not a
23 legal term. It's not a term in the
24 sublease, and it's not a term in the law.
page 40
1 Subject to that, if you understand, you can
2 answer.
3 THE WITNESS: I don't understand
4 the question. I don't know what you mean
5 by that.
6 BY MR. WALDON:
7 Q. Have you ever heard the term
8 "shared office arrangement"?
9 A. No.
10 Q. Have you ever heard of other
11 lawyers subleasing space where a number of
12 law firms occupy the same suite and use the
13 same common areas?
14 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
15 to the form of the question. If you
16 understand, you can answer.
17 THE WITNESS: I don't understand
18 the question.
19 BY MR. WALDON:
20 Q. Have you ever been in a law
21 firm where there is more than one firm or
22 more than one counsel occupying the same
23 suite?
24 A. Except for Kusper and Raucci?
page 41
1 No.
2 Q. In July of 2009, do you recall
3 correspondence between KRC and the Clinton
4 firm with regard to an issue of food in the
5 work area?
6 A. Yes.
7 MR. WALDON: Mark this, please,
8 as Plaintiff's Exhibit 5.
9 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No. 5
10 was marked for
11 identification.)
12 BY MR. WALDON:
13 Q. Take a look at that, please,
14 for a second, or whatever you need to read
15 it.
16 A. Yes.
17 Q. Do you recognize this letter?
18 A. Yes.
19 Q. Do you have any personal
20 knowledge of the incident to which it
21 refers with regard to food and the
22 secretarial area?
23 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
24 to the form of the question.
page 42
1 MR. WALDON: Would you repeat
2 that question, please?
3 (Question read back by the
4 reporter, as requested.)
5 BY MR. WALDON:
6 Q. Do you have any personal
7 knowledge of what happened that's the
8 subject of this letter?
9 A. Yes.
10 Q. And what do you recall
11 happening?
12 A. It was an incident where a
13 birthday cake was placed on the countertop
14 of the work station that the Clintons rent.
15 And people were partaking of the birthday
16 cake and, quite frankly, making a mess on
17 the floor around it.
18 Q. And do you know if Donna
19 Carlson or anyone else of KRC talked to
20 anyone at the Clinton firm before sending
21 this letter?
22 A. I have no idea.
23 MR. WALDON: Let's mark the
24 next exhibit, please, Plaintiff's
page 43
1 Exhibit 6.
2 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No. 6
3 was marked for
4 identification.)
5 BY MR. WALDON:
6 Q. Please take a look at
7 Plaintiff's Exhibit 6 and tell me if you
8 recognize that document.
9 A. Yes, I do.
10 Q. And was the letter being
11 returned Plaintiff's Exhibit 5, if you
12 recall?
13 A. I assume, but I can't say for
14 certain because it doesn't reference in the
15 writing here what letter it is; but I
16 assume that that's what it is.
17 Q. And is that -- is the
18 handwriting yours?
19 A. Yes, sir.
20 Q. Oh, above your handwriting, who
21 is Stephanie Capps, if you recall?
22 A. I have no idea.
23 Q. In the first line under
24 "Gentlemen," does it say -- and it's fairly
page 44
1 legible writing -- "Your hostility is
2 troubling and certainly not warranted"? Is
3 that what it says?
4 A. That's what it says.
5 Q. What, quote/unquote,
6 "hostility" were you referring to?
7 A. What's missing between the last
8 two exhibits that you handed me is the
9 letter that was sent out, or memorandum --
10 I don't know what it is -- by Mr. Clinton,
11 Sr. to all of the sub-tenants and to K & R,
12 dealing with the item of correspondence
13 that we addressed in the cake incident.
14 Q. And to the best of your
15 recollection, what did that memo say?
16 A. Without having it in front of
17 me, I couldn't describe it; but it was, I
18 think, accurately reflected in my first
19 sentence of this Exhibit 6, "hostility."
20 Q. Do you recall, generally, what
21 the memo said or points made or anything?
22 A. Generally speaking, it blasted
23 K & R for enforcing the rules.
24 Q. Did you have any discussion --
page 45
1 well, this handwritten note on the memo to
2 Donna Carlson, I presume, was given to the
3 Clinton firm, is that correct?
4 A. Yes, sir.
5 Q. And after it was given to the
6 Clinton firm, did you have any discussion
7 about your note with anyone at the Clinton
8 firm?
9 A. No, not that I recall.
10 Q. And why is that?
11 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
12 to the form of the question.
13 THE WITNESS: The letter speaks
14 for itself. There was no reply.
15 MR. WALDON: Please mark this
16 one as Plaintiff's Exhibit 7.
17 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No. 7
18 was marked for
19 identification.)
20 BY MR. WALDON:
21 Q. Please take a look at
22 Plaintiff's Exhibit 7.
23 A. Yes.
24 Q. Is this a memo you received
page 46
1 from Mr. Clinton, Jr. on or about the date
2 it bears, August 5, 2009?
3 A. Yes.
4 Q. On page 2, they are not
5 numbered but the one, two, three, four,
6 fifth paragraph down, it states that you
7 personally visited Mary and apologized for
8 the letter that your office manager sent.
9 Is that accurate?
10 A. No.
11 Q. Did you talk with Mary? So are
12 you saying it's not accurate because you
13 didn't apologize, or are you saying you
14 didn't talk to Mary at all?
15 A. I answered your question. You
16 asked was that accurate? I said, "No, it's
17 not."
18 Q. What is inaccurate about it?
19 A. It's not correct.
20 Q. So, did you talk to Mary Winch
21 about the birthday cake incident?
22 A. Yes.
23 Q. And do you recall approximately
24 when after it occurred or vis-a-vis these
page 47
1 other letters?
2 A. No. But this letter indicates
3 that it was after the letter was sent by
4 the office manager, so it was sometime
5 after that.
6 Q. And so you didn't apologize, is
7 that your recollection, for Donna's letter?
8 A. I didn't apologize for the
9 letter, no.
10 Q. What did you say to Mary?
11 A. I said I was sorry that the
12 incident was causing her any difficulty
13 because she was only following the
14 instructions of her superiors. I happen to
15 like Mary Winch.
16 Q. With regard to that discussion
17 that you just testified about with regard
18 to Mary Winch, have you had any other such
19 discussions with any other subtenant or its
20 personnel with regard to any conduct or
21 action that Donna Carlson has taken, if you
22 can recall?
23 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
24 to the form of the question. Incredibly
page 48
1 vague an overbroad. I think it's
2 impossible to answer, but if you can
3 understand it, you may answer.
4 THE WITNESS: Would you rephrase
5 that and, kind of, get to the point that
6 you are trying to make? I don't
7 understand, and I can't give you a blanket
8 answer to that question, not in the form in
9 which it's phrased. Have I talked to
10 sub-tenants about Donna Carlson? In
11 relation to what? I don't know what you
12 are after. I will be happy to answer
13 whatever question you have.
14 BY MR. WALDON:
15 Q. I am interested in any action
16 that Donna has taken that any sub-tenant
17 had a problem with and you talked to the
18 sub-tenant to say you were sorry about what
19 Donna had done or was sorry about the
20 impact of it, something like that, anything
21 similar.
22 A. Not that I recall, no, sir.
23 Q. At some point in 2009, KRC
24 denied its sub-tenants access to the two
page 49
1 internal bathrooms, is that correct?
2 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
3 to the form of the question.
4 MR. WALDON: What's the
5 objection?
6 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Because
7 you are characterizing with argumentative
8 terms. "Denied" is not an appropriate term
9 in my estimation.
10 BY MR. WALDON:
11 Q. Can you answer the question?
12 A. No.
13 Q. You don't recall that?
14 A. I can't answer the question the
15 way it's phrased.
16 MR. WALDON: Mark this as
17 Plaintiff's Exhibit 8, please.
18 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No. 8
19 was marked for
20 identification.)
21 BY MR. WALDON:
22 Q. Take a look, please, at what's
23 been marked Plaintiff's Exhibit 8, and tell
24 me if you are familiar with that document.
page 50
1 A. Yes.
2 Q. And in the second to third line
3 of the first paragraph -- well, this is a
4 memo from you, correct?
5 A. That's correct.
6 Q. To all of the sub-tenants?
7 A. That's correct.
8 Q. Dated August 25, 2009, is that
9 correct?
10 A. That's the date it bears.
11 Q. And in the first paragraph,
12 second and third sentence, your memo
13 states, "It has been necessary to return
14 the bathroom facilities to their original
15 intended purpose, usage by KRC employees
16 and associates," is that correct?
17 A. That's what it says.
18 Q. So by virtue of this memo,
19 weren't you denying access to the other
20 sub-tenants to the internal bathrooms?
21 A. No.
22 Q. How could they use the internal
23 bathrooms when you said it's only for the
24 usage for KRC personnel?
page 51
1 A. They used it by our permission.
2 It wasn't a denial. It was a reassertion
3 of no permission.
4 Q. First of all, there are two
5 internal bathrooms, correct, in Suite 3400?
6 A. That's correct.
7 Q. And one right as you are going
8 into or coming out of the den conference
9 room, correct?
10 A. Yes.
11 Q. And the other one close by?
12 A. Yes.
13 Q. And the internal conference
14 rooms, the larger one, everyone calls it
15 "the den," is that correct?
16 A. That's correct.
17 Q. And then there is a smaller
18 conference room?
19 A. That is correct.
20 Q. You have referred several times
21 to KRC giving permission to use things,
22 such as internal bathrooms. Was that in
23 writing at any time to any sub-tenant,
24 giving them permission to use any of the
page 52
1 common areas?
2 A. No.
3 Q. So what, if anything, gave
4 sub-tenants permission to use these common
5 areas?
6 A. They were informed that they
7 could use them by our permission, yes.
8 Q. By Donna?
9 A. Probably.
10 Q. All right. Referring back to
11 Plaintiff's Exhibit 8, the memo refers to
12 "a series of most unfortunate, uncorrected
13 and repeated events." Do you see that?
14 A. Yes, sir.
15 Q. What does that refer to?
16 A. The discovery on a number of
17 occasions of urination which ended up on
18 the floors of the bathrooms, which created
19 an unsanitary, unhealthy and unsafe
20 condition.
21 Q. Both internal bathrooms that
22 this was discovered?
23 A. I believe that's correct.
24 Q. So who discovered the
page 53
1 conditions that you have just described?
2 A. It was reported to me by Donna
3 Carlson, and I believe I also had a
4 discussion concerning it with Pam G., as
5 you referred to her. And also, I do
6 believe that our receptionist at that time
7 also reported it to, I believe, Donna
8 Carlson indicating that she slipped and
9 almost fell and hurt herself.
10 Q. And what is that receptionist
11 -- former receptionist, you say?
12 A. Yes. It was a couple of
13 receptionists ago.
14 Q. What was her name?
15 A. I can't remember right now.
16 Q. And what, if anything, do you
17 recall about the details of her slipping
18 and almost hurting herself?
19 A. I didn't get the details of it.
20 I just got the report that it happened.
21 Q. And what steps, if any, did you
22 take after that, after hearing that report?
23 A. In an effort to not stigmatize
24 anybody, my view of -- my observation that
page 54
1 it occurred only after the Clintons had
2 begun their tenancy, sub-tenancy, with our
3 firm, that it might be logical to assume
4 that because of the physical condition of
5 Mr. Clinton, Sr., his difficulty in
6 walking, stability issues possibly, and
7 whatever, that it could be that he was the
8 individual who may have had a directional
9 challenge from time to time using the
10 bathrooms.
11 So as not to embarrass
12 Mr. Clinton, Jr. by discussing the matter
13 about his father, I went to Curtis Ross,
14 who is a good friend of the Clintons, and
15 came over approximately the same time from
16 this other suite where they were all at,
17 and sat with him and asked him if he could
18 discretely and gently discuss the matter
19 with Mr. Clinton, Jr., since I didn't know
20 Mr. Clinton, Jr. that well, and possibly
21 see if that was what had been occurring.
22 No one ever got back to me
23 about that. And it continued. And we
24 eventually rescinded the permission to
page 55
1 utilize the bathrooms.
2 Q. Did you ever go back to
3 Mr. Ross to follow up?
4 A. No. I didn't find it was
5 incumbent upon me to do so.
6 Q. Do any documents exist with
7 regard -- besides Plaintiff's Exhibit 8 --
8 with regard to the decision, and was it
9 your decision to take the steps outlined in
10 Plaintiff's Exhibit 8?
11 A. Absolutely.
12 Q. And are there any other
13 documents relating to that incident or any
14 inspection or anything with regard to the
15 condition of the bathrooms as you have
16 described them?
17 A. When? At what time?
18 Q. Prior to sending out the memo
19 on August 25, 2009.
20 A. I do believe there had been
21 another incident, and that's what prompted
22 us to do what we did.
23 Q. No. I am asking about
24 documents.
page 56
1 A. Documents.
2 Q. Notes of an inspection or
3 anything?
4 A. No, I don't -- I am not aware
5 of any.
6 Q. Let's go back for one second to
7 Plaintiff's Exhibit 13, another document
8 that was produced this afternoon, the first
9 one after the letter bearing number 1202,
10 an e-mail from May 29, 2009 talking about
11 cleaning inspections. Take a look at that.
12 My question will be if you know to what
13 this refers.
14 A. We had --
15 Q. What cleaning?
16 A. -- an outbreak, if you will, of
17 fruit flies and other forms of vermin
18 because of careless use of food in the work
19 stations. We had to have the exterminators
20 come in and do their thing, as you will, to
21 help rid us of the problem. And they did,
22 and they came back on a couple of other
23 occasions to do inspections to be sure that
24 that occurrence was still not taking place.
page 57
1 And this is right around the same time
2 where the cake incident took place, roughly
3 speaking. I am not sure exactly when.
4 Q. So this has nothing to do with
5 the internal bathroom issue that we were
6 just discussing?
7 A. No.
8 Q. Any similar documents that you
9 know of with regard to the bathroom
10 incidents we were just talking about, about
11 clean up or redoing or anything with regard
12 to that?
13 A. No documents. The only thing
14 is, in my conversations with Pam G., that
15 she went in and cleaned up a couple of
16 times to get rid of the spill.
17 Q. All right. We have been at it
18 about an hour. Why don't we take a break
19 and let's you and I talk for a second.
20 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: It's
21 been more than an hour because I have got a
22 stop watch.
23
24
page 58
1 (After a short break, the
2 deposition resumed as
3 follows:)
4 BY MR. WALDON:
5 Q. Let's go back for a second to
6 Plaintiff's Exhibit 4, the Answer to the
7 Complaint, and go to page 39 -- I am sorry
8 -- page 22, paragraph 39. I am going to
9 have a question about the first sentence,
10 but go ahead and read it to the extent you
11 wish.
12 A. Number 39?
13 Q. Number 39. And this is in the
14 beginning of your Affirmative Defenses,
15 just to give you a context.
16 A. Okay.
17 Q. My question with regard to the
18 first sentence which refers to one or more
19 persons slipping -- time out for a second.
20 (There was a brief
21 interruption.)
22 BY MR. WALDON:
23 Q. Paragraph 39 in the Affirmative
24 Defense refers to "one or more persons
page 59
1 slipping on urine on the floor in one of
2 the bathrooms and almost falling and
3 injuring themselves." You had testified
4 about the former receptionist, correct?
5 A. Um-hum.
6 Q. Does this allegation, this
7 sentence in paragraph 39, refer to that
8 person?
9 A. I don't know. I didn't attest
10 to this. I do know that we had that one
11 incident that I was aware of, and I heard
12 there was another incident, but I am not
13 sure.
14 Q. Okay. Do you remember any
15 details with regard to the potential second
16 incident?
17 A. No. I think I just told you, I
18 am not sure.
19 Q. Okay. We will put that back
20 then. With regard to your August 25th
21 memo, Plaintiff's Exhibit 8, did the
22 Clinton firm object?
23 A. I do believe so.
24 MR. WALDON: Mark this, please,
page 60
1 as Plaintiff's Exhibit 9.
2 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No. 9
3 was marked for
4 identification.)
5 BY MR. WALDON:
6 Q. Please take a look at
7 Plaintiff's Exhibit 9. And the first
8 question would be, did you receive it?
9 A. Yes.
10 Q. And do you see in the first
11 paragraph -- and this is from Mr. Clinton,
12 Jr., correct?
13 A. It's not signed, but it is --
14 it bears his name.
15 Q. And in the first paragraph, the
16 letter states that, "The Clinton firm
17 disagrees with the August 25th memo with
18 regard to the internal bathrooms and
19 believes it to be a breach of the
20 sublease." Do you see that?
21 A. That's what it says.
22 Q. Did you ever talk with
23 Mr. Clinton, Jr. after receipt of this
24 letter about the statement that the Clinton
page 61
1 firm thought it to be a breach of the
2 sublease?
3 A. No.
4 Q. In the second paragraph, it
5 states that, "For many years prior to
6 August 25th, the interior bathrooms were
7 open and available to all tenants, guests
8 and Kusper personnel."
9 A. Yes. We granted permission for
10 all of our sub-tenants all of those years
11 to utilize them, as well as their guests
12 and our personnel, because we never had
13 incidents of urination on the floors, which
14 would cause a hazard. So yes, they had
15 permission to do so.
16 Q. In the third paragraph, it
17 states that, "Prior to signing the lease,
18 the office manager informed the Clinton
19 firm that they would be able to use the
20 interior bathrooms." Is that accurate, so
21 far as you know?
22 A. That's what the letter says.
23 Q. Do you know if that, one way or
24 the other, if that's an accurate statement?
page 62
1 A. I was not present during that
2 discussion, but I would imagine that she
3 probably, if she did say that, indicated
4 that there would be permission for them to
5 use it, yes.
6 Q. With regard to the -- they are
7 not numbered, but one, two, three, four,
8 fifth paragraph down, it states that,
9 "Members of this firm and everyone
10 associated with us were very careful to
11 clean and maintain the bathrooms." Do you
12 know if that is an accurate statement or
13 not?
14 A. I have no idea.
15 Q. The next paragraph states that,
16 "In March of '09, toilet in the small
17 bathroom had a plunger next to it." Do you
18 recall seeing that, or do you know if
19 that's an accurate statement?
20 A. That's accurate.
21 Q. And the paragraph after that,
22 refers to a substantial burden on a
23 Ms. Bryant. Is that Andre Bryant?
24 A. I believe that's to who he
page 63
1 refers, yes.
2 Q. And is it your recollection or
3 memory that she was handicapped in some
4 way?
5 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
6 to the form of the question. If you
7 understand, you can answer.
8 THE WITNESS: If you observe
9 Miss Bryant, you see that she walks with a
10 cane.
11 BY MR. WALDON:
12 Q. Did you ever talk to Miss
13 Bryant after the August 25th memo about use
14 of the internal bathrooms or not?
15 A. No. She never approached me.
16 I never approached her.
17 Q. So given -- so, with regard to
18 this Plaintiff's Exhibit 9, this letter, do
19 you state you did not respond to
20 Mr. Clinton, Jr., is that correct?
21 A. The letter is dated September
22 the 4th, 2009. I have not responded to
23 this letter because there was no need to.
24 Q. So is it correct to say that
page 64
1 then, after receiving this letter, you
2 didn't inform anyone at the Clinton firm
3 that you thought there was some sort of
4 mutual mistake in the lease -- the
5 sublease?
6 A. The letter didn't address any
7 legal rights that they attained under the
8 sublease; and no, there was no conversation
9 about anything at all.
10 Q. Well, but just directing your
11 attention for one second back to the first
12 paragraph, they talk about legally, it
13 says, "the firm believes it's a breach of
14 our sublease." So that is stated
15 correctly?
16 A. That is stated in the letter
17 back in September of '09, and this is
18 almost July of 2011.
19 MR. WALDON: Mark this, please,
20 as Plaintiff's Exhibit 10.
21 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No.
22 10 was marked for
23 identification.)
24
page 65
1 BY MR. WALDON:
2 Q. Take a look at Plaintiff's
3 Exhibit 10 dated September 18, 2009. Did
4 you receive a copy of this memo from
5 Mr. Clinton, Sr.?
6 A. Well, it's addressed to me, but
7 I don't know if I received it. I can't
8 recall.
9 Q. So I guess if you don't recall
10 receiving it, you wouldn't know whether or
11 not you responded to it, is that correct?
12 Just no recollection?
13 A. I just have absolutely no
14 recollection of that at all. I am sorry.
15 Q. Okay. Did any other sub-tenant
16 object to you, either orally or in writing,
17 to the August 25, 2009, memo --
18 A. No.
19 Q. -- Plaintiff's Exhibit 8?
20 A. No.
21 Q. Have you had any conversations
22 with any sub-tenants in Suite 3400 stating
23 your position that you think their sublease
24 has a mutual mistake?
page 66
1 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
2 to the form of the question.
3 THE WITNESS: The issue has
4 never been raised.
5 BY MR. WALDON:
6 Q. Since this current lawsuit was
7 filed, have you or anyone at KRC
8 communicated with any other sub-tenants
9 with regard to their subleases or any of
10 the terms thereof?
11 A. I can't speak for anybody else
12 but myself. I have not.
13 Q. At some point, KRC restricted
14 the use of the den, the large conference
15 room, isn't that correct?
16 A. That usage has always been
17 restricted.
18 Q. In what way?
19 A. People would have to register
20 in a book to be able to set out the time
21 that they were going to use it so there
22 wouldn't be chaos among all the sub-tenants
23 with regard to the use of the rooms.
24 MR. WALDON: Mark this, please,
page 67
1 as Plaintiff's Exhibit 11.
2 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No.
3 11 was marked for
4 identification.)
5 THE WITNESS: I read it.
6 BY MR. WALDON:
7 Q. Is this a memo you sent on or
8 about April 5, 2011?
9 A. Yes.
10 Q. Did you make the decision that
11 is reflected in this memo with regard to
12 the den?
13 A. Yes.
14 Q. Please describe -- well, take
15 that back. Withdrawn. Did you see or find
16 the serious scratch and 10-inch gouge on
17 the table that's referred to here?
18 A. Yes.
19 Q. Who is the first person who saw
20 it, if you know?
21 A. I have no idea who was the
22 first person who saw it, but I saw it.
23 Q. And do you recall when that
24 was, approximately?
page 68
1 A. Shortly before this memo was
2 sent.
3 Q. Do you have any facts with
4 regard to how this scratch and gouge may
5 have happened?
6 A. The memo itself refers to the
7 anonymity of whoever did it. We don't
8 know.
9 Q. Did you talk to Donna Carlson
10 about the scratch and the gouge?
11 A. Yes.
12 Q. And what were the contents of
13 that discussion?
14 A. I was not a happy camper.
15 Q. What, if anything, did she have
16 to say?
17 A. She understood it and came up
18 with a suggestion that, in addition to the
19 registration of the time that you wanted in
20 the books that we had available for usage
21 of the room, that we take steps to insure
22 that the room was used only at the times
23 that are requested by the sub-tenants and
24 by our firm.
page 69
1 Q. The den had not been locked
2 permanently prior to this time, is that
3 correct?
4 A. No it had not.
5 Q. Do you recall who reported the
6 scratch and the gouge to you?
7 A. I think it was either --
8 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Excuse
9 me. I am going to object to the form of
10 the question. To him personally, or to
11 Kusper and Raucci?
12 MR. WALDON: To him personally.
13 THE WITNESS: I think I heard
14 about it from Donna. I am not sure. It
15 could have been Stanley, III.
16 BY MR. WALDON:
17 Q. Do you recall what time of day
18 it was reported to you?
19 A. No, I do not.
20 Q. Do you, Stanley Kusper, Jr.,
21 think someone at the Clinton firm did the
22 damage to the table?
23 A. I have absolutely no way of
24 knowing.
page 70
1 Q. Are there any documents, notes,
2 memos or other documents relating to the
3 incident that resulted in Plaintiff's
4 Exhibit 11?
5 A. If there are, I don't know
6 about them.
7 MR. WALDON: Mark this, please,
8 as Plaintiff's Exhibit 12.
9 (Plaintiff's Exhibit No.
10 12 was marked for
11 identification.)
12 BY MR. WALDON:
13 Q. Take a look at Plaintiff's
14 Exhibit 12, and tell me if you received
15 this letter on or about the date it bears.
16 A. Yes, I did.
17 Q. Was that from a lawyer named
18 Dennis Waldon?
19 A. I think so, Dennis C. Waldon.
20 Q. And did you respond to
21 Mr. Waldon?
22 A. I believe we had a telephone
23 conversation when you called me, and you
24 said to me that I hadn't responded; and I
page 71
1 said, "Well, we will, in due course. I
2 think it deserves a response."
3 Q. And do you recall when that
4 occurred?
5 A. No.
6 Q. Is that the only time you
7 recall you and I speaking about this
8 letter?
9 A. I believe that's correct.
10 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Don't
11 forget you already marked 13.
12 BY MR. WALDON:
13 Q. With regard, generally, to your
14 interaction with other sub-tenants in Suite
15 3400 over the last couple of years, do you
16 consider yourself to be aloof from them?
17 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
18 to the form of the question. It's also
19 argumentative. If you understand, you can
20 answer.
21 THE WITNESS: How can I answer
22 that question when everybody is different
23 and interactions between people are
24 different based upon the differences
page 72
1 between the people and the attitudes of
2 those people? I do not consider myself to
3 be aloof. On the contrary. I consider
4 myself to be quite friendly.
5 BY MR. WALDON:
6 Q. On matters relating to
7 interaction and communications with the
8 sub-tenants on issues that might arise, do
9 you prefer that Donna Carlson deals with
10 them rather than yourself?
11 A. That's why she is there. She
12 is the office manager. I, too, have an
13 active practice of law.
14 Q. In the Defendant's Responses to
15 Plaintiff's Rule 213(f) Interrogatories,
16 Steven Adatto, A-d-a-t-t-o -- is that how
17 you pronounce his name?
18 A. That's correct.
19 Q. -- is identified as a witness
20 who may testify about matters in the
21 Complaint in K & R's Affirmative Defenses
22 and Counterclaim. Do you know what
23 information he has knowledge about with
24 regard to those issues?
page 73
1 A. He oftentimes advises Donna
2 with regard to leasehold matters and
3 issues. I don't know whether or not any of
4 them involve the Clinton -- I will call it
5 a controversy. But I do know that he was
6 the subject of -- I will try to be polite
7 about this -- a complaint filed with the
8 Attorney Registration and Disciplinary
9 Commission by Mr. Clinton, Jr. with regard
10 to alleged, and I stress the word
11 "alleged," conduct in a matter before the
12 Department of Employment Security of
13 Illinois.
14 Q. What is Mr. Adatto's area of
15 practice? Does it include real estate?
16 A. Yes.
17 Q. Anything else?
18 A. He practices in all phases of
19 our practice. He does employment work. He
20 does work before the Department of
21 Employment Security. He does personal
22 injury work. He does insurance work. He
23 does whatever. Again, he is one of our
24 general functionaries.
page 74
1 Q. But some real estate?
2 A. Yes.
3 Q. It includes real estate?
4 A. Yes, he has handled real estate
5 transactions on behalf of the office and
6 his clients.
7 Q. Let's go back, please, for a
8 second to Plaintiff's Exhibit 4, the
9 Answer. And if you would turn, please, to
10 page 28. The fifth affirmative defense
11 there is "unclean hands." And take a look
12 at the allegations in paragraph 69. I have
13 a few questions about 69.
14 A. Okay. I have read it.
15 Q. Are you aware of any facts with
16 regard to the allegation that the Clinton
17 firm engaged in unfair, inequitable,
18 unconscionable and/or fraudulent actions in
19 connection with the sublease?
20 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Object
21 to the form of the question. This is an
22 allegation in a pleading that has legal
23 concepts in it that are set forth in order
24 to establish the defense. The witness may
page 75
1 not know exactly how to characterize
2 certain facts to fit within or without any
3 of those particular allegations and legal
4 concepts. That is for argument of counsel
5 after the facts are into evidence and for
6 decision by the judge. So to the extent
7 that you are asking him, also, for a legal
8 conclusion is improper. If you understand
9 the question, you can answer.
10 THE WITNESS: Well, I think it's
11 unfair and unconscionable for people to
12 come to you and lease two offices and a
13 work station and, with an obvious mistake
14 in the lease, not seize upon it for all of
15 the time that they were there, some two
16 years plus, and attempt to assert that they
17 have sublet the entire office, including
18 all of the sub-tenants, including all of
19 the Kusper and Raucci space. I think
20 that's unfair. I think it's
21 unconscionable, as a matter of fact.
22 It's inequitable to assert
23 these things after about, what, a
24 year-and-a-half delay, after asserting
page 76
1 their first alleged breach. And I do
2 believe that there are, from what I have
3 been told, statements --
4 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Excuse
5 me. I need to make sure that you are not
6 about to testify to something that may have
7 come from a conversation between you and I.
8 If so, that's privileged.
9 THE WITNESS: Yes. I can't do
10 that.
11 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Thank
12 you. I object and instruct him not to
13 answer on privilege grounds.
14 THE WITNESS: I'd like to, but I
15 can't.
16 BY MR. WALDON:
17 Q. Turn to the next page, please,
18 if you would, in Plaintiff's Exhibit 4.
19 The seventh affirmative defense alleges an
20 illegality. And I direct your attention
21 for a moment to paragraph 77. I have a
22 question there.
23 A. Go ahead.
24 Q. Do you know of any facts, which
page 77
1 is what I am asking you about, that would
2 indicate that plaintiff's firms are barred
3 by the principles of illegality?
4 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Again, I
5 am going to interpose my objection to the
6 form of the question, as well as asking
7 this witness to testify to legal
8 conclusions. Although you ask him for
9 facts, you are asking for him to fit those
10 facts and categorize them within the
11 construct of an affirmative defense of
12 legal concepts. That is not for this
13 witness to testify to or to make those
14 judgments, but rather it is for the judge
15 and only the judge after the facts to which
16 this witness may have personal knowledge
17 are into evidence.
18 Subject to those objections, if
19 you understand, and I stress that if you
20 understand, you may answer.
21 MR. WALDON: Object to the
22 improper coaching, but go ahead if you can.
23 We are talking about facts.
24 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Same
page 78
1 objection.
2 THE WITNESS: I don't know what
3 facts the pleader of this affirmative
4 defense relied upon in making that defense;
5 and, accordingly, I can't answer the
6 question.
7 BY MR. WALDON:
8 Q. Let's go back to paragraph 13
9 for a moment.
10 A. You don't mean paragraph 13.
11 You mean Exhibit 13.
12 Q. Exhibit 13, right. Okay. If
13 you look past the transmittal letter, we
14 talked about 1202. The documents 1203
15 marked in the lower right-hand corner
16 through 1207, which is at the top, do you
17 know what these documents relate to?
18 A. This is -- the first one on 03
19 is an invoice from Simone D'Amore, who was
20 the woodworker who refinished the table
21 that was scratched and gouged.
22 Q. The table in the den?
23 A. In the den, yes, sir.
24 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Just if
page 79
1 I can for the record, each of the memos or
2 invoices are dated the same in the text
3 area, but if you look at the fax legends,
4 you will see the differences in when they
5 were actually transmitted and when they
6 came in.
7 BY MR. WALDON:
8 Q. And the one that starts at
9 1206, that's another invoice to that
10 gentleman for additional work on the table,
11 I presume?
12 A. No. That is an invoice that
13 reflects the entire total of $2,200.
14 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: They are
15 in reverse.
16 MR. WALDON: They are both dated
17 February 28.
18 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: And they
19 are in reverse order. If you look at the
20 fax legends on the top or bottom of the
21 document, you will see when they were
22 actually sent in and what the differences
23 are in the timing of them.
24 MR. WALDON: Yes, I see. All
page 80
1 right. Even though they are dated the
2 same.
3 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: Exactly.
4 That was the biller's mistake.
5 BY MR. WALDON:
6 Q. I am going to ask a question
7 without marking as an exhibit because it's
8 hundreds of pages long. But I will
9 represent to you that these are some of the
10 documents that we received today,
11 indicating they are calendars. And if you
12 know, just to identify generally, are these
13 calendars that KRC uses for reserving and
14 using the conference rooms in the suite?
15 A. That's what they appear to be,
16 yes.
17 Q. You don't maintain these
18 documents, is that correct?
19 A. No, I do not. That's why I
20 have an office manager and a receptionist.
21 Q. And one other question. Do you
22 know -- which you may or may not know. For
23 example, here's a page for January 5th. It
24 refers to the den, small conference room,
page 81
1 and what's the third column, do you know,
2 library?
3 A. That looks like library.
4 Q. Library, okay. And on this
5 page under January 5th under the den, there
6 is, like, a file stamp for December 29th.
7 Do you see that?
8 A. I see that.
9 Q. Do you know what that means?
10 A. Absolutely not.
11 Q. Okay. Would Donna Carlson
12 know?
13 A. You would have to ask her, sir.
14 Q. Why don't we take a short
15 break? That may be it. I am sorry. With
16 regard to the calendar, you may or may not
17 know this. Are there back-up documents?
18 For example, if someone e-mails or sends a
19 memo to reserve a conference room and after
20 it's put down in the book, is that back-up
21 documentation kept, if you know?
22 A. I have no idea. That would
23 probably be out of the ordinary because
24 everybody's in the suite, generally
page 82
1 speaking.
2 MR. WALDON: Okay, short break.
3 (After a short break, the
4 deposition resumed as
5 follows:)
6 MR. WALDON: No more questions.
7 MR. STEWART T. KUSPER: We will
8 reserve signature. I have no questions.
9 (Whereupon the deposition
10 concluded.)
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page 83
1 STATE OF ILLINOIS ) ) SS 2 COUNTY OF COOK )
3
4 I,______________________________________,
5 do hereby certify that I have read the
6 foregoing transcript of my deposition
7 consisting of pages ____ through ___,
8 inclusive; and I find it is a true and
9 correct transcript of my deposition so
10 given as aforesaid.
11
12
13 ________________________________________
14
15
16 Subscribed and sworn to
17 before me this ____ day
18 of _____________, 2011.
19
20 ___________________________
21 Notary Public
22
23
24
page 84
1 STATE OF ILLINOIS ) ) SS: 2 COUNTY OF C O O K )
3
4
5 I, Cathleen M. Baker, CSR,
6 Certified Shorthand Reporter, and a notary
7 public in and for the County of Cook and
8 State of Illinois, do hereby certify that
9 STANLEY T. KUSPER, JR., on June 30, 2011,
10 was by me first duly sworn to testify to
11 the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
12 the truth, and that the above deposition
13 was recorded stenographically by me and
14 transcribed by me.
15 I FURTHER CERTIFY that the
16 foregoing transcript of said deposition is
17 a true, correct, and complete transcript of
18 the testimony given by the said witness at
19 the time and place specified.
20 I FURTHER CERTIFY that I am not
21 a relative or employee or attorney or
22 employee of such attorney or counsel, or
23 financially interested directly or
24 indirectly in this action.
page 85
1 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set
2 my hand.
3
4
5
6 ________________________________ 7 Cathleen M. Baker Certified Shorthand Reporter 8 Certificate No. 84-002130
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