Trief Olk is a six-attorney law firm with offices in New York, NY, and Hackensack, NJ. The firm offers a wide variety of legal services emphasizing civil litigation and class actions. The firm was founded in 1987 by Ted Trief and Barbara E. Olk, who each possess more than 30 years of experience in the legal profession. Mr. Trief is an honors graduate of Rutgers Law School and is also a former Assistant District Attorney. Ms. Olk, now of counsel, is a graduate of New York University Law School and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Rochester.
The firm has a broad based civil litigation practice and represents its clients in New York and New Jersey courts . It handles cases from inception through trial and, if necessary, on appeal. Trief Olk has tried numerous complex jury and judge trials in federal and state courts. The firm also has extensive experience with prosecuting appeals and opposing the appeals of others.
In fact, adversaries of Trief Olk often recommend the firm to others and have even hired Trief Olk to represent them. It is typical for any one of the partners to be the sole lawyer representing a client against numerous adversaries, including those represented by the larger law firms.
The firmâs litigation experience includes the following cases:
In re Checking Account Overdraft Litigation , United States District Court, Southern District of Florida Docket No. 09-MD-2036 (JK). Trief Olk is on the Plaintiffsâ Executive Committee for the multidistrict litigation against numerous banks, related to the banksâ reordering of debit card transactions to increase overdraft fees. We co-led the case against Citizens Financial Group which resulted in a settlement in the amount of $137.5 million. The settlement is the second-largest to date in the multidistrict checking account overdraft litigation.
This litigation includes many of the nationâs largest banks including Bank of America, Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase. Approximately 60 cases, virtually all of them class actions, have been transferred from around the country to Judge King in Miami who is responsible for handling all pre-trial proceedings. There has been an approved settlement in November of 2011 in the Bank of America case for $410 million dollars.
Ruiz v. Computer Learning Center, Inc. , Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Bergen County Docket No. BER-L-4277-08. Trief Olk represented the plaintiffs in obtaining class certification in this action brought pursuant to the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act.
Yosef Yariv, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated v. AT T Corp., and Samâs Club East, Inc. and Samâs Club West, Inc. , Superior Court of New Jersey, Somerset County, SOM-L-272-05. Trief Olk was appointed as a class counsel for the class in this action involving allegedly improper disclosures with respect to phone cards. The Court determined that class certification was proper. The case was resolved in a multi-million dollar settlement.
Mark Rolnik and Richard Goldweit, et al. v. AT T Wireless Services, Inc. , Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Essex County, L-180-04. Trief Olk was appointed as a co-class counsel in this cellphone litigation involving certain allegedly improper, small print cancellation charges contained in a Welcome Guide. The case was resolved in a settlement in the tens of millions of dollars.
Goldman v. Simon Property Group, Inc. , 58 A.D.3d 208, 869 N.Y.S.2d 125 (2d Dept. 2008); 31 A.D.3d 382, 818 N.Y.S.2d 245 (2d Dept. 2006). Trief Olk was appointed as co-class counsel in an action brought on behalf of a class of holders of gift cards who were charged a fee because the cards were not used within six months of purchase. Trief Olk has twice prevailed on appeal, first on the issue of preemption and then on defendantâs motion to dismiss plaintiffâs claims for breach of contract, consumer fraud, and unjust enrichment. The case was resolved in a multi-million dollar settlement.
Cunningham v. American Home Products Corp. , NYLJ Sept. 21, 1999, Court decisions, page 26. Trief Olk was designated by the Court as class counsel for the medical monitoring class of asymptomatic persons who have ingested fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine.