Thor’s attorney wants out of Maitland case

Former top broker wants to be released from her noncompete

Wendy Maitland and Andrew Heiberger
Wendy Maitland and Andrew Heiberger

UPDATED, Aug. 15, 6:15 p.m.:Thor Equities’ attorney no longer wants to be part of a lawsuit filed by a former top agent against Town Residential.

Joseph Matalon, a longtime attorney for Thor, asked a Manhattan Supreme Court judge to allow him to withdraw from Wendy Maitland’s lawsuit against Town, the New York Post reported. Maitland left Town in May and filed a lawsuit, accusing former co-owner Joseph Sitt of “starving” company funds.

Matalon points to his acrimonious relationship with Andrew Heiberger [TRDataCustom], who bought Sitt’s 50 percent stake in the company at the end of last month. According to court filings, Heiberger at one  point called Matalon a “lowlife liar” and a “fraudster” and said the two have “never gotten along.” Those comments date back to March, Heiberger told TRD.

Heiberger said he is now solely focused on business and said Maitland is “shooting herself in the foot” with her lawsuit, in which she seeks to be freed from her noncompete.

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“I’m truly looking forward to putting this last matter behind us,” he told TRD.

Matalon also notes that, until Sitt sold his stake in the company, he had been preparing a lawsuit against Heiberger on Town’s behalf.

The firm was Manhattan’s seventh-largest by the number of agents as of June, with 523 agents, but several brokers — including Maitland, Ginger Brokaw, Jason Karadus and Judi Lederer —  left as drama over the firm’s ownership waged on. [NYP]Kathryn Brenzel

Correction: An earlier version misstated who Matalon represents. It’s Thor Equities.