Tishman Speyer sued for $15 million in unpaid commissions

Small commercial brokerage firm Peter R. Friedman announced it is suing real estate giant Tishman Speyer for $15 million in unpaid commissions on ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi’s 2008 lease renewal at 375 Hudson Street. The complaint is the latest in a series of legal woes for Tishman Speyer. The company is in danger of owing hundreds of millions of dollars in back rent to tenants whose apartments have been illegally deregulated, should the company lose an upcoming case before the state Court of Appeals. Peter R. Friedman has faced its own share of controversy. The company’s founder, Peter Friedman, and his partner pleaded guilty to taking bribes from Lehr Construction in return for work at the Bertelsmann Building, at 1540 Broadway, in 1999. It is unclear how much business the firm has recently conducted, Crain’s said. A Tishman Speyer spokesperson said the unpaid commissions suit has no merit. [Crain’s]