IX Legal is representing a Long Island family in a lawsuit against their school district seeking damages and accountability after their child with autism allegedly endured repeated verbal abuse during school-bus rides, which the district reportedly failed to take adequate action to stop or safeguard the child’s rights. Founder Michael Iakovou commented, “This is not just about one bus ride – it is about a systemic failure to protect a child with disabilities. The conduct captured on these recordings is appalling.” Read PIX11's full story here.

IX Legal is representing a Long Island family in a lawsuit against their school district seeking damages and accountability after their child with autism allegedly endured repeated verbal abuse during school-bus rides, which the district reportedly failed to take adequate action to stop or safeguard the child’s rights. Founder Michael Iakovou commented, “It’s inexcusable for him to have to go through this and be subjected to the point where he needs even more therapy than what he has to undergo on a daily basis. The individuals who should have the requisite training on these school buses really targeted this poor boy who has a certain trigger. This is not just about one bus ride – it is about a systemic failure to protect a child with disabilities. The conduct captured on these recordings is appalling. We will use every legal tool to hold the school district accountable and to ensure meaningful safeguards are put in place.” Read Long Island Press' full story here.

IX Legal is representing a Long Island family in a lawsuit against their school district seeking damages and accountability after their child with autism allegedly endured repeated verbal abuse during school-bus rides, which the district reportedly failed to take adequate action to stop or safeguard the child’s rights. The story was covered by News 12 Long Island - read their full story here.

IX Legal is representing a Long Island family in a lawsuit against their school district seeking damages and accountability after their child with autism allegedly endured repeated verbal abuse during school-bus rides, which the district reportedly failed to take adequate action to stop or safeguard the child’s rights. Founder Michael Iakovou commented, “A child with a disability has the right to the same safe and respectful transport to school as any other student — this alleged behaviour is unacceptable and must result in meaningful consequences.” Listen to 1010 Wins' full story here.

IX Legal is representing a Long Island family in a lawsuit against their school district seeking damages and accountability after their child with autism allegedly endured repeated verbal abuse during school-bus rides, which the district reportedly failed to take adequate action to stop or safeguard the child’s rights. Founder Michael Iakovou commented, "This is not just about one bus ride – it is about a systemic failure to protect a child with disabilities. The conduct captured on these recordings is appalling. We will use every legal tool to hold the school district accountable and to ensure meaningful safeguards are put in place." Read Newsday's full story here.

IX Legal is representing a Long Island family in a lawsuit against their school district seeking damages and accountability after their child with autism allegedly endured repeated verbal abuse during school-bus rides, which the district reportedly failed to take adequate action to stop or safeguard the child’s rights. The story was covered by Newsbreak - read their full story here.

Video of a dramatic crash in Brooklyn is raising questions about the NYPD’s policy on risky driving. Footage shows a police cruiser striking an SUV, causing it to spin out of control and collide with a pedestrian. Fortunately, the woman survived, but the incident has sparked a larger debate: What are the rules of the road for police?

When asked what it means if the crash was not considered a pursuit and the policy did not apply, Michael responded: “It suggests that an even higher level of care should have been exercised. The Patrol Guide clearly outlines the standards that must be followed. Something wasn’t adhered to here, and rest assured, we’re going to find out exactly what that was.”

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/video/on-air/as-seen-on/questions-about-nypds-policy-on-risky-driving/6395546/

Learn more!

IX Legal was happy to be highlighted in Estiator Magazine for our commitment to protecting hospitality operators at every turn. From trademarks and lease negotiations to wage compliance and asset protection, the article showcases our mission to safeguard businesses across the industry.

Read the full article here!

IX Legal represented the family of William McField in a wrongful death action following his tragic death on April 5, 2025. William McField was operating his motorcycle southbound on Woodhaven Boulevard when an operator of a motor vehicle struck him from behind in a reckless manner causing him to be ejected from his motorcycle. The operator of the motor vehicle then ran over William McField causing his death.

“The death of William McField was an avoidable tragedy that should never have occurred.” said IX Legal Founder Michael Iakovou. “Woodhaven Boulevard has continuously been plagued by speeding and reckless driving which have led to dangerous conditions. It is incumbent upon our city government to ensure the safety of residents by implementing remedial measures including increased enforcement along Woodhaven Boulevard. City Hall must take immediate action to ensure that this type of tragedy does not occur again.”

IX Legal Personal Injury, founded by attorney Michael Iakovou, fights for the outcomes that victims deserve. No matter the type of claim – premises liability, car accidents, slip and falls, or otherwise – our team will passionately defend your case for as long as it takes.

Maybe you’ve been on the fence about signing up with delivery partners, and maybe you’ve been dealing with them for years. In either case, the game has changed in the last year or so, and restaurants are not always getting the short end of the stick in the way they were when these companies first came on the scene. As such, Estiator put together some critical tips that will help you to navigate the lay of the land and optimize your impact and your profits when partnering with these third-party providers.

TIP #1 Fees are not written in stone. Pre-pandemic, most companies were demanding 25-30% commission on orders that they delivered on your behalf. Legal challenges and legislative pressure by restaurant advocacy law firms (very notably Koutsoudakis & Iakovou in New York) on behalf of scores of businesses began to derail the hegemony that the delivery companies had in the relationship, and today most of the companies have significant flexibility in the rates that they will charge you. Some (GrubHub, in my experience) will offer a scaled commission that is tied to your placement on their site. The higher the rate you pay, the more visible your menu on their platform. I took the lowest-cost option to see how much business it would bring, and I’m happy there. My rate is 10% delivery commission, 5% marketing commission, and then 3% for the credit card fees that are passed along. As soon as one service sees you on a competitor’s platform, they all come calling, of course. DoorDash tried to convince me that they bring more business and, as such, a higher rate is understandable. I held my line, and they eventually met the rates GrubHub had given me. UberEats refused to meet the rates and I refused to pay a penny more than I am paying with the other two providers. Postmates is owned by UberEats these days, so I haven’t bothered taking their calls.

TIP #2 You can pass the fees along to customers. In the early days, most of the delivery platforms insisted that the prices charged to delivery customers be the same as the prices on your menu. Today, that’s changed. “You control your menu on our platform” I was told, and it has indeed been the case. I have increased every single item by 10% over restaurant menu price so that I recoup all but 5% of the commissions I’m being charged (excluding the credit card fee, which would be relatively the same whether I pay it directly to the credit card company or to the delivery company).

TIP #3 Don’t trust their web developers to get your menu right. The services will take your menu and create an online version on their platform. But boy, do they botch it. DoorDash in particular did a butcher job of it, even after insisting that they would just copy the menu from the GrubHub platform. Every main dish suddenly had the word “Plate” after it; descriptions were completely wrong, and the Vegetarian label was misused in a few places. What was most surprising about this is that I do not have a Vegetarian designation for any of my items, although I do identify the items that are Vegan. Maybe DoorDash doesn’t understand the difference between the two?

TIP #4 They will offer a free photo shoot, but… Getting the use of the images for your own social media is just about impossible. I tried cutting a side deal with one of the photographers and the other plain out told me he couldn’t. The platforms use photographers from services for these jobs. They’re not the best-paying photography gigs, but they fill in the holes, I suppose. In any case, they follow strict guidelines on how to frame the food. There’s no creativity here. Don’t expect to get anything more than photos to go next to your food items on the delivery platform versions of your menus.

TIP #5 Mistakes, real and imagined. It’s important to bulletproof your takeout model before going live with these companies. Forget a ketchup packet and it’s very likely the end customer will ask for a refund. Sometimes the mistakes have nothing to do with you, but with the delivery drivers. I review every refund carefully and use the ones where fault lies with us as a learning lesson. The others I challenge. So far, the companies have eaten the refunds that I’ve challenged.

TIP #6 They steal your customers. Like it or not, your customers will become GrubHub customers, and they will order from other restaurants on the platform. Just accept it. It’s likely that most of your customers will go that route on their own anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJJCx8TOEZ0

More than 350 of the Greek America Foundation’s donors and supporters descended upon New York City on Friday, June 3, for the fifth biannual Gabby Awards, our premier fundraising gala honoring Greek America’s Best and Brightest Stars.

Guests gathered at the historic Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel for an exquisite dinner and special entertainment program to recognize the foundation’s 15 years of impact in philanthropy, culture and service in North America and Greece.

Our “Greek Summer” theme set the tone for the night with stunning decor inspired by the Aegean Islands. The theme also inspired the namesake art piece created exclusively for our event by Cacao Rocks, one of Greece’s leading contemporary artists.

The Gabby Awards are a celebration of the most successful, philanthropic and innovative leaders in Greek America. Past honorees have included some of North America’s most successful executives, creatives, athletes, artists, scientists and other leaders in their fields.

This year’s honorees included Amed Khan, humanitarian; Niki Leondakis, CEO of CorePower Yoga and John Varvatos, fashion icon and philanthropist. Click here to read more about them.

True to our “Greek Summer” theme, our honorees received handmade ceramic awards created by Alexandra Manousakis, an acclaimed artist based in Hania, Crete.

In addition to highlighting the honorees, our program included various creative and artistic components such as comedic segments and performances of music by great Greek composers Mikis Theodorakis, Manos Hatzidakis and Vangelis.

And of course, we closed the night out with an epic performance by Greece’s queen of pop, Anna Vissi, and renowned drag queen Athena Dion, who performed Vissi’s smash hit “Xana Mana” as hundreds of themed beach balls were tossed throughout the ballroom.

Vissi and her complete orchestra headlined our after party at Melrose Ballroom in Astoria, the Greekest neighborhood in America, taking our guests on a journey into “Athens by night.”

Click here to read the full 2022 Gabby Awards program credits.

Board members, donors, volunteers and longtime supporters of the Greek America Foundation spoke throughout the night, highlighting various foundation initiatives making a tremendous impact on both sides of the Atlantic.

Among our highlighted projects were the Greek America Corps summer volunteer programs in Greece; Olympia Dukakis Prize; Dipla Sou LGBTQ+ Helpline; Project Hope for Greece and Capital Campaign.

We made important announcements, including a major annual gift of $60,000 from Mr. & Mrs. Michael Psaros, which will fund our Chios summer volunteer program, and the launch of our $10 million Capital Campaign with an inaugural gift from Aristotle Loumis.

Click here to view our complete photo album from the 2022 Gabby Awards

Dinner and dessert for our guests at The Plaza Hotel featured exquisite creations by acclaimed New York based chef Mina Stone and Athens-based pastry chef Antonis Selekos. Imported wines from some of the most bespoke producers in Greece starred prominently throughout the night.

Our live and silent auction featured various beautiful items that were generously donated by some of the most renowned brands and talented individuals from North America and Greece. Offerings included luxury Greek travel packages, exquisite artwork, curated experiences and more.

We offer special thanks and gratitude to all of our sponsors without whom the 2022 Gabby Awards would not have been possible. Click here to see our list of sponsors.

https://www.bisnow.com/new-york/news/deal-sheet/this-weeks-ny-deal-sheet-113854

https://issuu.com/neographix/docs/october-2022

For further details, please visit:
https://knowledgewebcasts.com/know-portfolio/independent-contractor-under-the-fair-labor-standards-act-cle/

About Steven Siegler
An experienced litigator and advisor focusing on employment law and business law, Steven’s breadth of experience gives him a unique understanding of issues that business owners, shareholders, partners, executives and key employees face, and the strategies needed to get his clients the best possible results. Steven works tirelessly for his New York and New Jersey clients with employment law needs, designing customized and cost-effective compliance strategies, including tailored handbooks, policies and procedures manuals, training programs, workplace investigations, and responses to agency audits; if litigation becomes necessary, he has the trial experience and understanding to mount a vigorous defense. For entrepreneurs, start-ups and business owners, Steven provides honest and effective legal advice, compliance strategies and contract preparation with a view toward maximizing business gains and minimizing future disputes. He also protects and asserts the rights of business owners in non-competition, trade secret, and business defamation claims.

Event Summary
Worker misclassification has perpetually posed serious challenges for many businesses and companies alike. Today, the number of misclassified workers as independent contractors continues to grow, across all industries, despite shifting regulatory initiatives.

The US Department of Labor recently announced its plan to issue a new Independent Contractor (IC) Final Rule under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). While the proposed change will aid in ensuring protection for workers under the FLSA, it will also generate profound compliance hurdles for companies. In order to avoid penalties and non-compliance, companies must keep themselves adept with the new rule, its implications, and potential drawbacks. Moreover, companies must understand that learning about, and implementing, best practices for correct employee classification is imperative to mitigate risks.

Listen as The Knowledge Group presents experienced litigator Steven Siegler (KI Legal) and labor and employment attorney Jackie C. Staple (Jackson Walker LLP) to discuss the most significant issues and challenges surrounding the independent contractor law landscape. The distinguished speakers will share fresh insights and best practices to successfully navigate through the complexities of the evolving worker classification landscape based on their experience.

Key topics that will be covered in this discussion are:
- Independent Contractor: Final Rule
- Regulatory Changes: Potential Impact on the Businesses
- Practical Toolkit: Most Widely Used Classification Tests
- Emerging Compliance Issues: Mitigating Risks and Penalties
- What’s Next

About The Knowledge Group
Founded in November 2006, The Knowledge Group has been at the forefront of providing quality continuing education programs for lawyers, accountants, financial executives, risk and compliance specialists, human resources professionals, technology officers, and business consultants in a wide range of industries.

The Knowledge Group strives to be the best-in-class provider of continuing education by bringing forth relevant content you can’t get anywhere else.

https://www.law360.com/articles/1482326/matlinpatterson-and-creditors-clash-on-fund-liquidation

https://www.law360.com/articles/1605183/law360-s-2023-hospitality-editorial-advisory-board

https://www.law360.com/articles/1606263/former-cannabis-pizza-worker-wants-cert-in-overtime-suit

https://www.law360.com/articles/1679124/matlinpatterson-liquidation-held-up-by-settlement-snag

https://www.law360.com/articles/1679715/matlinpatterson-reaches-deal-for-ch-11-liquidation-plan

WASHINGTON, DC – The Hellenic Lawyers Association (HLA) Supreme Court Admission Ceremony took place on May 25 in Washington, DC. PN Lawyers partner Taso Pardalis was among the HLA members who had their names read in open court before all sitting justices as they were admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The HLA Supreme Court Admission Trip also included HLA President George N. Zapantis, Andreas Koutsoudakis, Michael Iakovou, Matia Nikolovienis, Irene Angelakis, Deana Balahtsis, Chrisanthy Zapantis-Melis, and Ted Anastasiou.

Three firefighters severely injured in a Staten Island house fire plan to sue New York City, charging that a long-standing FDNY policy of shutting down firehouses for medical checkups delayed the response and set the stage for near-fatal conditions.

Nearly two dozen firefighters were injured in the blaze, but Lt. Bill Doody and Firefighter William Guidera, both of Ladder Company 84, and Firefighter Kwabena Brentuo, of Engine Company 168, came very close to dying in the fire.

All three became trapped in the single-family home on Shotwell Ave. near Tryon Ave. in Annadale around 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 17, according to official accounts and legal filings.

https://omny.fm/shows/the-arthur-aidala-power-hour/the-arthur-aidala-power-hour-6-29-23?in_playlist=podcast

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y — Three FDNY firefighters who were seriously injured when a home partially collapsed as they were battling a raging blaze in Annadale back in February have filed a notice of claim and plan to sue New York City.

The trio, Bill Doody, a lieutenant, and Michael Guidera, both of Ladder Co. 84 in Huguenot, and Kwabena Brentuo of Engine Co. 168 in Rossville claim a “defective” FDNY policy of closing firehouses for required medical physicals without replacements contributed to the delayed response and created dangerous conditions for those arriving.

More than 20 other FDNY members were hurt in the Annadale blaze. Officials previously said the fire broke out in the rear of 84 Shotwell Ave. and spread to 88 Shotwell just before 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 17., triggering a massive emergency response that included 200 firefighters.

As firefighters were inside, part of the rear of 84 Shotwell collapsed. Doody, Guidera and Brentuo all sustained “severe, permanent, serious physical internal, and external injuries to the whole body,” according to court filings.

All three men have filed notices of claim with the intent to sue to get the policy changed, and plan to seek $20 million in damages.

The apparatus assigned to it was taken out of commission for scheduled maintenance, the Uniformed Firefighters Association detailed in a press release.

Uniformed Firefighters Association President Andrew Ansbro had similar sentiments, detailing the union has brought up the dangers of closing whole fire companies for firefighter medicals to the department’s attention many times to no avail.

“As this situation demonstrates, closing one company affects response times and increases the risk of injuries or death,” Ansbro said in a statement.

The union is calling on the FDNY and the mayor to staff every firehouse in every neighborhood “all day, every day,” stating there are more than enough spare engines or ladders that can be staffed with firefighters and pre-deployed to cover temporary closures.

https://nypost.com/2024/05/19/us-news/seriously-injured-fdny-firefighters-sue-nyc-for-80m-over-closure-policy/

https://abc7ny.com/post/staten-island-firefighters-sue-nyc-after-they-say-fdny-policy-almost-cost-them-their-lives/14847231/

https://pix11.com/news/local-news/3-fdny-firefighters-hurt-battling-staten-island-fire-to-sue-nyc/

https://www.amny.com/news/staten-island-firefighters-suing-fdny/

https://www.silive.com/galleries/L4VSC6LTIVDERHAISVJI2QYKPQ/

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/seriously-injured-fdny-firefighters-sue-182740893.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADeHGgEEVbm2sSNlAwcqxxse_qqZG_XHNNmDcbk3ATHpcAYojkxC2uW3RY-jwAD9y5oqoZzm3Q2JZUGoBLVmXfXE12BE6EHwl2JFrDOQuk0rUA8kEDiiZxpIwrz7fCWx3T6TRZMnNFaqiOld3RwAIq4EaK13LUx5V51eyWt3X0zp&guccounter=2

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/staten-island-firefighters-sue-fdny-over-2023-shotwell-avenue-fire/

https://www.nydailynews.com/2024/05/20/fdny-firefighters-hurt-in-staten-island-blaze-sue-over-firehouse-closings-delays/

https://www.thenationalherald.com/ki-legal-and-liakas-law-announce-lawsuit-vs-city-on-behalf-of-s-i-firefighters/

https://www.fox5ny.com/news/staten-island-firefighters-suing-fdny-nyc-after-being-injured-battling-house-fire

https://www.firehouse.com/operations-training/news/55041306/fdny-firefighters-hurt-at-staten-island-blaze-sue-city-over-staffing

https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2024/05/21/fdny-sued-for--80-million-in-damages-over-medical-evaluation-policy

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/injured-staten-island-firefighters-sue-fdny-claim-policy-endangered-their-lives/5431324/

https://www.uschinapress.com/static/content/SZ/2024-05-20/1242332979738611712.html

https://www.yahoo.com/news/staten-island-firefighters-suing-fdny-225140785.html?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMY_VjbcpFIkWpqzuPYyZBycFCLGEkdoHdj979uGWzbtspsC-ujmHqHjzJFlSd3Cz9Y1nkQrQ6eR45rEgEsVIGCjtkm4ldEYrkLFDWZ8IUt2K0NlsOvaP2rjVeU524wZacCligr8JQx76KgP_R4twjFRx78em-HEv2AQSlZKhiQs&guccounter=2

https://www.ekirikas.com/omogeneis-dikigoroi-minysan-ti-nea-yo/