Our team, led by partner Michael Montaño, is preparing to battle the large French conglomerate EssilorLuxottica, retail brand LensCrafters, and other defendants for more than $5 million in damages. Our client, Dr. Emil Fadel, owner of Lauren Alexander Optometry Clinics, was forced to rebuild his business from the ground up after Luxottica pushed him out of his prior clinics.
Dr. Fadel is an American success story. Immigrating to the United States from Lebanon at the age of seventeen—not only to escape the turmoil of war but to pursue his dream of becoming an optometrist—Dr. Fadel worked any job he could find to put himself through school and make a better life for himself and for his family.
Recognizing the opportunities Texas provides to entrepreneurs, Dr. Fadel has called the Lone Star state home since 2003, and he has built his entire professional life and career here, establishing a successful chain of optometry clinics in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and El Paso, and raising, along with his wife, two wonderful children.
Per the petition filed in his case: For more than ten years, Dr. Fadel maintained an amicable business relationship with Luxottica. However, when Dr. Fadel started questioning the unethical business practices that Luxottica urged on him, everything changed. The French company valued profit over integrity and slowly began pushing Dr. Fadel out of his clinics. Why this vindictive approach? To show other optometrists the consequences of resisting the multi-billion-dollar French company’s schemes.
Determined to fight back, Dr. Fadel sought legal support, and Michael Montaño answered the call. “Luxottica is an enormous international conglomerate. That it would take aim at an independent businessman like Dr. Fadel is shameful,” Montaño said. “We hope this case helps put things back in order for Dr. Fadel, his family, his employees, and his many patients—just as we hope that his example gives courage to others who fear standing up to the Goliaths of this world.”
This is a true David-versus-Goliath battle, and our team is committed to delivering the justice Dr. Fadel and his family have long awaited. We take pride in amplifying our clients’ voices—especially when powerful forces try to silence them.
To read more about our latest case, head over to the San Antonio Express News: https://bit.ly/3Rx1C4u
