Convo by Design Interviews McBride & Pope on Aaron Judge Contractor Deception Case

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Adams & Reese attorneys Andrew McBride and Carter Pope were interviewed on the Convo by Design podcast about an article they wrote on the Yankees’ Aaron Judge case involving deception by Judge’s interior design contractor. For more than a decade, CXD has been one of the top national podcasts focused on the architecture industry and design professionals.

McBride and Pope discussed how being aware of legal pitfalls is the first step towards protecting your design firm. McBride and Pope authored an article, “Hidden Ball Trick” – Yankees’ Aaron Judge Case Involving Deception Carries Lessons for Contractors. 

In a construction lawsuit that made headlines across Florida, New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge and his wife are suing their interior designer, claiming fraud and $750,000 of hidden charges on bills for renovations to their Florida home and New York apartment.

Since 2014, the Judges have had a home in Tampa (where the Yankees play spring training). In 2022, following Aaron’s blockbuster $360 million contract, they commenced construction of a new home. After meeting interior designer Mandy Drew in 2023 in a social setting, the Judges contracted with Tampa-based Mandy Drew Designs for design, renovations, and furnishings in Tampa and furnishings and design in New York.

The Judges allege that the “cut and dry” pricing contract was for a flat rate of $10 per square foot, which equaled $68,000 for the Tampa project and $75,000 for the New York project. The Judges began to suspect the overcharges when there was a 20% fee for “services by a general contractor in Tampa” and a $33,000 charge for a couch, marked up more than $10,000. It got to a point, according to the lawsuit, that the Judges did not know how much they were overcharged because the defendant failed to hand over receipts. The Judges allege that the defendant assumed they would “be too busy to notice her overcharges” and “could afford to overpay.”

The Aaron Judge case carries valuable lessons for businesses when it comes to working with clients in the construction field. Clear estimates, accurate invoices, proactive communication, fair pricing, and legal compliance aren't just good business practices; they're the foundation of a successful and ethical operation in the architecture and construction industries.

McBride, a Partner in the Adams & Reese Tampa office, has a diverse Florida-based litigation and transactional practice focused on real estate transactions, contract review and drafting, construction litigation, foreclosure, and other creditors’ rights matters.

Pope, an Associate in the Adams & Reese Tampa office, represents clients in all areas of corporate law and transactions, construction, and litigation.