Martin Cooper wins $432,000 in Albany agency dispute

Martin Cooper, the head of North Shore Harcourts real estate, has won a significant case against real estate agents Matty Ma and her husband, David Rong. The court awarded Cooper $432,000 after a dispute related to their Albany office. The legal battle arose after Ma and Rong claimed they were owed money from Cooper for their former partnership. They had originally sought damages of $9.8 million, which included a $3 million demand for a half-share in the business. The case went to the High Court in Auckland and was heard in February and October. Justice Matthew Muir delivered a lengthy 94-page decision on March 20. In his ruling, he detailed the various issues surrounding the Albany office established by the three parties. Ma and Rong were awarded a much smaller amount of $71,000 in the ruling.