Evarone

Defendant appeals from a judgment against it in the sum of $73,215.18. The judgment in favor of plaintiff was based upon his claim for attorney’s fees for services rendered defendant. The judgment was by default and represents the amount alleged by plaintiff to be due as set forth in his affidavit in support of the default judgment plus interest and costs. The default judgment was entered following the striking of defendant’s answer by order of the judge to whom the case had been assigned for settlement conference.

The chronology of relevant events is as follows: By notice sent August 17, 1977, the settlement conference was set for June 6, 1978, and trial was set for July 6, 1978. On June 6 the plaintiff appeared in propria persona before the judge to whom the settlement conference was assigned. The defendant’s attorney of record, Paul T. McDonough, did not appear nor did any representative of the defendant corporation. The judge stated he found Attorney McDonough and defendant corporation in contempt of the court’s order and an order to show cause was issued directing defendant and the attorney to appear on June 19, 1978, to show cause why defendant’s answer should not…