William Bloch of Excelus Law Group claims Henry Shields, partner and managing agent of national US firm Drinker Biddle, "saw his client being taken apart and impeached in the deposition examination by plaintiff and became desperate".

Shields is alleged to have begun coaching his witness, making improper speaking objections, refusing to take a break, consult with co-counsel or re-think his conduct and, when the mediation was terminated, refusing to leave.

"Near the exit out of the conference room, Shields ... turned to the open conference door and deliberately shut the door, cutting off plaintiff's egress and thereby falsely imprisoning him inside the conference room and against his will," the claim states.

Bloch, whose right arm was seriously injured in 1993 and who has been operated on six times, said he tried to avoid a physical confrontation but that Shields obstructed him from walking on and then "shot his right hand up to his throat in some kind of martial art move", putting a partial choke hold on Bloch and shoving him against a nearby beam.

Bloch claims he suffered "severe bruising to his buttock, right shoulder, and an abrasion on the right elbow" as well as a fractured left wrist, which had to be put in a brace, and required medication.

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Bloch claims that when Drinker Biddle "learned of Shields' wrongdoing, they ratified it and assisted Shields in creating a false alibi and supported him in his brazen and wrongful conduct".

Bloch is suing Drinker Biddle and Shields for compensatory and punitive damages for negligence, assault, battery and false imprisonment.