Order | Filed: September 04, 2026
| Entered: September 04, 2026
Lin et al v. The Dolar Shop Restaurant Group, LLC et al
Labor: Fair Standards | New York Eastern
Scheduling Order
SCHEDULING ORDER: The Court is in receipt of Plaintiffs' counsel's motion to withdraw as attorney as to Plaintiffs Fen Ying Zhang and Tingting Lin, filed at ECF 178 in No. 16-CV-2474 ("Dolar Shop II"), representing that counsel has lost contact with these Plaintiffs. A Status Conference will be held via video on 9/29/2026 at 2:00 p.m. before Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl. The parties are instructed to copy and paste the following link: https://nyed.zoomgov.com/ into a web browser and enter Meeting ID 160 3477 8681 and Passcode 525035 to join the conference. Parties may also join using the Zoom app on a mobile device, using the same Meeting ID. The public can dial the toll-free number 1-646-828-7666 and enter Meeting ID 160 3477 8681# and Passcode 525035#. Plaintiffs' counsel shall be prepared to discuss the last contact counsel had with Fen Ying Zhang and Tingting Lin, as well as any updates in counsel's efforts to contact these Plaintiffs since the filing of the motion to withdraw. Plaintiffs Fen Ying Zhang and Tingting Lin MUST participate in the conference if their case is to continue. Plaintiffs are further respectfully advised that failure to participate in the case and to follow Court orders, including by appearing via Zoom for the conference on 9/29/2026 at 2:00 p.m., may result in this case being dismissed for failure to prosecute under Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b).
Additionally, in connection with the Court's review of Plaintiffs' motions for default judgment, filed at ECF 136 in No. 16-CV-1953 ("Dolar Shop I") and at ECF 167 in Dolar Shop II, the Court notes that the default judgment papers contain certain inconsistencies. For example, the papers do not contain damages affidavits on behalf of all Plaintiffs, and, in at least one instance, an affidavit is included for a Plaintiff as to whom the Court cannot confirm their plaintiff status. See Affs., ECF 137, in Dolar Shop I (including affidavits on behalf of Plaintiffs Dong Bi Lin, ECF 137-1, Jia Zhen Jing, ECF 137-2, and Mei Fang Yao, ECF 137-3, but not Plaintiffs Gang Li or Jin Wang; see also Compl., ECF 1, ¶¶ 8, 11); Affs., ECF 168, in Dolar Shop II (including affidavits on behalf of Plaintiffs Chen Lin, ECF 168-1, Jialiang Pan, ECF 168-2, Di Pan, ECF 168-3, Jianqun Zhang, ECF 168-4, and Bizhu Ye, ECF 168-6, as well as an individual identified as Yuwei Zhou, ECF 168-5); see also Proposed J., ECF 168-9, in Dolar Shop II (proposing order of judgment on behalf of Chen Lin, Di Pan, Jianqun Zhang, Yuwei Zhou, and Bizhu Ye, but not Jialiang Pan). As to Yuwei Zhou, the Court observes that a document has been filed at ECF 28 in Dolar Shop II, titled "Consent to Become Party Plaintiff," which appears to have been signed by an individual whose initials are YZ, but the Court cannot confirm, on the basis of the present record, that this consent form indicates Yuwei Zhou's consent to opt in to the Dolar Shop II action.
In light of these discrepancies, by 9/18/2026, Plaintiffs' counsel is directed to file a status report, apprising the Court as to the status of Gang Li, Jin Wang, and Yuwei Zhou. This status report must confirm (1) whether Plaintiffs Gang Li and Jin Wang in Dolar Shop I are moving for default and, if not, what anticipated next steps are as to these Plaintiffs; (2) whether Yuwei Zhou is a plaintiff in Dolar Shop II, with specific record citations as to the same. Should counsel need to move to withdraw on behalf of Gang Li or Jin Wang, they are respectfully directed to do so as soon as practicable, and no later than 9/18/2026; counsel must serve any motion to withdraw as counsel on the affected Plaintiffs at or before the time of filing.
Plaintiffs' counsel is respectfully directed to serve a copy of the motion to withdraw and this order on Plaintiffs Fen Ying Zhang, Tingting Lin, Gang Li, and Jin Wang, via any means of communication available to counsel and reasonably calculated to reach these Plaintiffs (including, but not limited to email, text message, or outreach via messaging applications), and to file proof of same on ECF by 9/10/2026. If necessary, Plaintiffs' counsel is respectfully directed to prepare a translation of this scheduling order, and to certify that such translation has been provided to the relevant Plaintiffs. Ordered by Magistrate Judge Tar... (truncated)
Order | Filed: September 04, 2026
| Entered: September 04, 2026
Li et al v. The Dolar Shop Restaurant Group LLC et al
Labor: Fair Standards | New York Eastern
Scheduling Order
SCHEDULING ORDER: The Court is in receipt of Plaintiffs' counsel's motion to withdraw as attorney as to Plaintiffs Fen Ying Zhang and Tingting Lin, filed at ECF 178 in No. 16-CV-2474 ("Dolar Shop II"), representing that counsel has lost contact with these Plaintiffs. A Status Conference will be held via video on 9/29/2026 at 2:00 p.m. before Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl. The parties are instructed to copy and paste the following link: https://nyed.zoomgov.com/ into a web browser and enter Meeting ID 160 3477 8681 and Passcode 525035 to join the conference. Parties may also join using the Zoom app on a mobile device, using the same Meeting ID. The public can dial the toll-free number 1-646-828-7666 and enter Meeting ID 160 3477 8681# and Passcode 525035#. Plaintiffs' counsel shall be prepared to discuss the last contact counsel had with Fen Ying Zhang and Tingting Lin, as well as any updates in counsel's efforts to contact these Plaintiffs since the filing of the motion to withdraw. Plaintiffs Fen Ying Zhang and Tingting Lin MUST participate in the conference if their case is to continue. Plaintiffs are further respectfully advised that failure to participate in the case and to follow Court orders, including by appearing via Zoom for the conference on 9/29/2026 at 2:00 p.m., may result in this case being dismissed for failure to prosecute under Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b).
Additionally, in connection with the Court's review of Plaintiffs' motions for default judgment, filed at ECF 136 in No. 16-CV-1953 ("Dolar Shop I") and at ECF 167 in Dolar Shop II, the Court notes that the default judgment papers contain certain inconsistencies. For example, the papers do not contain damages affidavits on behalf of all Plaintiffs, and, in at least one instance, an affidavit is included for a Plaintiff as to whom the Court cannot confirm their plaintiff status. See Affs., ECF 137, in Dolar Shop I (including affidavits on behalf of Plaintiffs Dong Bi Lin, ECF 137-1, Jia Zhen Jing, ECF 137-2, and Mei Fang Yao, ECF 137-3, but not Plaintiffs Gang Li or Jin Wang; see also Compl., ECF 1, ¶¶ 8, 11); Affs., ECF 168, in Dolar Shop II (including affidavits on behalf of Plaintiffs Chen Lin, ECF 168-1, Jialiang Pan, ECF 168-2, Di Pan, ECF 168-3, Jianqun Zhang, ECF 168-4, and Bizhu Ye, ECF 168-6, as well as an individual identified as Yuwei Zhou, ECF 168-5); see also Proposed J., ECF 168-9, in Dolar Shop II (proposing order of judgment on behalf of Chen Lin, Di Pan, Jianqun Zhang, Yuwei Zhou, and Bizhu Ye, but not Jialiang Pan). As to Yuwei Zhou, the Court observes that a document has been filed at ECF 28 in Dolar Shop II, titled "Consent to Become Party Plaintiff," which appears to have been signed by an individual whose initials are YZ, but the Court cannot confirm, on the basis of the present record, that this consent form indicates Yuwei Zhou's consent to opt in to the Dolar Shop II action.
In light of these discrepancies, by 9/18/2026, Plaintiffs' counsel is directed to file a status report, apprising the Court as to the status of Gang Li, Jin Wang, and Yuwei Zhou. This status report must confirm (1) whether Plaintiffs Gang Li and Jin Wang in Dolar Shop I are moving for default and, if not, what anticipated next steps are as to these Plaintiffs; (2) whether Yuwei Zhou is a plaintiff in Dolar Shop II, with specific record citations as to the same. Should counsel need to move to withdraw on behalf of Gang Li or Jin Wang, they are respectfully directed to do so as soon as practicable, and no later than 9/18/2026; counsel must serve any motion to withdraw as counsel on the affected Plaintiffs at or before the time of filing.
Plaintiffs' counsel is respectfully directed to serve a copy of the motion to withdraw and this order on Plaintiffs Fen Ying Zhang, Tingting Lin, Gang Li, and Jin Wang, via any means of communication available to counsel and reasonably calculated to reach these Plaintiffs (including, but not limited to email, text message, or outreach via messaging applications), and to file proof of same on ECF by 9/10/2026. If necessary, Plaintiffs' counsel is respectfully directed to prepare a translation of this scheduling order, and to certify that such translation has been provided to the relevant Plaintiffs. Ordered by Magistrate Judge Taryn A. Merkl on 9/4/2026. (KC)