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Commercial Litigation


Supreme Court, Kings County, Holds That A Settlement Conference RJI Fails to Satisfy the “Take Proceedings” Requirement of CPLR 3215(c) Necessary to Avoid Dismissal
On October 31, 2025, the Supreme Court, Kings County, decided loanDepot.com LLC v. Ortner, a case addressing the meaning of the “taking proceedings” requirement of CPLR 3215(c).

Jonathan Freiberger
Nov 21, 20255 min read


Proposed Amendment to Prayer for Relief Based on Unrealized Profits Incurred as a Result of Alleged Fraud Violates the Out-Of-Pocket Damages Rule
In Sire Spirits, LLC v. Beam Suntory, Inc., 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 06297 (1st Dept. Nov. 18, 2025), the Appellate Division, First Department affirmed the denial of a motion to amend a complaint seeking damages for “diminution of enterprise value” due to the alleged fraud.

Jeffrey Haber
Nov 19, 20258 min read


The Second Department Holds, in a Case of First Impression in The Department, That the Failure to Comply with the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Relief Act When Seeking a Default Judgment ...
In Tri-Rail, the Court decided a “question which has not been directly addressed” in the Second Department involving the impact of non-compliance with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (f/k/a the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act) (the “Act”) on obtaining a default judgment.

Jonathan Freiberger
Nov 14, 20254 min read


“Variety is the Spice of Life” -- Service of Process under CPLR 308(4)
Obtaining personal jurisdiction[1] over a defendant is a critical aspect of litigation.

Jonathan Freiberger
Nov 7, 20257 min read


Voidable Transfer Under the New Debtor and Creditor Law
New York’s adoption of the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act in 2019 modernized its Debtor and Creditor Law. The revised law allows creditors to void both actual and constructive fraudulent transfers. Constructive fraud focuses on inadequate value and insolvency, while actual fraud hinges on intent, assessed via “badges of fraud.”

Jeffrey Haber
Nov 3, 20259 min read


Written Agreements That are Clear and Unambiguous Must Be Enforced According To The Plain Meaning of Their Terms
In today’s article, we examine Harris v. Dream Volunteers, a case in which the court reaffirmed a fundamental principle of contract interpretation: contracts that are clear and unambiguous must be enforced according to their plain terms.

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 29, 20255 min read


Court of Appeals Held that “Good Guy Guarantor” Finished First
In 1995 Cam LLC v. West Side Advisors, LLC, the Court of Appeals held that a “good guy” guarantor’s liability under a commercial lease ends when the tenant vacates and surrenders possession, not when the landlord accepts the surrender.

Jonathan Freiberger
Oct 24, 20256 min read


Court Finds Settlement Offer Memorialized and Subscribed in Email Sufficient to Constitute an Enforceable Agreement
In Kellinger v. Fox Media LLC, the New York Supreme Court granted a motion brought by defendants to enforce a $15,000 settlement agreement with plaintiff. The motion court found that plaintiff had confirmed the settlement by email, satisfying CPLR 2104’s requirement for a written agreement. Although plaintiff later claimed he only agreed to review the documents, the motion court held that his email constituted a binding acceptance of the settlement.

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 22, 20256 min read


Failure To Exercise Reasonable Diligence in Real Estate Transaction Undermines Allegation of Justifiable Reliance
As readers of this Blog know, a “cause of action to recover damages for fraudulent misrepresentation requires a misrepresentation or a material omission of fact which was false and known to be false by defendant, made for the purpose of inducing the other party to rely upon it, justifiable reliance of the other party on the misrepresentation or material omission, and injury.”

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 20, 20258 min read


CPLR 2004 Extensions, the 90-Day Foreclosure Sale Rule and the Tolling of Interest Accruals
Givens addresses three issues encountered in mortgage foreclosure actions:[1] motions for extensions of time pursuant to CPLR 2004, the 90-day requirement to conduct foreclosure sales pursuant to RPAPL 1351(1), and the tolling of interest due to a lender’s delays in prosecuting its foreclosure action.

Jonathan Freiberger
Oct 17, 20255 min read


Court Compels Production of Joint Defense Agreement As Not Protected By Privilege
In Simpson v. Chassen, the New York Supreme Court compelled the production of a joint defense agreement, rejecting claims that it was protected under the attorney-client privilege or the attorney work product doctrine.

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 15, 20259 min read


In an Apparent Case of First Impression, First Department Holds That a Board of Directors Cannot Be Sued as a Collective Entity
Today, we consider Tahari v. 860 Fifth Ave. Corp., 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 05584 (1st Dept. Oct. 9, 2025), an apparent case of first impression in the Appellate Division, First Department, involving the suability of a board of directors under New York law.

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 13, 20258 min read


Fraud Notes: Alleging a Misrepresentation and Duplicative Damages
In today’s Fraud Notes, we examine two cases involving principles familiar to readers of this Blog: the duplication doctrine and the requirement that plaintiffs plead sufficient facts to satisfy each element of a fraud claim.

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 10, 20257 min read


Fraud in the Execution and The Two-Year Discovery Rule
In Dodobayeva v. Rubinoff, 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 05219 (2d Dept. Oct. 1, 2025), we explore the legal concept of fraud in the execution. Fraud in the execution, or fraud in the factum, occurs when a person is misled into signing a document without understanding its nature.

Jeffrey Haber
Oct 3, 20257 min read


Failure to Satisfy Condition Precedent Bars Breach of Contract Claim
In Macklowe Inv. Props. LLC v. MIP 57th Dev. Acquisition LLC, 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 05192 (1st Dept. Sept. 30, 2025), the plaintiff, a real estate brokerage, sued pursuant to a letter agreement for a leasing commission after securing a tenant for defendants’ property. The letter agreement required satisfaction of a condition precedent before payment of the commission: execution of a leasing commission agreement. Plaintiff never fulfilled this condition.

Jeffrey Haber
Sep 30, 20256 min read


Plaintiff Pleads Scheme to Defraud Sufficient to Put Defendants on Notice of the Conduct of Which They are Accused, But Nevertheless Fails to Plead The Elements of Fraud with Particularity
In CJS Indus. Inc. v. Dolce, 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 05037 (1st Dept. Sept. 23, 2025, plaintiff sued RS Custom Woodworking and its representatives for fraud after winning an arbitration award. Both the motion court and the Appellate Division, First Department, found that plaintiff failed to plead fraud with the required particularity in compliance with CPLR 3016(b).

Jeffrey Haber
Sep 28, 20255 min read


Court Holds Investment Banking Services Engagement Letter is Not "an Instrument for The Payment of Money Only"
In Jefferies LLC v. Blaize Holdings, Inc., 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 33272(U) (Sup. Ct., N.Y. County Sept. 3, 2025 (here), the New York Supreme Court held that an engagement letter concerning the provision of investment banking services did not qualify as an “instrument for the payment of money only” under CPLR 3213, which allows for expedited summary judgment.

Jeffrey Haber
Sep 22, 20255 min read


Timing is Everything – CPLR 205(a), CPLR 205-A and FAPA
Today’s article is about Nuruzzaman v. Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co., an action that involves numerous areas of the law about which we frequently write -- mortgage foreclosure, FAPA, RPAPL 1501(4), CPLR 205(a), CPLR 205-A and statutes of limitation.

Jonathan Freiberger
Sep 19, 20256 min read


Breach of Fiduciary Claim Dismissed on Pleading and Statute of Limitations Grounds
In Celauro v. Celauro, 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 04870 (Sept. 10, 2025), a minority shareholder of a family-owned business alleged that company executives operated an illicit cash business, diverted profits and deprived shareholders of distributions/dividends. The motion court dismissed most of the breach of fiduciary duty claim, finding many of the allegations to be time-barred under the six-year statute of limitations and the surviving claims too speculative.

Jeffrey Haber
Sep 17, 20255 min read


Business Dispute Between Sisters Dismissed on Statute of Limitations Grounds
In New York, as in most jurisdictions, statutes of limitation serve as a cutoff point for initiating legal action. In business litigation, parties often encounter statutes of limitation issues involving, inter alia, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud claims.

Jeffrey Haber
Sep 15, 20258 min read
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