As we continue to see increased litigation over electronic programs, apps, and algorithms, courts are increasingly called to consider discovery requests for the coding behind that technology. These requests highlight the tension between the need for broad discovery and the litigant’s proprietary interest in secret, commercially valuable source code. And as a recent First Department
Commercial Division Judge Reaffirms “Most Critical” Element for Injunctive Relief: Irreparable Harm
Most litigators know that a preliminary injunction is a “drastic remedy” which is not “routinely granted.” Reading these words on paper, however, does not adequately convey the high threshold that a party must meet when seeking this extraordinary relief. Seeking an injunction – especially in the Commercial Division – is usually an uphill battle for
Avoiding Duplicative Litigation
State courts have long exercised discretionary power to stay proceedings where a suit involving the same parties and issues is already under way in another forum (see Asher v. Abbott Laboratories, 307 AD2d 211, 211-212 [1st Dept. 2003]).
A New York Commercial Division practitioner seeking to avoid duplicative litigation can either move
Affirmatively Plead Your Defenses, or Risk “Waiving” Them Goodbye
Many litigants are familiar with the well-settled rule that an affirmative defense will be waived if it is not included in a CPLR 3211(a) motion to dismiss or in the answer (see CPLR 3211[e]). And so, lawyers tasked with drafting an answer will often consult a “checklist” to ensure that all relevant affirmative
Litigator’s Toolkit: Know the Law, Know the Rules, Know your Judge
We all know that understanding the law is a first step to good lawyering. But understanding what the particular judge assigned to your case likes and dislikes, and her pet peeves is just as important for your success as an advocate for your client.
On June 14, 2019, the New York State Bar Association’s Commercial
Vacating An Arbitration Award: Part II
You may have recently read on this blog that “vacating an arbitration award is an uphill battle.” As my colleague Hamutal G. Lieberman discussed, there are only two instances when an arbitration award may be vacated: (1) instances involving fraud, corruption or misconduct of the arbitrators or (2) where an arbitration award exhibits
Keeping Up With the Commercial Division: Statewide “Presumptive ADR” System for all Civil Cases
New York is continuously working to advance the delivery and quality of civil justice in this state. We recently discussed the technological developments in New York State Commercial Division courtrooms and a few months ago we discussed the increasingly-codified perspective of Commercial Division Justices to encourage junior attorneys to play a larger role in the
Insurers Must Defend Claims Brought By Hulk Hogan: Intentional Tort Deemed “Accidental” Occurrence
To welcome the New Year, we venture outside this blog’s traditional realm of commercial division practice and procedure to reflect on the nature of “intent” at the intersection of professional wrestling and insurer coverage liability. No, this is not a surrealist poem, but a recent decision by Justice Peter Sherwood of the Commercial Division for
Judicial Dissolution Proceeding against Donald J. Trump Foundation Withstands Dismissal Motion
The Donald J. Trump Foundation, a private foundation incorporated in 1987, was formed “exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational purposes”, and as stated in the Certificate of Incorporation, shall not be for propaganda or participating or intervening in “any political campaign.” The Foundation’s president and founder, is Donald J. Trump.
The Attorney
Does “freedom of contract” really exist when it comes to statute of limitations in a mortgage-backed securities contract?
Although we generally report on recent Commercial Division decisions, and sometimes commercial cases coming out of the Appellate Divisions, this time we go all the way to the top: the Court of Appeals. Not often do we see commercial cases with a procedural twist coming out of our High Court (of NY). However, last week,