A life lesson you likely heard growing up applies to contracts: take a hard look at yourself before criticizing others. By the same token, a party who is in material breach of a contract cannot succeed on a claim alleging an anticipatory breach by the other party.
commercial division
Think Before You Speak: Words and Actions Can Bind You Beyond The Terms of a Previously Agreed Upon Subcontract Agreement
Our parents taught us to think before we speak. That lesson is especially important when words or conduct could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars beyond what was previously agreed upon in a subcontract agreement.
In a recent case before Justice Andrea Masley, Corporate Electrical Technologies, Inc. v. Structure Tone, Inc. et al.…
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…
Hyperlinks Requirement in the Commercial Division . . . The Latest Proposal from the Advisory Council

Following the lead of several federal courts, hyperlinks in legal briefs in the Commercial Division appear to be well on the way! The Commercial Division Advisory Council (“Advisory Council”) has announced a new proposal, which was put out for public comment, mandating hyperlinks. The proposed amendment to Rule 6 of the Commercial Division Rules …
Another “Unsigned Agreement” Held Enforceable Where the Parties Intended to be Bound, Despite Not Signing
Not all agreements need to be in writing to be enforced. Indeed, unless there is an applicable Statute of Frauds, oral agreements are enforceable. But what if the parties to an agreement — a formal contract — don’t sign? Is it enforceable? Maybe.
We last wrote about a case enforcing an unsigned agreement in…
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…
Upgrading to Commercial Division 2.0 (Part III): ICT Comes to Queens County
*** Attention all Queens County commercial litigators: If you have a case before Judge Grays, be sure to bring an HDMI cable and a USB drive with you to court from now on! ***
One of the themes that we’ve developed on this blog over the years has been the implementation of technology in the…
Beneficiary To A Trust Lacks Standing To Collect Unpaid Debt
The poet, Robert W. Service once wrote that “a promise made is a debt unpaid.” The question that remains is: Who gets to collect on that unpaid debt?
The issue of standing to collect on a debt owed to a beneficiary of a trust recently arose in Zachariou v Manios where plaintiff (a resident of
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A Film-Worthy Lesson on Class Certification
A class must satisfy the following prerequisites in order to be certified to proceed in the form of a class action: numerosity, commonality, typicality, adequacy and it must be demonstrated that a class action is superior to other available methods for adjudication of the controversy (see CPLR 901).

New York County Commercial Division Judge
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What the Commercial Division Has Done for Us Lately
As the name and subject matter of this blog would suggest, we here at Farrell Fritz are big fans of the Commercial Division. It’s where we practice. It’s what we know.
After all, we’ve been reporting on decisions coming out the Com Div on this and our other blogs for more than a decade –…