When the Court orders you to attend a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) class on civility “for the harm [you’ve] done to the [legal] profession”– not to mention issues you five-figures in sanctions – you know you’ve done something very, very wrong. And that’s exactly what happened last month when Manhattan Commercial Division Justice Andrea Masley
Justice Andrea Masley
Too “Privileged” To Be Held Liable for Defamation, Says the Commercial Division

“Relevant statements made in judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings are afforded absolute protection so that those discharging a public function may speak freely to zealously represent their clients without fear of reprisal or financial hazard.”
Professionals, including attorneys, and individuals may find themselves subject to a defamation lawsuit. Attorneys, however, may sometimes rely on absolute or…
“Single Breach” vs. “Continuing Wrong”; the Continuing Wrong Doctrine Prevails, Saving Plaintiff’s Claim from Dismissal

A cause of action accrues, triggering the commencement of the statute of limitations period, when “all of the factual circumstances necessary to establish a right of action have occurred, so that the plaintiff would be entitled to relief” (Gaidon v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of Am.). The “continuing wrong” doctrine is an exception…
Restrictive Covenants: The Importance of Understanding Their Contractual Limits
If supermodel Tyra Banks has taught us anything about the modeling industry, it’s that the competition is fierce. Unfortunately, one Manhattan-based modeling agency and former agent aren’t learning this lesson on the runway—they’re learning it in a courtroom.
In a recent decision, the First Department upheld a portion of Justice Andrea Masley’s Order…
Note to ComDiv Practitioners: There’s Teeth Behind Them Thar Rules


As readers of this blog know by now, we here at New York Commercial Division Practice frequently post on new, proposed, and/or amended rules of practice in the Commercial Division. Just last month, for example, my colleague Viktoriya Liberchuk posted on the Advisory Council’s recent proposal to amend ComDiv Rule 6 (“Form of Papers”) to…
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.…
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 …
Allegedly “(Leon) Black”-listed Former Apollo Employee Fails to State A Business Tort Claim

The line between aggressive business competition and unlawful conduct can sometimes be difficult to determine. Many different theories of tort liability have developed over the years to address the variations of unlawful conduct and competitive practices that are frequently presented to the courts. A recent decision in the case Caldera Holdings Ltd., et al. v.
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
…
Court Seals Commercial Lease Provisions in Landlord Tenant Dispute
Commercial leases are not all boilerplate. The nature and sophistication of the business or industry of the tenant can lead to lease terms, addenda, riders and exhibits that are complicated and in some cases contain what the parties believe to be sensitive or confidential information not for public consumption. When a dispute arises between the…