4 Key Takeaways | Trade Secret Update 2024 Legal Developments and Trends
A pivotal decision by a New York Appellate Division court holding that earnouts based on the future revenue of a dental practice violated the NY Fee Splitting Prohibition could substantially impact the structuring of health...more
By Jonathan H. Freiberger The Courts of New York will not aid in the enforcement of a contract when the subject matter is illegal. Cases standing for this seemingly unremarkable proposition are varied. For example, in...more
On June 14, 2024, a class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against Morgan Stanley alleging a breach of its fiduciary duty to customers and unjust enrichment by, among...more
Buttonwood Tree Value Partners, L.P. v. R.L. Polk & Co. Inc., C.A. No. 9250-VCG (Del. Ch. Dec. 29, 2023) - To state a claim for unjust enrichment, a plaintiff must adequately plead: (1) an enrichment; (2) an...more
LCT Capital, LLC v. NGL Energy Partners LP, C.A. No. N15C-08-109 JJC CCLD (Del. Super. Ct. June 20, 2023) - Under Superior Court Rule 54, costs are allowed as a matter of course to the prevailing party. In this post-trial...more
Ohio- Conversion- Bradford v. A Star Properties, LLC, 9th Dist. Summit No. 2023-Ohio-3451- In this appeal, the Ninth Appellate District affirmed the trial court’s decision to grant defendants judgment on a claim for...more
The Tenth Circuit has ruled in favor of KFC in a dispute with a franchisee alleging a breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Kazi v. KFC US, LLC, 2023 WL 4983119 (10th Cir. Aug. 4, 2023)....more
On a great many occasions, I’ve seen the two causes of action in the title, Unjust Enrichment and Quantum Meruit, spoken in the same breath, as if they are either one in the same or so closely related that they are...more
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it has taken its first-ever Clean Water Act (CWA) enforcement action against water pollution by so-called “forever chemicals” from a West Virginia chemical plant. On April...more
The UK Supreme Court has found that an introducer of business was not entitled to any remuneration for a valuable introduction outside of circumstances expressly provided for in the contract. This judgment highlights the...more
In BCD Associates., LLC v. Crown Bank, CA No. N15c-11-062 (Super. Ct. Del, May 2, 2022), the trial court found that when a bank pays a contractor directly, it can create a legally binding relationship subject to the terms of...more
Justice Borrok of Manhattan’s Commercial Division presided over a bench trial between a contractor and a sub-contractor concerning payments connected to work on New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Harlem River Houses....more
Three distinct parties are usually involved in the delivery of a construction project: the project owner, the general contractor, and the subcontractor (or subcontractors). But whereas the relationship between the project...more
The High Court recently considered the termination of an aircraft lease to purchase contract between OCA and Novans (an aircraft broking and consultancy company). In finding for the Claimant, the judgment considers the thorny...more
Texas law provides for a cause of action known as “money had and received.” The cause of action for money had and received is equitable in nature. The claim belongs conceptually to the doctrine of unjust enrichment and seeks...more
When parties transact without a formal written contract, the risk of disputes regarding the terms of any alleged contract increases. Disputes may particularly arise where one party receives the benefits of the alleged...more
The Bullet Point is a biweekly update of recent, unique, and impactful cases in state and federal courts in the area of commercial litigation. We’re pleased to expand the Bullet Point from its previous coverage of Ohio case...more
While parties may discuss the terms of a business arrangement, absent definite agreement on all material terms or a definite promise, these arrangements are generally unenforceable. However, as the Court of Chancery held in...more
Appearances can be deceiving. - That, essentially, was the argument made in two recently decided cases involving claims for judicial dissolution. ...more
Just like a bride and groom vow to join together for better or for worse, commercial parties joining together through a joint venture must make a similar promise to share in profits and losses. ...more
In Wong v. Flynn-Kerper, 999 F.3d 1205 (9th Cir. 2021), the Ninth Circuit barred the use of equitable estoppel to challenge the purchase price of company shares under an ERISA stock ownership plan when such use would...more
The principles of jurisdiction and venue are paramount when determining not only where a proceeding will be conducted, but also which particular laws will govern the proceeding. ...more
Yowell v. Granite Op. Co. and Apache Corp. v. Peyton Royalties, L.P. is another Rule Against Perpetuities case. Keep reading. The anti-washout protection for your reserved overriding royalty could be at risk....more
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (the “Court”) decided in Gap Inc. v. Ponte Gadea N.Y. LLC on March 8, 2021 that a retail tenant will not be able to use the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse...more
As we enter the New Year, the end is not yet in sight for litigation related to COVID-19. Five recent decisions, summarized below, highlight the still developing legal implications of the pandemic on private party rights as...more