On March 25, 2021, the First Department issued a decision in Wimbledon Fin. Master Fund, Ltd. v. Hallac, 2021 NY Slip Op. 01881, holding that the statute of limitations for a breach of fiduciary duty claim based on fraud was six years, explaining: The first and second causes of action — for aiding and abetting... Read more »
Blogs
Posts Categorized: Fiduciary Duties
Conflict Claims Insufficient for Derivative Claim to Survive
On December 23, 2020, Justice Borrok of the New York County Commercial Division issued a decision in Bezio v. General Elec. Co., 2020 NY Slip Op. 34299(U), holding that conflict of interest claims against a trustee were insufficient to withstand a motion to dismiss, explaining: The full facts of this matter are set forth in... Read more »
Breach of Fiduciary Duty Claim Must Be Dismissed Where Duplicative of Breach of Contract Claim
On December 2, 2020, Justice Platkin of the Albany County Commercial Division issued a decision in Rockmore v. Plastic Surgery Assoc., LLP, 2020 NY Slip Op. 51461(U), dismissing a breach of fiduciary duty claim as duplicative of a breach of contract claim because it was based on the breach of contractual. In Rockmore, Defendants were... Read more »
Breach of Fiduciary Claim Dismissed as Duplicative of Contract Claim Because it Was Based on Breach of Duties Assigned by Contract
On December 2, 2020, Justice Platkin of the Albany County Commercial Division issued a decision in Rockmore v. Plastic Surgery Assoc., LLP, 2020 NY Slip Op. 51461(U), dismissing a breach of fiduciary duty claim as duplicative of a breach of contract claim because it was based on the breach of duties set by contract, explaining:... Read more »
Allegations That Directors Were Acquainted With Interested Party Insufficient Basis for Claim That They Were Not Disinterested
On December 03, 2020, the First Department issued a decision in Matter of Cadus Corp. Stockholders Litig., 2020 NY Slip Op. 07279, holding that the fact that directors were acquainted with an interested party was an insufficient basis for a claim that they were not independent, explaining: The motion court properly applied the business judgment... Read more »
Court Enforces Disclaimer of Fiduciary Duty
On October 20, 2020, the First Department issued a decision in La Scoula D’Italia Guglielmo Marconi v. Gates Capital Corp., 2020 NY Slip Op. 05859, enforcing a disclaimer of fiduciary duty, explaining: Here, the documents conclusively establish that defendants acted as placement agent to plaintiff and not, as plaintiff now contends, also as a financial... Read more »
Fiduciary Duty Claims Based on Joint Venture Fail Without Provision Providing for Sharing Losses as Well as Profits
On October 1, 2020, the First Department issued a decision in Shionogi Inc. v. Andrx Labs, LLC, 2020 NY Slip Op. 05308, holding that breach of fiduciary duty claims based on an alleged joint venture fail without allegations of an agreement to share losses as well as profits, explaining: Plaintiff failed to point to cognizable... Read more »
A Claim for an Accounting May be Made Whenever a Fiduciary Relationship Exists
On August 20, 2020, Justice Masley of the New York County Commercial Division issued a decision in Storper v. WL Ross & Co., LLC, 2020 NY Slip Op. 32742(U), holding that a claim for an accounting may be made whenever a fiduciary relationship exists, explaining: The right to an accounting is premised upon the existence... Read more »
Accounting Claim Dismissed for Failure Adequately to Allege a Fiduciary Relationship
On July 16, 2020, Justice Borrok of the New York County Commercial Division issued a decision in Karen’s Shipping, LLC v. West Side Foods, Inc., 2020 NY Slip Op. 32347(U), dismissing an accounting claim for failure adequately to allege a fiduciary relationship, explaining: To demonstrate entitlement to equitable accounting, a plaintiff must establish (i) the... Read more »
Allegations Insufficient to Show Existence of a Joint Venture
On July 22, 2020, the Second Department issued a decision in MacKay v. Paesano, 2020 NY Slip Op. 04155, holding that the plaintiff had failed adequately to allege the existence of a joint venture and, thus, of a fiduciary duty, explaining: The essential elements of a joint venture are an agreement manifesting the intent of... Read more »