Litigation

…plaintiff must show that he or she would have prevailed…

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In 126 Main St., LLC v Kriegsman, 2023 NY Slip Op 03758 [2d Dept July 12, 2023], the court reversed the lower court’s order and dismissed the client’s action. The court held:

“ ‘To state a cause of action to recover damages for legal malpractice, a plaintiff must allege: (1) that the attorney failed to exercise the ordinary reasonable skill and knowledge commonly possessed by a member of the legal profession; and (2) that the attorney’s breach of the duty proximately caused the plaintiff actual and ascertainable damages’ ” (Katsoris v. Bodnar & Milone, LLP, 186 A.D.3d 1504, 1505, 131 N.Y.S.3d 89, quoting Dempster v. Liotti, 86 A.D.3d 169, 176, 924 N.Y.S.2d 484; see Silverman v. Eccleston Law, LLC, 208 A.D.3d 705, 706, 173 N.Y.S.3d 78). “To establish causation in a legal malpractice action, ‘a plaintiff must show that he or she would have prevailed in the underlying action or would not have incurred any damages, but for the lawyer’s negligence’ ” (Katsoris v. Bodnar & Milone, LLP, 186 A.D.3d at 1505, 131 N.Y.S.3d 89, quoting Rudolf v. Shayne, Dachs, Stanisci, Corker & Sauer, 8 N.Y.3d 438, 442, 835 N.Y.S.2d 534, 867 N.E.2d 385). “ ‘Conclusory allegations of damages or injuries predicated on speculation cannot suffice for a malpractice action, and dismissal is warranted where the allegations in the complaint are merely conclusory and speculative’ ” (Denisco v. Uysal, 195 A.D.3d 989, 991, 146 N.Y.S.3d 813, quoting Bua v. Purcell & Ingrao, P.C., 99 A.D.3d 843, 848, 952 N.Y.S.2d 592; see York v. Frank, 209 A.D.3d 804, 807, 176 N.Y.S.3d 133). Here, the plaintiff failed to state a cause of action to recover damages for legal malpractice because the plaintiff’s allegation that the restaurant would have had increased profits but for the defendants’ alleged malpractice is conclusory and speculative (see York v. Frank, 209 A.D.3d at 807, 176 N.Y.S.3d 133; Denisco v. Uysal, 195 A.D.3d at 991, 146 N.Y.S.3d 813).

Richard A. Klass, Esq.
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Richard A. Klass, Esq., maintains a law firm engaged in civil litigation at 16 Court Street, 28th Floor, Brooklyn, New York. He may be reached at (718) COURT●ST or RichKlass@courtstreetlaw.comcreate new email with any questions.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

© 2023 Richard A. Klass

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Independent causes of action for sanctions?

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“New York does not recognize independent causes of action for sanctions under 22 NYCRR 130–1.1 or CPLR 8303–a (see 360 W. 11th LLC v. ACG Credit Co. II, LLC, 90 A.D.3d 552, 554, 935 N.Y.S.2d 289 [1st Dept. 2011]; Cerciello v. Admiral Ins. Brokerage Corp., 90 A.D.3d 967, 968, 936 N.Y.S.2d 224 [2d Dept. 2011]).” See, The N. Flatts LLC v Belkin Burden Goldman, LLP, 190 NYS3d 44, 46 [1st Dept 2023].

Richard A. Klass, Esq.
Your Court Street Lawyer

#CourtStreetLawyer #litigation #legalmalpractice

Richard A. Klass, Esq., maintains a law firm engaged in civil litigation at 16 Court Street, 28th Floor, Brooklyn, New York. He may be reached at (718) COURT●ST or RichKlass@courtstreetlaw.comcreate new email with any questions.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

© 2023 Richard A. Klass

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The statements in the complaint must be “sufficiently particular…”

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In Buchanan v Law Offices of Sheldon E. Green, P.C., 215 AD3d 793, 795 [2d Dept 2023], the court held:

“To state a cause of action to recover damages for legal malpractice, a plaintiff must allege: (1) that the attorney failed to exercise the ordinary reasonable skill and knowledge commonly possessed by a member of the legal profession; and (2) that the attorney’s breach of the duty proximately caused the plaintiff actual and ascertainable damages” (Dempster v. Liotti, 86 A.D.3d 169, 176, 924 N.Y.S.2d 484 [internal quotation marks omitted]; see Joseph v. Fensterman, 204 A.D.3d 766, 770, 167 N.Y.S.3d 106; Katsoris v. Bodnar & Milone, LLP, 186 A.D.3d 1504, 1506, 131 N.Y.S.3d 89; Lopez v. Lozner & Mastropietro, P.C., 166 A.D.3d 871, 873, 88 N.Y.S.3d 554). The statements in the complaint must be “sufficiently particular to give the court and parties notice of the transactions, occurrences, or series of transactions or occurrences, intended to be proved and the material elements of each cause of action or defense” (CPLR 3013; see Mid–Hudson Val. Fed. Credit Union v. Quartararo & Lois, PLLC, 31 N.Y.3d 1090, 1091, 78 N.Y.S.3d 703, 103 N.E.3d 774). “[B]are legal conclusions” do not suffice, and “[d]ismissal of the complaint is warranted if the plaintiff fails to assert facts in support of an element of the claim, or if the factual allegations and inferences to be drawn from them do not allow for an enforceable right of recovery” (Connaughton v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., 29 N.Y.3d 137, 141–142, 53 N.Y.S.3d 598, 75 N.E.3d 1159 [internal quotation marks omitted]).

Richard A. Klass, Esq.
Your Court Street Lawyer

#CourtStreetLawyer #litigation #legalmalpractice

Richard A. Klass, Esq., maintains a law firm engaged in civil litigation at 16 Court Street, 28th Floor, Brooklyn, New York. He may be reached at (718) COURT●ST or RichKlass@courtstreetlaw.comcreate new email with any questions.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

© 2023 Richard A. Klass

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The court dealt with the claim of attorney’s deceit.

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In Philip S. Schwartzman, Inc. v Pliskin, Rubano, Baum & Vitulli, 215 AD3d 699, 702 [2d Dept 2023], the court dealt with the claim of attorney’s deceit, holding, opining:

“Under Judiciary Law § 487(1), an attorney who ‘[i]s guilty of any deceit or collusion, or consents to any deceit or collusion, with intent to deceive the court or any party’ is liable to the injured party for treble damages” (Altman v. DiPreta, 204 A.D.3d 965, 968, 168 N.Y.S.3d 86). “Since Judiciary Law § 487 authorizes an award of damages only to ‘the party injured,’ an injury to the plaintiff resulting from the alleged deceitful conduct of the defendant attorney is an essential element of a cause of action based on a violation of that statute” (Gumarova v. Law Offs. of Paul A. Boronow, P.C., 129 A.D.3d 911, 911, 12 N.Y.S.3d 187 [internal quotation marks omitted]).

Richard A. Klass, Esq.
Your Court Street Lawyer

#CourtStreetLawyer #litigation #legalmalpractice

Richard A. Klass, Esq., maintains a law firm engaged in civil litigation at 16 Court Street, 28th Floor, Brooklyn, New York. He may be reached at (718) COURT●ST or RichKlass@courtstreetlaw.comcreate new email with any questions.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

© 2023 Richard A. Klass

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Plaintiff having to prove an attorney-client relationship

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In Mid City Elec. Corp. v Peckar & Abramson, 214 AD3d 646, 648 [2d Dept 2023], the court dealt with the issue as to a plaintiff having to prove an attorney-client relationship, holding:

To recover damages for legal malpractice, a plaintiff must prove, inter alia, the existence of an attorney-client relationship (see Siemsen v Mevorach, 160 AD3d 1004, 1005 [2018]; Volpe v Canfield, 237 AD2d 282, 283 [1997]). “It is well established that, with respect to attorney malpractice, absent fraud, collusion, malicious acts, or other special circumstances, an attorney is not liable to third parties, not in privity, for harm caused by professional negligence” (Rovello v Klein, 304 AD2d 638, 638 [2003]). “The unilateral belief of a plaintiff alone does not confer upon him or her the status of a client” (Lombardi v Lombardi, 127 AD3d 1038, 1042 [2015] [internal quotation marks omitted]).

Richard A. Klass, Esq.
Your Court Street Lawyer

#CourtStreetLawyer #litigation #attorney-client #legalmalpractice

Richard A. Klass, Esq., maintains a law firm engaged in civil litigation at 16 Court Street, 28th Floor, Brooklyn, New York. He may be reached at (718) COURT●ST or RichKlass@courtstreetlaw.comcreate new email with any questions.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

© 2023 Richard A. Klass

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