On January 26, 2023, the First Department issued a decision in Needham & Co., LLC v. UPHealth Holdings, Inc., 2023 NY Slip Op. 00376, holding that an agreement did not include the duty to indemnify the plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees because that duty was not set forth in unmistakably clear language . . . Continue reading No Duty to Pay Attorneys’ Fees Because Agreement Not Unmistakably Clear in that Regard
On December 27, 2022, Justice Crane of the New York County Commercial Division issued a decision in Ludwig v. Wilder, 2022 NY Slip Op. 34419(U), denying a prevailing plaintiff an award of attorneys’ fees due to the plaintiff’s failure to document the fees . . . Continue reading Fee Award Denied for Failure to Document Fees
On October 31, 2022, Justice Crane of the New York County Commercial Division issued a decision in Supply Co., LLC v. Hardy Way, LLC, 2022 NY Slip Op. 33722(U), cutting a fee award because counsel used block billing . . . Continue reading Court Cuts Fee Award Because of Block Billing
On October 19, 2022, Justice Cohen of the New York County Commercial Division issued a decision in First Equity Realty v. Harmony Group, II, 2022 NY Slip Op. 33601(U), awarding the defendant its fees related to the proof of damages that that did not exceed the amount of a CPLR 3220 offer, but only for the claim that was resolved at trial . . . Continue reading Defendant Entitled to Fees Related to Proof of Damages Under CPLR 3220, But Only on Claim Resolved at Trial
On October 20, 2022, the Court of Appeals issued a decision in Sage Sys., Inc. v. Liss, 2022 NY Slip Op. 05918, denying an award of fees in a partnership dispute based on the high standard for finding that a contractual indemnification provision allows the prevailing party to recover fees in a suit between the parties . . . Continue reading Court of Appeals Confirms High Standard for the Award of Fees Based on Indemnification Clause
On September 15, 2022, Justice Chan of the New York County Commercial Division issued a decision in Ja Kao v. Onyx Renewable Partners L.P., 2022 NY Slip Op. 33117(U), holding that an agreement to pay a party’s legal fees and costs was not an agreement to advance those fees and costs because there was no language showing an intention to advance rather than just indemnify . . . Continue reading Agreement to Pay Legal Fees and Costs not an Agreement to Advance Costs
On August 26, 2022, Justice Crane of the New York County Commercial Division issued a decision in Seibel v. Ramsay, 2022 NY Slip Op. 32904(U), cutting an attorneys’ fee award because counsel used block billing . . . Continue reading Court Cuts Fee Award Because Counsel Used Block Billing
On July 18, 2022, Justice Cohen of the New York County Commercial Division issued a decision in Kolchins v Evolution Mkts. Inc., 2022 NY Slip Op. 32379(U), awarding attorneys’ fees for one claim based on a percentage of the time spent on all claims despite the absence of a lodestar calculation based on the actual number of hours worked on that one claim . . . Continue reading Court Awards Attorneys’ Fees for One Claim Based on a Percentage of Time Spent on all Claims
On May 16, 2022, Justice Cohen of the New York County issued a decision in George S. Kaufman Charitable Found. v. Kearns, 2022 NY Slip Op. 31595(U), holding that GOL 15-108 barred a contribution claim against a settling tortfeasor . . . Continue reading GOL 15-108 Bars Contribution Claim Against Settling Tortfeasor
On May 24, 2022, the First Department issued a decision in Americon Constr., Inc. v. Cirocco & Ozzimo, Inc., 2022 NY Slip Op 03342, dismissing indemnification and contribution claims as premature . . . Continue reading Indemnification and Contribution Claims Dismissed as Premature
