Louie's Seafood Rest., LLC v. Brown
The plaintiffs, Louie's Seafood Restaurant, LLC, and its owners Martin Picone and Michael Guinnane, appealed an order that granted the defendants' motion to dismiss their complaint. The plaintiffs had sued the defendant attorneys, Jeffrey Brown and Lenard Leeds of Leeds Brown Law, P.C., for aiding and abetting fraud, violating Judiciary Law § 487, breach of contract, and fraud in the inducement. These claims stemmed from prior class action and discrimination lawsuits where the defendants represented former employees against the plaintiffs. The Supreme Court initially denied the defendants' motion to dismiss but later, upon renewal and reargument, granted it. The Appellate Division affirmed the dismissal, holding that the Noerr-Pennington doctrine barred the aiding and abetting fraud and Judiciary Law § 487 claims, as the allegations did not fit within the 'sham' or 'corruption' exceptions. Furthermore, the court found the fraudulent inducement claim failed to sufficiently allege justifiable reliance, and the breach of contract claim was abandoned by the plaintiffs.