NY Appeals Court Upholds Dismissal of Dueling Suits over Kasowitz Partner’s Ouster
A New York appeals court has upheld dismissal of two lawsuits filed over the ouster of a partner from Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman—a $90 million defamation suit filed by the partner and a suit for breach of fiduciary duty and contract filed by the law firm.
Former partner Jeremy Pitcock had sued in 2008 after the law firm announced in a press release that he had been let go “because of extremely inappropriate personal conduct.” The release was issued after a trade publication reported that a different law firm had “nabbed” Pitcock from Kasowitz.
The appeals court ruled Thursday that the law firm did not defame Pitcock because its allegations about “extremely inappropriate” conduct were “substantially true,” the New York Law Journal reports. It also upheld dismissal of the firm’s separate suit that had alleged Pitcock violated his duty to the firm by harassing at least 12 female employees, including seven at a holiday party.
