Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Landlord & Tenant

By ljnstaff
August 01, 2017

Assignee Wrongdoing Might Justify Piercing Corporate Veil BP 399 Park Avenue LLC, v. Pret 399 Park, Inc. NYLJ 5/18/17, p. 23, col. 6 AppDiv, First Dept. (memorandum opinion)

In an action for rent brought by landlord against tenant's assignee, landlord appealed from Supreme Court's grant of summary judgment dismissing several causes of action against assignee. The Appellate Division modified to deny assignee's motion, and to grant landlord's cross-motion dismissing several affirmative defenses, holding that the alleged wrongdoing by assignee might be sufficient to pierce its corporate veil.

Citibank leased the subject property to Pret 399, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pret A Manger, Ltd., (Pret Parent). Pret Parent, not Pret 299, operated a café on the premises and paid the rent. Subsequently, Pret Parent surrendered the premises. Current landlord, Citibank's successor, then brought this action seeking rent for the period after the surrender of possession. Supreme Court awarded summary judgment to Pret Parent, concluding that, as an assignee, Pret Parent's liability for rent did not extend past the date of surrender, and holding that Pret Parent's corporate veil could not be pierced in the absence of a showing of fraud. Landlord appealed.

In modifying, the Appellate Division first held that Pret Parent's decision that Pret Parent would stop paying rent and breach the lease constituted wrongdoing sufficient to pierce Pret Parent's corporate veil. As a result, the court dismissed Pret Parent's affirmative defense that the damages were caused only by the acts and omissions of Pret 399. The court also dismissed the affirmative defense that a letter of credit provided landlord's sole remedy, noting that the lease reserved to landlord “the right to invoke any other remedy allowed by law or in equity.”

The Appellate Division also held, however, that Supreme Court had correctly denied landlord's summary judgment motion, noting that Pret Parent had raised a triable issue of fact about whether Citibank knew it was contracting with an assetless entity (Pret 399), and should therefore be precluded from recovering against Pret Parent. The court also concluded that Pret Parent's affidavit had raised a triable issue of fact as to whether Citibank received a larger than usual security deposit in return for entering into a lease with an assetless entity — thus stopping landlord from seeking relief against Pret Parent.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
How Secure Is the AI System Your Law Firm Is Using? Image

In a profession where confidentiality is paramount, failing to address AI security concerns could have disastrous consequences. It is vital that law firms and those in related industries ask the right questions about AI security to protect their clients and their reputation.

COVID-19 and Lease Negotiations: Early Termination Provisions Image

During the COVID-19 pandemic, some tenants were able to negotiate termination agreements with their landlords. But even though a landlord may agree to terminate a lease to regain control of a defaulting tenant's space without costly and lengthy litigation, typically a defaulting tenant that otherwise has no contractual right to terminate its lease will be in a much weaker bargaining position with respect to the conditions for termination.

Pleading Importation: ITC Decisions Highlight Need for Adequate Evidentiary Support Image

The International Trade Commission is empowered to block the importation into the United States of products that infringe U.S. intellectual property rights, In the past, the ITC generally instituted investigations without questioning the importation allegations in the complaint, however in several recent cases, the ITC declined to institute an investigation as to certain proposed respondents due to inadequate pleading of importation.

The Power of Your Inner Circle: Turning Friends and Social Contacts Into Business Allies Image

Practical strategies to explore doing business with friends and social contacts in a way that respects relationships and maximizes opportunities.

Authentic Communications Today Increase Success for Value-Driven Clients Image

As the relationship between in-house and outside counsel continues to evolve, lawyers must continue to foster a client-first mindset, offer business-focused solutions, and embrace technology that helps deliver work faster and more efficiently.