Murphy v Kozlowska  2022 NY Slip Op 32947(U)  September 2, 2022   Supreme Court, New York County  Docket Number: Index No. 150978/2022  Judge: Lisa S. Headley presents the classic “catch-all” bag of claims against an attorney/lawfirm.  It appears that the attorneys were defending Plaintiffs (at least one of whom is an attorney) and Plaintiffs became disenchanted with the representation when they were strongly advised to settle for $ 750,000.

“On February 2, 2022, the plaintiff filed this action against defendants for alleged illegal acts committed by defendants, including conversion, trespass to chattel, defamation, libel, slander, extortion by attorneys, fraud and deceit, theft, coercion, extortion, blackmail, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and punitive damages. In the complaint, plaintiff alleges, inter alia, that defendant Gary Certain told plaintiff that if the case was not settled quick, “it will not look good for him” and “to lay out $750,000 if [plaintiff] didn’t want any problems.” Plaintiff alleges that such interaction is considered blackmail and extortion. Plaintiff contends that this interaction caused emotional distress to plaintiff. Further, plaintiff alleges that defendant Kozlowska is in possession of electronic devices belonging to plaintiff that Kozlowska is using, along with her co-defendants, in order to blackmail and extort plaintiff. Plaintiff alleges that defendant Kozlowska has been saying “untrue things” about plaintiff to third parties, causing damage to plaintiffs reputation. ”

“Defendants’ motion to dismiss must be granted in its entirety as plaintiff has failed to state a cause of action for conversion, trespass to chattel, defamation, libel, slander, extortion by attorneys, fraud and deceit, theft, coercion, extortion, blackmail, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and punitive damages as the complaint on its face is based on bare legal conclusions and insufficient factual evidence to fit within any cognizable legal theory. ”

“Likewise, plaintiff failed to state a cause of action for deceit. “A violation of Judiciary Law § 487 may be established either by the defendant’s alleged deceit or by an alleged chronic, extreme pattern of legal delinquency by the defendant.” Duszynski v. Allstate Ins. Co., 107 A.D. 3d 1448, 1449 ( 4th Dep’t 2013). Plaintiff does not set forth any evidence to show how defendants’ conduct was deceitful, nor how plaintiff was misled by defendants’ conduct. “