Kaufman v Boies Schiller Flexner, LLP  2022 NY Slip Op 06883  Decided on December 06, 2022  Appellate Division, First Department is a terse decision which modifies Supreme Court’s complete dismissal of all claims.  Now, a breach of contract claim remains.  Judiciary Law § 487 is out.

“The complaint stated a limited cause of action for breach of contract against BSF. The complaint sufficiently alleged that BSF overbilled or billed for unnecessary expenses associated with attorneys not admitted to practice law in, or based out of, New York, and the documentary submissions do not utterly refute those allegations (e.g. Ullmann-Schneider v Lacher & Lovell-Taylor, P.C., 121 AD3d 415, 416 [1st Dept 2014]; Goldfarb v Hoffman, 139 AD3d 474, 475 [1st Dept 2016]; Cascardo v Dratel, 171 AD3d 561, 562 [1st Dept 2019]; see CPLR 3211[a][1], [7]). The complaint otherwise failed to state a cause of action for breach of contract or violation of Judiciary Law § 487(1) (see generally Second Source Funding, LLC v Yellowstone Capital, LLC, 144 AD3d 445, 445-446 [1st Dept 2016]; Brookwood Cos., Inc. v Alston & Bird, LLP, 146 AD3d 662, 669 [1st Dept 2017]; Facebook, Inc. v DLA Piper LLP [US], 134 AD3d 610, 615 [1st Dept 2015], lv denied 28 NY3d 903 [2016]; CPLR 3211[a][7]). We decline to modify the order for review to indicate that dismissal was without prejudice as plaintiff has not sought clarification or relief from Supreme Court in the first instance.”