Slated IP, LLC v Independent Film Dev.

Group
2016 NY Slip Op 31678(U)
September 1, 2016
Supreme Court, New York County
Docket Number: 650029/2013
Judge: Jeffrey K. Oing
Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip
Op 30001(U), are republished from various state and
local government websites. These include the New York
State Unified Court System's E-Courts Service, and the
Bronx County Clerk's office.
This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official
publication.

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SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

COUNTY OF NEW YORK: IAS PART 48

-----------------1---------------------x
SLATED IP, LLC,
Index No.: 650029/2013

Plaintiff,

Mtn Seq. Nos. 004,

005, 006 & 008

-againstTHE INDEPENDENT FILM DEVELOPMENT

GROUP, LLC, ROBERT ALEXANDER and
BARNET LIBERMAN,

DECISION AND ORDER

Defendants.

---------------------------------------x
JEFFREY K. OING, J.:
I
I'

This action arises under two agreements between plaintiff

Slated IP, LLC ("Slated") and defendant The Independent Film
Development Group, LLC ("IFDG"), an "Asset Purchase Agreement"
("AP Agreement") and a "Senior Secured Note and Security
Agreement" ("Note"), both dated August 1, 2011.
claims agairist IFDG and its principals,
Alexander ("Alexander") and Barnet
alter egos of IFDG.

Slated asserts

d~fendants

Liberm~n

Robert

("Liberman"), as

Specifically, the five-count amended

complaint asserts claims for piercing the corporate veil

(first

cause of action), breach of contract (second cause of action),

unjust enrichment (third cause of action), account stated (fourth
cause of action),, and recovery of chattel under article 71 of the
CPLR (fifth cause of action).

In their combined answer,

defendants assert three counterclaims for breach of contract and

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the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, fraudulent

inducement, and misrepresentation.
Reliefs Sought
Mtn Seq. No. 005

Slated moves, pursuant to CPLR 3212, for summary judgment on

its claims, and dismissal of the counterclaims.
Mtn Seq. No. 004

Defendants move to vacate the note of issue.

Mtn Seq. No. 006

Defendants move to vacate the March 4, 2015 order of the

Honorable Ira Gammerman, JHO ("3/4/15 Order").
Mtn Seq. No. 008

Defendants move for leave to amend their answer.

These four motions are consolidated for disposition.
Facts

Pursuant to the AP Agreement, Slated sold to IFDG the

"Festival Genius Product ... and all related assets, including
all related 'Intellectual Property,'
Rights' and 'Documentation'
Agreement . . .
at 1).

... '

'Intellectual Property

as more fully set forth in this

(collectively, the 'Assets' ) "

(Anderson Aff. Ex. 1

According to the AP Agreement, the Festival Genius

Product is "an online schedulirig and iPhone application for

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uploading and presenting film schedules to festival attendees"

(Id. at 2).

Under the AP Agreement,

IFDG:

acknowledge[d] that it is purchasing the Assets "as-is,

where-is," except as expressly pro~ided in this
Agreement, including the representations and warranties
expressly provided in this Agreement, which
representations and warranties shall survive the
Closing until, but only until May 1, 2012.
The maximum
indemnification obligation of [Slated] to [IFDG] under
this Agreement will be an amount equal to that portion
of the Purchase Price that has actually been paid by
[IFDG] to [Slated].
(Id., 5.4).

In another provision of the AP Agreement, the

parties agreed that Slated's "representations and warranties

shall survive the Closing until May 1, 2012"
The

~P

(Id., 4).

Agreement provided for a purchase price of $500,000

(Id. at Ex. B to AP Agreement).

was paid on June 28,
closing (Id.).

$125,000 of the purchase price

2011 and another $125,000 was paid at

The remaining $250,000 was payable "in the form

of a senior-secured promissory note and security agreement,

bearing interest at the minimum Federal rate established from
time to time by the Internal Revenue Service, at Closing (the
'Note')" (Id.).

The AP Agreement also provided that'"[t]he

entire principal amount of the Note, plus

accru~d

interest, will

be payable on December 1, 2012," and that "[t]he -Note will be

secured by a first
(Id.) .

~riority

security interest in the Assets"

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The Note defined IFDG as the "Debtor" and Slated as the

"Holder" (Anderson Aff., Ex. Eat 1).

Under the Note,

IFDG.

agreed to pay Slated "$250)000, plus interest ... , without any

set-off, counterclaim or deduction.

The amount of any due but

unpaid principal and/or accrued interest shall be hereinafter

collectively referred to as the 'Entire Note Balance'" (Id.).
The Note defined the "'Maturity Date'" as

"D~cember

1, 2012," at

which point "the Entire Note Balance shall become due and payable
without notice or demand" (Id.,

2).

It provided that "[a]ll

payments .. : shall be made by wire transfer of funds to such

account as the Holder may designate in writing to the Debtor at
least seven (7) days in advance of the Maturity.Date" (Id.).
Under section 11 of the Note, IFDG "waive[d] demand, notice,
protest and all other demands and notices in connection with the
delivery, acceptance, performance, default or enforcement of
th[e] Note, except as may otherwise be provided herein"

(Id. at

3).
Section 7 of the Note, titled "Defaults; Remedies,"
provided:
(a) It shall be an event of default ("Event of
Default") under this Note if: (i) the Entire Note
Balance shall not be paid within ten (10) ~alendar d~ys
of the date that it is due and payable ....
Upon the
happening of any such Event of Default beyond all
applicable notices and opportunities to cure, the
entire indebtedness with accrued interest thereon due

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under this Note shall accelerate and become immediately

due and payable at the option of Holder without further
notice and withciut regard to the scheduled maturity
date set forth herein and Holder may proceed to
exercise any rights or remedies that Holder may have by
law or under this Note.

(Id. at 2).
Legal Analysis
Mtn Seq. No. 005

Slated argues that it is entitled to summary judgment on

each of its claims, and to dismissal of IFDG's counterclaims.
Defendants counter that the motion should be

den~ed

due to

Slated's fraudulent conduct and lack of consideration under the

AP Agreement and Note.
Second Cause of Acton (Breach of Contract)
Second and Third Counterclaims (Fraud and Misrepresentation)

Slated submits the executed Note and the affidavit of

Jennifer Anderson ("Anderson"), the chief operating officer of
Slated's managing member, Slated, Inc.

Anderson proffers a

letter, dated November 19, 2012, whereby Slated sent wiring

instructions to IFDG for payment of $250,000, plus interest,
under the Note, claiminq a total amount due of
Aff.

28 and Ex. D).

Anderson represents

~hat

$259~025

(Anderson -

IFDG neither

responded to this letter nor issued any payment, and that,

because more than ten days have elapsed since the Maturity Date,
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IFDG is in default under the Note (Anderson Aff.,

33

29).

Anderson also proffers a second letter, dated December 12, 2012,

whereby Slated

agre~d

"to extend IFDG's time to cure its default

under the Note to no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 17,
2012" (Id.,

30 and Ex. E).

Anderson represents that IFDG,

again, did not respond to this letter or issu.e any payment in

response (Anderson Aff.,

31).

Defendant Alexander conceded that IFDG never paid the

$250,000 owed under the AP Agreement and Note (Anderson Aff., Ex.
F at 163-164).

This evidence is prima facie proof establishing

Slated's breach of contract cause of action (Eastbank v Phoenix

Garden Rest., 216 AD2d 152, 152 [1st Dept 1995] [" [p] laintiff
established a prima facie case by proof of defendant['s]
execution of a

promis~ory

note in the principal sum of $200,000,

... and defendants' failure to make payment upon proper

demand"]); Gateway State Bank v Shangri-La Private Club for
Women, '113 AD2d 791, 791-792 [2d Dept 1985] [ "plaintiff has
1

established a ~rima facie case by proof of the note and ~ failure

to make payments called for by its terms"], affd 67 NY2d 627

In opposition, defendants argue that their counterclaim for

fraudulent inducement provides a complete defense to -- or at the
very least raises a factual issue concerning -- Slated's breach

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'

of contract cause of action.

This counterclaim is based upon

allegations that, prior to entering into the AP Agreement, Slated

repres~nted

that it had ongoing ticketing integration

relationships and works-i0-progress with, and on-going

development support from, Agile Ticketing Solutions, Titan
Ticketing, and ,Sundance (Answer, ! 53).
represented that

~there

'

Slate~

allegedly

was the likelihood and strong possibility

that Sundance would contract with [IFDG]

for the next festival,"

and that Slated "had surpotted over 70 festivals in the 12 months

prior to August 1, 2011" (Id.).

According to defendants, these

representations were falsely made to induce IFDG to enter into

the AP Agreement.
Defendants also submit the affidavit of defendant Liberman,
IFDG's sole manager and CE0.

He claims that Slated made

additional fraudulent representations.

For instance, Slated

represented that the Festival Genius software at issue was

supported by patent and other intellectual property law, and by
"certain documentation"

(Liberman Aff., !! 7(F)-(I)).

Slated

also allegedly misrepresented in the AP Agreement that it "owned

the original Software and all improvements to the Software," that
Slated was an operating company engaged in the business of using
1

<:II

Defendant Alexander passed

away
8 of
34 in May 2015
7 (A) (ii) .

(Liberman Aff.,

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Festival Genius," and that the Festival Genius software was

production software (Id.,

7(J)-(K)

and~

8).

Contrary to defendants' argument, their allegations of fraud

are based upon either "mere surmise, conjecture and speculation"
(Gateway State Bank, 113 AD2d at 792), or upon Slated's alleged
"prediction or opinion" concerning the Festival Genius software,
neither of which is sufficient to raise a factual-issue on
summary judgment (Marx v Mack Affiliates, 265 AD2d 202, 203 [1st
~

Dept 1999]; Roney v Janis, 77 AD2d 555, 557 _[1st Dept 1980] [fraud
claim "cannot be based upon a statement of future intentions,
promises or expectations which were

spe~ulative

or an expression

of hope at the time when made, rather than an assumption of

fact"), affd 53 NY2d 1025 [1981]).

Significantly, whether the

Festival Genius software was

s~pported

by intellectual property

.'

law and owned by Slated, the efficacy 6f the software and its
suitability to IFDG's needs, and the nature of Slated's

operations are facts that were verifiable by defendants through

the exercise of ordinary diligence so as to apprise themselves of
the risks of the transaction (HSH Nordbank AG v UBS AG,
185, 194-195 [1st Dept 2012]).

95 AD3d

Defendants' failure to coriduct

such diligence precludes the use of their fraud counterclaim as a

defense in this action.

For these reasons, defendants' fraud

argument fails to raise a factual issue as to Slated's second

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cause of action.

A review of defendants'

th~rd

33

counterclaim for

"intentional and/or willful misrepresentation" demonstrates that

it is based upon the same alleged misrepresentations as the fraud
counterclaim (Answer,

63-68)

~~

As such, it too fails to raise

a factual issue.
Nonetheless, defendants maintain that a factual issue exists
as to whether there was
and the AP Agreement.

failure of consideration for the Note

This argument is based upon deposition

testimony purportedly showing that Slated did not own

improvements to the Festival Genius software, and defendants'
assertion that Slated failed to provide documentation to IFDG.
The argument is unavailing.

Anderson's testimony cited by

defendants merely states that "the improvements on the Festival

Genius software since the date that it was acquired by Slated IP,
LLC from B-Side were paid for by Slated, Inc. or Slated LLC," and
that "payroll would have been made through the bank account which
was either Slated, LLC or Slated, Inc:" (Liberman Aff., Ex. 4. at
103).

When specifically asked whether Slated, LLC or Slated,

Inc. "owned the improvements that were made to the Festival

Genius software," Anderson responded: "I don't know what. you mean
by own.

It was part of the software.

I mean, improvements made

to the software are implicitly part of that asset .... ", (Id. at
104) .

Such testimony does not constitute an "unequivocal

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admission that [Slated] did not own the improvements to the

Software," as argued by defendants (Defendants' Opp ,Brief at 14).
Defendants' citatiori to the testimony of Duncan Cork ("Cork")
fares no better.

He, on behalf of Slated, testified that he did.

not know who owned the improvements to the Festival Genius

software (Liberman Aff. Ex .. 5 at 99).

In short, the deposition

testimony cited by defendants does not support the conclusion

that Slated did not own improvements to the Festival Genius
software, and this evidence fails to raise a factual issue.
In any event, Slated proffers the affidavit of Slated,
Inc.'s president and chief executive officer, Stephan Paternot
("Paternot").

Paternot states that Slated purchased the Festival

Genius software from B-Side Entertainment, Inc.

( "B-Side") on

March 16, 2010, and he submits a copy of the purchase agreement

as an exhibit (Paternot Aff., '

6 and Ex. A).

That agreement

described the intellectual property "Assets" transferred as "the

Festival Genius software," and it included a "US Patent
Applic~tion

Publication" number which corresponds with an

assignment from B-Side to Slated that was recorded with the

United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") on June 1,
2010 (Id.,

'8

and Ex. B;

~also

Paternot Aff., Ex. C [showing

additional trademarks registered and recorded with the USPTO,

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which were assigned from B-Side to Slated on March 16, 2010, and

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then from Slated to IFDG on August 1, 2011, the date of the AP

Agreement and Note herein]).

In addition,

Pat~rnot

represents in

his affidavit that Slated, Inc, has no rights in any of the

Festival Genius assets, as "Slated, Inc. assigned any rights that
it might have had in the subject assets to Slated," which Slated
then transferred to IFDG (Paternot Aff.,

~~

10-11).

This

evidence shows that any rights in the Festival Genius software

owned by Slated were transferred to IFDG, undermining IFDG's
argument that there was a failure of consideration.
Moreover, the AP Agreement defined "documentation" as:
all materials related to the Assets, including the
Festival Genius Product and the Intellectual Property
and Intellectual Property Rights, in written or other
tangible form (including in electronic form or on
magnetic media) and including the following User
Documentation, system summaries, system design, flow
charts, functional or technical specifications, logical
models, architectures, plans, instructional training
course materials, and other supporting or programming
materials.
(Anderson Aff., Ex. A,

1).

IFDG points to the deposition

testimony of its chief technology officer, Matthew Goldfarb

("Goldfarb"), who testified that he requested certain
documentation but never received it (Anderson Aff., Ex. G at 142143).

Unclear, however, is whether this testimony refers to the

"documentation" defined in the AP Agreement.

In any event( the

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record demonstrates that defendants fail to raise a facct-_ua l

i ss11e

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concerning a failure of consideration.

33

Nor does any other

deposition testimony cited by IFDG raise a factual issue

concerning Slated's delivery of documentation (Defendants' Opp
Brief at 13).

The testimony of Cork does not refer to this issue

(Liberman Aff., Ex. 7 at 31-33).

Anderson did not know if there

was any "documentation" as that term is defined in the AP

Agreement (Id., Ex. 8 at 87-88).

Paternot testified that he did

not know if Slated received "documentation" when it purchased the

Festival Genius software (Id., Ex. 9 at 26-27).
None of defendants' seven affirmative defenses raises a
factual issue or otherwise defeats Slated's prima facie showing.
on the breach of contract claim against IFDG.

The first,

fifth,

and sixth affirmative defenses, based upon failure to state a

cause of action and other pleading
Court's holding, supra,

~n

de~ects,

are refuted by this

Slated's breach of contract claim.

Defendants fail to identify any parties that should be joined

(second affirmative defense).

Nor is there any discernible basis

for the third affirmative defense, based upon collateral

estoppel, unclean hands, or waiver.

Defendants fail to identify

any culpable conduct, illegality, or fraud by Slated that would

support the fourth affirmative defense.

The seventh affirmative

defense, based upon piercing the corporate veil, pertains to the

individual defendants, not to IFDG.

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Accordingly,

for the foregoing

reasons~

33

Slated's motion for

summary judgment on its second cause of action for ,breach of

contract is granted as against IFDG
$250,000.

o~

the principal amount 0

That branch of branch of the motion seeking to dismiss

defendants second and third counterclaims for fraud and

misrepresentation is .granted, and they are dismissed.
In addition, the Note entitles Slated to $250,000, "plus
interest, payable at the rate, time and manner provided inSection 1 of this Note"

(Anderson Aff., Ex. Cat l).

The Note

provides thati it "shall- bear interest at an annualized. rate equal

to the minimum applicable federai rate ... , as published on a
monthly basis by the Internal Revenue Service," and that intereit
"shall be calculated- on the basis of the actual number of days
the principal sum of this Note is due and payable and
outstanding, as _provi-ded herein"
Slated is entitled to

inter~st

(Id.,

1) .

Thus, although

under the Note, it fails,

on this

record, to make a prima facie showing that 1t is owed interest in

the amount of $9,025, as is claimed by Slated in its moving
papers.

Therefore, issue aB to the amotint of interest due and

owing is respectfully referred to a Special Referee to hear and

determine.
Slated also seeks to recover costs and expenses incurred in
enforcing its rig~ts Gnder the Note:

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The Note provides that:

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If Holder retains an attorney in connection with any

Event of Default or at maturity or to collect, enforce
or defend this Note, then Debtor agrees to pay to
Holder, in addition to principal and interest owing to
Holder hereunder, all out-of-pocket costs and expenses
incurred by Holder in trying to collect this Note,
including reasonable attorneys' fees, that are awarded
to Holder in respect thereof by a court of competent
jurisdiction.
(Anderson Aff., Ex. C,

7 at 2-3).
I

Similarly, the AP Agreement provides that, "[i]n any action

brought to construe or enforc~ this Agreement, the prevailing
party shall receive in addition to any other remedy to which it
may be entitled, compensation for all costs incurred in pursuing
such action, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys'
and expert witnesses' fees and costs" (Anderson Aff., Ex. A,

7. 5) .

The record is clear

defendants' failure to pay $250,000

when due constituted an Event of Default and a breach of the

Note.

Accordingly, Slated is entitled to

out-of-po~ket

costs and

expenses incurred in its collection efforts (DDS Partners v

Celenza, 6 AD3d 347 7

349 .[1st Dept 2004] [awarding the plaintiff

"reasonable attorneys' fees and costs expended in connection with

the enforcement of its rights to collect on the note"]).
Slated' represents that, as of March 20, 2015, it has
incurred $122,933.36

i~.

legal fees and costs, and continues to

incur such costs and expenses (Landau Aff., '55).

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Notwithstanding this representation, the issue of the amount of

Slated's reasonable attorneys' fees, costs and expenses is
respectfully referred to a Special Referee to hear and determine.
Third Cause of Action (Unjust Enrichment)
Fourth Cause of Action (Account Stated)
Fifth Cause of Action (Article 71)

Slated's third cause of action for unjust enrichment is

dismissed as duplicative of its breach of

cont~act

claim

(Corsello v Verizon N.Y., Inc., 18 NY3d 777, 790 [2012] ["unjust

enrichment claim is not available where it simply duplicates, or
replaces, a conventional contract or tort claim"]).

Moreover, as

summary judgment is granted on Slated's breach of contract claim,

Slated's motion for summary judgment on the fourth cause of
action for an account stated -- which is based on the same facts
and seeks the same relief as the breach of contract claim -- is
denied and the fourth cause of action is dismissed (Simplex
Grinnell v Ultimate Realty, LLC, 38 AD3d 600,

600 [2d Dept

2007] ["[a] cause of action alleging an account stated cannot be

utilized simply as another means to attempt to collect under a
disputed contract"]).
The fifth cause Of action claims that Slated has superior
right to possession of the Assets, and seeks a declaration of its
superior rights, possession of the Assets, and a preliminary
injunction or temporary restraining order (Amended Complaint,

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~~

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81-85).

33

On January 23, 2013, this Court heard oral arguments on

Slated's preliminary injunction motion (NYSCEF Doc. No. 286).

At

that time, this .Court held that article 71 had no application,

that the chattel was owned by defendants, and that money damages
were a sufficient remedy (Id. at 27-28).

This holding is law of

the case, and the fifth causs of action is dismissed (Karasik v

Karasik, 172 AD2d 294, 294-295 [1st Dept 1991]; Stroock & Stroock
& Lavan v Beltramini, 157 AD2d 590, 591 [1st Dept 1990]).
First Cause of Action (Alter Ego Claim)

Slated also seeks summary judgment on its first cause of

action, which seeks to pierce the corporateveil of IFDG to hold
Alexander and Liberman

p~rsonally

liable for IFDG's obligations

under the AP Agreement and the Note.

In opposition, and

consisterit with their seventh affirmative defense, defendants

argue that piercing the corporate veil is not a separate cause of
action.

Defendants also argue that Slated's failure to allege

fraud makes it impossible to determine the timing of defendants'

improper conduct.

Defendants admit that the $250,000 owed to.

Slated "was always available," but claim that "IFDG had more than
20 good and sufficient reasons not to pay it" (Defendants' Opp
Brief at 19).
Generally, "a corporation exists independently of its
owners, who are not personally liable for its obligations, and

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.. individuals may incorporate f6r the express purpose of

limiting their liability" (East Hampton Union Free School Dist. v

Sandpebble Bldrs., Inc., 66 AD3d 122, 126 [2d Dept 2009], affd 16
NY3d 77 5 [2011]) ..
[P]iercing the corporate veil requires a showing that:
(1) the owners exercised complete domination of the
corporation in respect to the transaction attacked; and
(2) that such domination was used to commit a fraud or
wrong against the plaintiff which resulted in
plaintiff's injury.
While complete domination of the corporation is the key
to piercing the corporate veil, especially when the
owners use the corporation as a mere device to further
their personal rather than the corporate business, such
domination, standing alone, is not enough; some showing
of a wrongful or unjust act toward plaintiff is
required.
The party seeking to pierce the corporate
veil must establish that the owners, through their
domination, abused the privilege of doing business in
the corporate form to perpetrate a wrong or injustice
against that party such that a court in equity will
intervene.
(Matter of Morris v New York State Dept. of Taxation & Fin., 82
NY2d 135, 141-142 [1993] [internal citations omitted]).

"Factors

io be considered in determining whether the owner has abused the

privilege of doing business in the corporate form include whether
there was a failure to adhere to ccirporate formalities,
inadequate capitalization, commingling of assets, and use of
corporate funds for personal use" (East Hampton Union Free School
Dist., 66 AD3d at 127 [internal quotation marks and citation
omitted]).

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Here, the veil-piercing claim is based on allegations that

Alexander and Liberman owned and controlled IFDG, rendered the
company inactive on December 15, 2012, and transferred all of its
assets to IndiePix Films, Inc.

("IndiePix") at that time, that

is, two weeks after the Maturity Date of the Note and four days
after they caused IFDG to default on its payment obligations
under the Note (Amended complaint, !! 34, 52; Anderson Aff., Ex.
C,

2).

Slated claims that Alexander and Liberman formed

IndiePix on November 9, 2012 in the State of Nevada, that they

are 100% owners of IndiePix, and that IndiePix's address is the
same as Alexander's principal place of business
complaint, !! 4, 35).

(Amended

According to Slated, "IFDG depended

entirely on contributions from defendants Alexander and Liberman

in order to meet is obligations," and by transferring IFDG's
assets to IndiePix rendered IFDG an undercapitalized shell and
caused it to breach its obligations under the AP Agreement and
Note (Id., !! 36-39).

The amended complaint further alleges that

Alexander and Liberman "systematically commingled personal and

IFDG funds," and "treated IFDG as a shell for their personal
business and individual dealings" (Id., !! 46-47).

Slated claims

that, when IFDG executed the Note and AP Agreement, "Alexander

and Liberman caused IFDG to transfer the Festival Genius Product
to Festival Genius, LLC" (Id., !

49).

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Slated claims that

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"Alexander and Liberman continue to do business, including the

)

use of the Festival Genius Product, through their wholly owned

companies, Festival Genius, LLC,

IndiePix Films,

Inc., and

IndiePix Unlimited, LLC all of which are housed in the same

building [as Alexander's principal place of business]" (Id.,

54) .
These allegations sufficiently state a claim for alter ego
liability (Holme v Global Mins. & Metals Corp., 22 Misc 3d
1123(A), 2009 NY Slip Op 50252(U), *6 [Sup Ct, NY County
2009] ["allegations that the Individual Defendants transferred
money, shares, and assets to enrich themselves and their other
companies, including [a co-defendant entity], while stripping
Global of its assets and making it judgment proof, sufficiently
allege[d] a wrong or injustice against [the plaintiff] which
resulted in his injury"], affd 63 AD3d 417

[1st Dept 2009]).

Moreover, while "a separate cause of action to pierce the

corporate veil does not exist independent from the claims
asserted against the corporation" (9 E. 38th St. Assoc. v Feher
Assoc., 22 AD2d 167, 168 [1st Dept 1996]), the alter eg6 claims
asserted in the amended complaint are based upon claims against
IFDG, and, through IFDG, the individual defendants.

Therefore,

defendants' ninth affirmative defense, which claims that piercing

20 of 34

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33

the corporate veil is not an individual cause of action, is

dismissed.
Slated's proffered evidence, however, fails to demonstrate
entitlement to summary judgment on its veil-piercing claim at
this juncture.

Specifically, Slated relies on the deposition

testimony of Alexander and Goldfarb.

Alexander testified that

IFDG stopped operating in December 2012 because "the business was

in disarray" (Anderson Aff., Ex. Fat 81).

The staff had been

reduced by eight people, some staff had resigned, and by

September 2012 IFDG's staff was reduced to five people.
84).

(Id. at

Alexander further testified that, as a result, "a lot of

phone calls ... were not being answered.

situation" (Id.) .

It was a messy

, In addition, payroll taxes remained unpaid,

"there were too many people on staff and the amount of payroll
taxes were too high" (Id. at 81-82, 86).

Although Alexander

conceded that IFDG never paid the second $250,000 owed under the
AP Agreement, the payment due on December 1, 2O12 was not a
factor in defendants' decision to shut down IFDG.
164, 167).

(Id. at 163-

Alexander testified:

the question was the immediate need to reduce our own

personal operating costs, which we saved, you know, so
we eliminated - we sold the assets - when the IRS gave
us permission, we sold the assets of the company to a
third company that I'm not a part of and I assumed the
liabilities that the IRS asked me to and I resigned my
position.
That was unrelated to the sale.

21 of 34

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(Id. at 167-168).

According to Alexander, an entity called

"IndiePix Unlimited ... wasn't an operating company.

shell ....

33

They didn't have staff.

It was a

It was set up for accounting

and brand name reasons and that sort of thing" (Id. at 87).
Goldfarb testified that he left IFDG for "financial reasons"
(Anderson Aff., Ex. G at 40).

He further testified that he was

not being paid regularly and "sometimes gave up a paycheck to

make sure that one of the other employees was paid" and believed
this situation was due to "a cash flow problem" (Id. at 41-42).
Goldfarb testified that when IFDG transferred its assets to
IndiePix in 2012 he continued his employment with lndiePix (Id.
at 33-34).

None of his duties changed at IndiePix (Id. at 61).

Although this evidence tends to suggest that Alexander and

Liberman controlled IFDG, and that they jntentionally withheld
payment on the Note, Slated fails to make a prima facie showing
that Alexander and Liberman's domination and control over IFDG
was used solely to commit a fraud or wrong against Slated.
Rather, the evidence cited by Slated raises a factual issue as to
whether IFDG's inability to pay the balance due under the Note
was due to the individual defendants, alleged improper ceonduct or
IFDG's deteriorating financial condition.

Accordingly, Slated's

motion for summary judgment against defendants Alexander and

Liberman, as alter egos of IFDG, is denied.

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33

Defendants' Remaining Counterclaim

Slated next seeks summary judgment dismissing defendants'

first counterclaim, which is based upon Slated's alleged breach
of the AP Agreement and the duty of good faith and fair dealing
with respect to that agreement.

Specifically, defendants aver

that Slated failed to deliver the Assets or sufficient

documentation of the Assets, that the "System and Assets" were
defective and did not perform as represented and warranted, and
that Slated breached its representations and warranties generally
(Answer,

~~

48(A)-(G)).

As a preliminary matter, in the first paragraph of the Note,

IFDG agreed to pay off the Note ($250,000 plus interest) "without
any set-off, counterclaim or deduction" (Anderson Aff., Ex. Cat
1).

This provision of the Note alone precludes IFDG's

counterclaim to the extent that it relates to the Note (Bank of

Suffolk County v Kite, 49 NY2d 827, 828 [1980] [enforcing
"explicit waiver of 'the right to interpose any defense, set-off
or counterclaim whatsoever'

[citation omitted]"; Sterling Natl.

Bank v Biaggi, 47 AD3d 436, 436 [1st Dept 2008] [enforcing

absolute and unconditional waiver of "any and all rights to
assert

a~y

defense, set-off, counterclaim or cross claim of any

nature whatsoever"]; Chemical Bank v Allen, 226 AD2d 137, 138

[1st Dept 1996] [same]).

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33

In any event, the AP Agreement expressly states that

Slated's representations and warranties "shall survive the
Closing until May 1, 2012" (Anderson Aff., Ex. A, 4 and 5.4).
Here, there is no dispute that defendants did not assert any
claims for breaches of representations or warranties until filing
their answer in March 2013.

Therefore, the breach of contract

claim is untimely under the AP Agreement (2626 Bway LLC v

.
.
Broadway Metro Assoc., LP, 85 AD3d 456, 456 [1st Dept
2011) [unambiguous contracts "must be enforced as written"]; CPLR
201 ["[a)n 'action ... must be commenced within the time specified
in this article unless
written agreement"]).

a shorter time is prescribed by

Furthermore, to the extent that

defendants' first counterclaim is based upon breach of the

covenant of good faith and fair dealing, that claim is dismissed
as duplicative of the breacliJ. of contract counterclaim (Salomon v
Citigroup Inc., 123 AD3d 517, 518 [1st Dept 2014)).
Accordingly, that branch of Slated's motion to dismiss
defendants' first counterclaim is

granted~

and it is dismissed.

Mtn Seq. Nos. 004 and 006

On February 24, 2015, defendants moved to vacate the note of

issue for the purpose of conducting additional discovery.

On

March 30, 2015, defendants moved to vacate JHO Gammerman's 3/4/15

Order.

These motions are based upon the same underlying

24 of 34

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discovery sought by defendants.

33

The parties dispute whether the

3/4/15 Order was an order or merely a recommendation, which would

determine the procedural mechanism used to

~hallenge

Gammerman's rulings and conclusions.

Under CPLR 3104(b), "[a]

JHO

./

judicial hearing officer may be

designated as refereeu (CPLR 3104(a) [stating that a

refer~e

"supervise all or part of any disclosure procedureu]).

may

Under

CPLR 3104(c), subject to certain exceptions not applicable here,

"[a] referee ... shall have all . the powers
of the court.u
.

CPLR

3104(d) provides that "[a]ny party ... may apply for review of an
order made under this section by a referee,u
The 3/4/15 Order was issued in the context of JHO
Gammerman's supervision of discovery, ordered by this Court on
December 18, 2013

(NYCSEF Doc. No. 35).

Therefore, JHO

'
Gammerman's conclusion concerning
discovery is deemed an order

(CPLR 3104(c)).

When the parties appeared before JHO Gammerman

on March 4, 2015, they addressed the outstanding discovery sought

by defendants.

After hearing defendants' arguments, JHO

Gammerman concluded that discovery was complete and that no

further discovery was necessary.

Pursuant t6 CPLR 3104{d), this

Court grants defendants' motion to the extent of reviewing the

3/4/15 Order, and, for the reasons stated on the record by JHO
Gammerman, this Court adopts and adheres to JHO Gammerman's

25 of 34

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33

ruling that discovery is complete and no further discovery- is

necessary.

In that regard, this Court notes that defendants have

had ample opportunity to complete discovery and no further

discovery is necessary.

Therefore, defendants' motion seeking

reversal and vacatur of the 3/4/15 Order is denied.

For these

same reasons, the motion to vacate the note of issue is denied.

Mtn Seq. No. 008

Defendants' seek leave to amend their answer to assert new

affirmative defenses, counterclaims, and third-party claims
against Slated, Inc., Paternot, Cork and Anderson.
"Leave to amend pleadings under CPLR 3025(b) should be
freely given, and denied only if there is prejudice or surprise
resulting directly from the delay, or if the proposed amendment
is palpably improper or insufficient as a matter of law" (McGhee
v Odell, 96 AD3d 449, 450 [1st Dept 2012] [internal quotation
marks and citations omitted]).
As a preliminary matter, pursuant to JHO Gammerman's
supervision of discovery, defendants were given until November
12, 2014 to move for leave to amend their answer to include the
individual claims now asserted in the proposed amended answer,
subject to preclusion for failure to do so (3/4/15 Tr. at 8-9).
Defendants did not move for leave to amend until more than a year

26 of 34

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006 & 008

33

r'\

later, on December 17, 2015 (NYSCEF Doc. No. 162).

Accordingly,

the motion for leave to amend is denied.

Moreover, as discussed, supra, all of defendants'
counterclaims are untimely under the AP Agreement's provision
that Slated's "representation and warranties ... shall survive
the Closing until May 1, 2012"(Anderson Aff., Ex. A,

4 and

5.4) and/or waived by IFDG's representation in the Note that it

would pay the balance due "without any set-off, counterclaim or
deduction" (Id., Ex. Cat 1).
In any event, the proposed amendments are insufficient as a
matter of law.

Here, the proposed amended answer, affirmative

defenses, and counterclaims ("Proposed Amended Answer") seek to

add four affirmative defenses.

The proposed eighth affirmative

defense claims that Slated "did not own or have.title to the

software and other of the 'Assets'

... which it purportedly sold

to IFDG, resulting in, among other things, a lack of

consideration" (Proposed_ Amended Answer, 'JI 47).

The proposed

tenth affirmative defense claims that the AP Agreement and Note

"lacked adequate consideration" (Id., 'JI 4 9) .

The proposed

eleventh affirmative defense is based upon Slated's alleged

"fraud and fraud in the inducement, which bar and preclude its
claims" (Id., 'JISO).

For the reasons discussed,

su~ra,

in

connection with Slated's summary judgment motion, defendants'

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006 & 008

33

argument concerning lack of consideration fails to raise a

factual issue, and defendants' fraud-based counterclaims were
dismissed.

Accordingly, these proposed new affirmative defenses

are without merit.

The proposed ninth affirmative defense is based upon
allegations that Slated lacks standing to bring this action
because its owners were Slated's alter egos and, in that
capacity, caused injury to defendants.

Along the same lines,

defendants' proposed tirst amended counterclaim alleges that

Paternot, Cork, and Anderson were officers of Slated's managing
member, Slated, Inc., and alter egos of Slated (Proposed Amended
Answer,

~~

56~59,

75).

Defendants allege that Slated was

undercapitalized, never duly organized, and failed to adhere to

corporate formalities,

rendering it unable to fulfill its

obligations to IFDG under the AP Agreement, and resulting in IFDG

not receiving_

th~

AP Agreement (Id.,

Assets and Festival Genius software under the

~~

63-74, 76).

claim that Paternot, Cork,

~nd

In this regard, defendants

Anderson breached Slated's

representations under the AP Agreement (Id.,

~~

77-82).

While these allegations claim that Slated breached the AP

Agreement, they.fail to show that Paternot, Cork and Anderson
used their alleged domination over Slated "to commit a fraud or
wrong against the [defendants] which resulted in [defendants']

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006 & 008

injury" (Matter of Morris, 82 NY2d at 141).

33

Nor do defendants

allege that these individuals used Slated "as a mere device to

further their personal rather than the corporate business" (Id.
at 141).

Thus, there is no underlying misconduct to support

defendants' vei!-piercing counterclaims or their ninth

affirmative defense.

Nor do defendants cite to legal authority

suggesting any connection between veil-piercing and standing,

further undermining defendants' ninth affirmative defense.
In essence,' defendants allege that Slated, under the control
of its managing member, breached the AP Agreement.

As discussed,

supra, "a corporation exists independently of its owners, who are

not personally liable for its obligations, and ... individuals
may incorporate for the express purpose of limiting their
liability" (East Hampton Union Free School Dist.,
126) .

66 AD3d at

Allegations seeking to pierce the corporate veil must be --

supported "by particularized statements detailing fraud or other

corporate misconduct," whic~ ar~ not alleged here (Sheinberg v
177 E. 77, 248 AD2d 176, 177 [1st Dept 1998]).
Accordingly, defendants' proposed ninth affirmative defense,
and the first amended counterclaim against Paternot, Cork and
Anderson, are insufficient as a matter of law.
Defendants' proposed second and third amended counterclaims
restate their original counterclaims
29 of 34 for fraudulent inducement

[* 29]

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006 & 008

33

and misrepresentation, adding alter ego claims against Paternot,

Cork, and Anderson (Proposed Amended Answer, <Jl<j[ 94-103, 105-111).
As discussed, supra, the alter ego claims against these
individuals are legally insufficient.

Moreover, as discussed,

supra, in connection with Slated's surrunary judgment motion, the

remainder of defendants' fraud-based counterclaims were dismissed
as legally insufficient.

Therefore, the proposed amendment is

denied with respect to defendants'' second and third

counterclaims.
Defendants also seek to add a fourth counterclaim for
misrepresentation, based upon allegations that Paternot, Cork and
Anderson perpetrated a fraud against IFDG, acting "intentionally
... approaching a criminal indifference and otherwise perpetrated
a fraud on the general public" (Id.,

114).

<JI

Similarly,

individuals "acted negligently or grossly negligent or

privity~like

r
r

information to IFDG" (Id., <JI<j[ 117-118). These individuals also

allegedly "had special knowledge or should have had special
knowledge of the Assets and information concerning the Assets,

warranties were based" (Id.,

<JI

119).
30 of 34

rep~esentations

I
j

including the facts upon which the foregoing

relationship with IFDG, imposing a duty to impart correct

I
f

defendants' proposed new fifth counterclaim alleges that these

recklessly," and that they "had a special or

and

Defendants claim that IFDG

[* 30]

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006 & 008

33

relied upon the representations and warranties of these

)

individuals, who acted intentionally, "approaching a criminal

indifference and otherwise perpetrated a fraud on the general
public" (Id.,.

<JI

121).

These proposed fraud-based claims are duplicative of the

defendants' counterclaim for breach of contract, as they "are
based on alleged fraudulent misrepresentations related to
[Slated's] obligation[s] under their agreements"

(RGH Liquidating

Trust v Deloitte & Touche LLP, 47 AD3d 516, 517 [1st Dept 2008]).
The fraud-based claims are also legally insufficient for failure
to allege justifiable reliance (HSH Nordbank AG, 95 AD3d at 194195; see also Karfunkel v Sassower, 105 AD3d 459, 460 [1st Dept
2013] [plaintiff's failure "to inquire about the specifics of the
transaction or to conduct due diligence ... preclude[d] his claim
of justifiable reliance on defendant's alleged
representations as a matter of law"]).

To the extent that these

proposed new counterclaims are based upon a theory of negligent

misrepresentation, they are legally insufficient because "a
'special relationship' giving rise to.a duty to impart correct
information [cannot] be discerned from the arm's length dealings
between the parties alleged in the [proposed Amended Answer]"
(Andres v LeRoy Adventures, 201 AD2d 262, 262 [1st Dept 1994]).
Nor does the proposed amended pleading state any factual basis -31 of 34

[* 31]

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006 & 008

33

supporting the allegation

let alone particularized allegations

that a fraud was perpetrated "on the general public" (Proposed

Amended Answer,

<JI<JI

114, 121); see also CPLR 3016(b) ["[w]here a

cause of action or defense is based upon misrepresentation [or]

fraud,

. . . the circumstances constituting the wrong shall be

stated in

detail~]).

As such, the prop6sed new fourth and fifth

counterclaims are legally insufficient.

Based on the foregoing, defendants' motion for leave to
amend is denied

~n

its entirety.

Accordingly, it is hereby
ORDERED that defendants' motion (mtn seq. no. 004) to vacate
the note of issue is denied; and it is further
ORDERED that the plaintiff's motion for summary judgment.
(mtn seq. no. 005) is resolved as follows:
(1)

summary judgment Qn the second cause of action of

the amended complaint is granted w'i th regard to
liability against defendant The Independent Film
Development Group, LLC in the amount of $250,000,
plus interest through
December . 1, 2012 as provided
.
in the parties' Senior Secured Note and Security
Agreement, and, thereafter,

unt~l

the date of

entry of the decision herein, and for attorneys'

fees, costs and expenses, and the only triable

32 of 34

[* 32]

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Mtn Seq. Nos. 004, 005,
006 '& 008

issues of fact arising on

this~cause

33

of action are

the ~mount of interest to which plaintiff is

entitled on the $250,000 through December 1, 2012
under

the~arties'

Senior Secured Note and

Security Agreement and date of entry hereof and

the amount of attorneys' fees, costs and expenses
that plaintiff may recover against defendant The
. 'i

Ind~pendent Film ,Development ~roup,

(2)

defendants'

~ffirm~tive

LLC;

defenses and counterclaims

are dismissed;
(3)

plaintif's third, fourth, and fifth

cau~es

of

.,
action are d{smissed;
(4)

the portions of plaintiff's actiori that seek

interest under the .parties' Senior Secured Note
and Security Agreement through December 1, 2012
and entry hereof and recovery of attorneys'

fees,

cost~ and expenses are severed and- the issues of

the amount -of interest and expenses that plaihtiff

may recover against defendant The1Independent Film
Development Group, LLC are respectfully referred
to a Special ~eferee to hear and determine, as
permitt~d

by CPLR 4317(b);

and the motion is otherwise denied; and it is further

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006 & 008

Page 33 of

ORDERED that defendants' motion (mtn seq.

?O

33

006) to

review, reverse, and vacate the order of the Honorable Ira

'

Gammerman, JHO, dated March 4, 2015, is granted to the extent of

reviewing said order, pursuant to CPLR 3104(d), and, upon such
review, thjs Court adopts and adheres to said order and the
motion to reverse and v~cate is denied;- and it is further
ORDERED that defendants' motion for leave to amend the
answer (mtn seq., no. 008) is denied; and it is further
ORDERED that this action shall continue with respect to
plaintiff's first cause of action against defendants Robert
Alexander and Barnet Liberman; and it is further
ORDERED that counsel shall appear for a status conference on
September 27, 2016 at 11 a.m.
This memorandum opinion

const~tutes

the decision and order

of the Court.
Dated:

HON. JEFFREY K. OING, J.S.C.

_JEFFREY K. OING
1:::..,..,.

34 of 34

J.S.c.