McCarter & English sued a former client for allegedly refusing to pay legal fees. The firm sought punitive damages, but the Connecticut Supreme Court clarified this requires a tort claim to be pleaded and proven.

While McCarter & English cannot receive punitive damages, Matt Blumenthal of Koskoff, Koskoff & Bieder, a plaintiff's attorney who is not involved in the lawsuit, said future plaintiffs now know a path to recover punitive damages in a breach-of-contract lawsuit.