In a 3-2 ruling, the Appellate Division, First Department, found there were triable issues of fact as to whether a landlord “improperly interfered” with a law firm's efforts to find a replacement tenant and avoid $716,000 in rent when it moved out of the Helmsley Building 16 months before its lease expired.

The unsigned majority opinion in 230 Park Avenue Holdco v. Kurzman Karelsen & Frank, 653178/11, upheld a decision by Acting Supreme Court Justice Ellen Coin (See Profile) denying in part a summary judgment motion by 230 Park Avenue Holdco.

But in a dissent joined by Justice John Sweeny Jr. (See Profile), Justice Leland DeGrasse (See Profile) said “there is no merit to defendants' contention that the stipulation imposed upon plaintiff an obligation to mitigate damages consisting of rent unpaid for the balance of the lease term.”