X

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.

2238. HARLEM CAPITAL CENTER, LLC, Plaintiffs-Appellant-res, v. ROSEN & GORDON, LLC Defendants-Respondents-ap Charles E. Boulbol, P.C., New York (Charles E. Boulbol of counsel), for appellant-res Borah, Goldstein, Altschuler, Nahins & Goidel, P.C., New York (Virginia K. Trunkes of counsel), for respondents-ap Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Manuel J. Mendez, J.), entered May 6, 2015, which, to the extent appealed from as limited by the briefs, denied plaintiff tenant’s motion for summary judgment on its conversion claim, granted plaintiff’s motion to dismiss defendants’ counterclaims and cross claims, and denied defendants’ cross motion to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint and to order summary judgment on their attorneys’ fees claim, unanimously modified, on the law, to grant defendants’ cross motion to the extent of dismissing plaintiff’s claim for breach of the lease, and otherwise affirmed, without costs.

Plaintiff failed to make a prima facie showing of entitlement to judgment on the conversion claim as the bank statement showing that the alleged security deposit was held in equities and fixed income investments does not clearly demonstrate a violation of General Obligations Law §7-103 (1) or that defendants commingled the deposit with personal funds. While defendants’ failure to respond to plaintiff’s notice, which alleged commingling and requested the name and address of the bank where the deposit was placed, permits the court to infer that landlord violated the statute by commingling the deposit with personal funds (Dan Klores Assoc. v. Abramoff, 288 AD2d 121 [1st Dept 2001]; see also Paterno v. Carroll, 75 AD3d 625, 628 [2d Dept 2010]; LeRoy v. Sayers, 217 AD2d 63, 68 [1st Dept 1995]), this inference is rebuttable (see Dan Klores, 288 AD2d at 121). The bank statement, which reflects an amount slightly more than the security deposit and lists the account name as “RG Security Dep,” raises triable issues of fact with respect to whether there was actually commingling. Plaintiff relies solely on the bank statement and the inference to support its motion.

 
Reprints & Licensing
Mentioned in a Law.com story?

License our industry-leading legal content to extend your thought leadership and build your brand.

More From ALM

With this subscription you will receive unlimited access to high quality, online, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry. This is perfect for attorneys licensed in multiple jurisdictions or for attorneys that have fulfilled their CLE requirement but need to access resourceful information for their practice areas.
View Now
Our Team Account subscription service is for legal teams of four or more attorneys. Each attorney is granted unlimited access to high quality, on-demand premium content from well-respected faculty in the legal industry along with administrative access to easily manage CLE for the entire team.
View Now
Gain access to some of the most knowledgeable and experienced attorneys with our 2 bundle options! Our Compliance bundles are curated by CLE Counselors and include current legal topics and challenges within the industry. Our second option allows you to build your bundle and strategically select the content that pertains to your needs. Both options are priced the same.
View Now
September 04, 2025
New York, NY

The New York Law Journal honors attorneys and judges who have made a remarkable difference in the legal profession in New York.


Learn More
February 24, 2025 - February 26, 2025
Las Vegas, NV

This conference aims to help insurers and litigators better manage complex claims and litigation.


Learn More
March 24, 2025
New York, NY

Recognizing innovation in the legal technology sector for working on precedent-setting, game-changing projects and initiatives.


Learn More

The University of Iowa College of Law anticipates hiring lateral faculty members in the areas of Family Law and Business Law. APPLICATION ...


Apply Now ›

NY auto defense firm seeks experienced TRIAL ATTORNEY to do trials, motions, court appearances, and depositions.Salary range 115K-150K depen...


Apply Now ›

The New York State Unified Court System is one of the largest court systems in the nation with over 16,000 judges and non-judicial employees...


Apply Now ›