Opinion ID: 176780
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Tortious Interference with Prospective Business Relations Claim

Text: In order to recover for tortious interference with prospective business relations, a plaintiff must plead and prove: (1) business relations with a third party; (2) the defendant's interference with those business relations; (3) the defendant acted with the sole purpose of harming the plaintiff or used dishonest, unfair or improper means; and (4) injury to the business relationship. Nadel v. Play-By-Play Toys & Novelties, Inc., 208 F.3d 368, 382 (2d Cir.2000). Noting the statement of counsel that Plaintiff relied solely on defamation as the wrongful act predicating the claim of tortious interference and that it had dismissed the defamation claims, the District Court found no further basis for proceeding with the tortious interference claim and dismissed it for failure to state a claim. DiFolco, 2007 WL 959085, at . Our reinstatement of the defamation claim eliminates the District Court's rationale for dismissal of the tortious interference claim. However, our review of the District Court's 12(b)(6) rulings being de novo, we are free to affirm the decision below on dispositive but different grounds. Primetime 24 Joint Venture v. Nat'l Broad. Co., 219 F.3d 92, 103 (2d Cir.2000). We affirm the dismissal of tortious interference claim for the reasons given below. In the third claim, entitled Tortious Interference with Contractual and/or Prospective Business Relations, DiFolco alleges that [d]efendants intentionally interfered with Plaintiff's professional relationships and opportunities for employment and that [d]efendants' actions permanently injured Plaintiff's business relationships in the [news and entertainment] industry. According to the complaint, these actions gave rise to damages flowing from harm to DiFolco's career development, economic harm in the form of lost income and benefits, harm to her professional and personal reputation, and harm consisting of mental anguish and emotional distress. Aside from the fact that these allegations are too conclusory, vague, and lacking in a factual basis to make out DiFolco's tortious interference claim, see Black Car and Livery Ins., Inc. v. H & W Brokerage, Inc., 28 A.D.3d 595, 813 N.Y.S.2d 751, 752 (2006), the complaint fails entirely to describe any third party with whom DiFolco had prospective business relations to be interfered with, see Nadel, 208 F.3d at 382-83. The lack of such an allegation is fatal to this claim.