Tortious Interference With Contracts, Business Relations, and Economic Advantage: Proving and Defending Claims

Competitors or former employees may commit business torts to gain an unfair advantage or cover incompetence. Defendants may use misinformation or manipulation to induce breach of contract, steer business away, undermine the plaintiff's ability to perform its obligations, or disrupt appropriate prospective business arrangements. Business attorneys must promptly identify situations where third parties are tortiously interfering with their clients' contracts, business relations, and potential economic advantages to stop future damage and recover losses.

Successful plaintiffs can recover lost profits and other actual damages. Successful plaintiffs may also recover punitive damages, resulting in high-dollar verdicts in tortious interference cases, given the intentional nature of these claims.

Listen as our authoritative panel discusses recent case law developments across multiple states regarding tortious interference claims and the overlap of tortious interference claims with similar claims, such as wrongful competition by former employees, trade secret theft, or defamation. The panel will discuss considerations and best practices for business counsel bringing and defending claims.