Expert’s critique of opposing valuation gets excluded
In a Tennessee damages case, the defense engaged a valuation expert to do two things: (1) critique the valuation report of the opposing side; and (2) offer his own estimate of damages.
Rieves v. Town of Smyrna
The plaintiffs’ business was allegedly damaged by the actions of the defendant. The plaintiffs engaged an expert in economic damages and lost profits. The defendants engaged their own expert to provide his opinions as to why he believed the plaintiffs’ expert’s opinions were unreliable. The court ultimately excluded this portion of the defendants’ expert’s testimony. The defendants’ expert’s calculation of damages, however, was a matter for cross-examination and will be allowed.
U.S. District Court Excludes Expert’s Testimony on Critique of Plaintiffs’ Damages but Allows Same Expert Testimony on His Damages Calculation
The plaintiffs’ business was allegedly damaged by the actions of the defendant. The plaintiffs engaged an expert in economic damages and lost profits. The defendants engaged their own expert to provide his opinions as to why he believed the plaintiffs’ expert’s opinions were unreliable. The court ultimately excluded this portion of the defendants’ expert’s testimony. The defendants’ expert’s calculation of damages, however, was a matter for cross-examination and will be allowed.
Trade Secret Damages
Trade secrets are one of the primary forms of intellectual property, along with patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Trade secrets essentially are confidential proprietary information that provide a competitive advantage by not being known or generally available to competitors. As a result, trade secrets are frequently valuable. Unlike patents, trademarks, and copyrights, trade secrets can only be established in court, as the existence of a trade secret is a question of fact to be determined by ...
Recovery of both lost profits and disgorgement not allowed in New York case
In a New York case, the issue of damages involved a Lego interpretation model of the Second Beit Hamikdash, or Second Holy Temple, and an alleged infringement of the copyright on this model (click here to see the model).
Valuation in Times of High Inflation
Over the past year, inflation rates as measured by the U.S. Consumer Price Index have moderated but remain well above the Federal Reserve’s long-term target rate of 2%. The Federal Reserve continues to take measures to control the elevated levels of inflation by raising interest rates and tightening monetary policy. With elevated inflation levels and high interest rates, valuation analysts continue to be challenged with incorporating these macroeconomic trends into the valuation of closely held ...
JBrick, LLC v. Chazak Kinder, Inc.
The defendants challenged the testimony of the plaintiff’s damages expert, and the plaintiff challenged the testimony of the defendants’ damages rebuttal expert. The case involved a Lego interpretation model of the Second Beit Hamikdash, or Second Holy Temple, and an alleged infringement of the copyright on this model. The court struck the plaintiff’s expert’s damages of a product related to the Temple Product but allowed testimony of damages on the Temple Product. The court also struck the plaintiff’s expert’s testimony that the plaintiff should be awarded lost profits on the Temple Product plus a disgorgement of the defendants’ profits. Both may not be awarded. The court also struck portions of the defendants’ rebuttal testimony and report.
Daubert Challenges on Experts on Damages Partially Successful
The defendants challenged the testimony of the plaintiff’s damages expert, and the plaintiff challenged the testimony of the defendants’ damages rebuttal expert. The case involved a Lego interpretation model of the Second Beit Hamikdash, or Second Holy Temple, and an alleged infringement of the copyright on this model. The court struck the plaintiff’s expert’s damages of a product related to the Temple Product but allowed testimony of damages on the Temple Product. The court also struck the plaintiff’s expert’s testimony that the plaintiff should be awarded lost profits on the Temple Product plus a disgorgement of the defendants’ profits. Both may not be awarded. The court also struck portions of the defendants’ rebuttal testimony and report.
Damages waiver precludes lost profits claim
In an Illinois case, a contract for consulting services for an online platform was terminated and the terminating party was supposed to return the source code to the other party but did not, breaching the contract.
Patent Infringement Damages: Lost Profits and Royalties
If a patent owner can prove another company or party has made, used or sold a product covered by a patent without its permission, the patent owner is entitled, under 35 U.S.C. Section 284, to receive “damages adequate to compensate for the infringement, but in no event less than a reasonable royalty for the use made of the invention by the infringer, together with interest and costs as fixed by the court.” This program focuses ...
Calculating But-For Profits
Do you feel like being asked to calculate but-for-profits feels like an engagement in another dimension? Calculating the position the harmed party would have been in “but for” the alleged acts is an advanced skill for appraisers. Join expert and contributing author to The Comprehensive Guide to Economic Damages, Stacey Udell, for a discussion of different strategies to determine net lost profits including the critical step of removing incremental costs that did not occur. Every ...
O’Mahony v. Whiston
In a case of disputes among the owners of an Irish soccer bar in New York City, the court awarded economic damages and punitive damages after the controlling owners took proceeds of a lease buyout of the bar’s prior location to establish a new identical bar in a new location while cutting out the minority owners from the new bar. Using assets of the old corporation and thereby misappropriating a corporate opportunity of the old corporation, they started a new identical bar (including the name) in a new location in a corporation the control owners set up.
New York Court Awards Lost Corporate Opportunity and Punitive Damages in Restaurant-Related Case
In a case of disputes among the owners of an Irish soccer bar in New York City, the court awarded economic damages and punitive damages after the controlling owners took proceeds of a lease buyout of the bar’s prior location to establish a new identical bar in a new location while cutting out the minority owners from the new bar. Using assets of the old corporation and thereby misappropriating a corporate opportunity of the old corporation, they started a new identical bar (including the name) in a new location in a corporation the control owners set up.
Business Valuation Case Law Yearbook, 2023 Edition
January 2023 PDF, Softcover (195 pages)
BVR (editor)
Business Valuation Resources, LLC
Business Valuation Update Yearbook, 2023 Edition
January 2023 PDF, Softcover (426 pages)
BVR (editor)
Business Valuation Resources, LLC
Commercial Success in Patent Litigation
To obtain a United States patent, the claimed invention may not be obvious in view of prior art. Whether a claimed invention is obvious often arises during the examination of a patent application by the United States Patent & Trademark Office. After a patent issues, obviousness may again arise as a defense to infringement by an accused infringer in litigation or as a basis for invalidity by a petitioner in post-grant proceedings, such as Inter-Partes ...
Experts in, lay witnesses out in damages case
In a Michigan case, there were a number of motions to exclude expert witnesses in a damages case that involved employee poaching in the automotive industry.
Auto Konnect, LLC v BMW of North America, LLC
The U.S. District Court (Michigan) denied motions to exclude the plaintiff’s and the defendant’s expert witnesses and granted motions from both parties to exclude “expert” testimony from lay witnesses. The case involved alleged breach of contract on the part of the defendants regarding raiding of the plaintiff’s employees, and damages related thereto.
U.S. District Court Denies Motions to Exclude Experts but Grants Motions to Exclude Lay Witnesses ‘Expert’ Testimony
The U.S. District Court (Michigan) denied motions to exclude the plaintiff’s and the defendant’s expert witnesses and granted motions from both parties to exclude “expert” testimony from lay witnesses. The case involved alleged breach of contract on the part of the defendants regarding raiding of the plaintiff’s employees, and damages related thereto.
Business Valuation Case Law Yearbook, 2022 Edition
January 2022 PDF, Softcover (177 pages)
BVR (editor)
Business Valuation Resources, LLC
The legal coverage and in-depth analysis from the BVR legal team deliver lessons learned to help appraisers reach better and more defensible valuation conclusions. All the cases featured in this book impart important lessons about applicable legal principles, approved and discredited valuation methodology, and the act (and art) of presenting expert opinions. This must-have collection benefits both the generalist as well as the specialist.
Learn more >>
Business Valuation Update Yearbook, 2022 Edition
January 2022 PDF (454 pages)
BVR (editor)
Business Valuation Resources, LLC
Professional Standards for Certified Public Accountants, Economists, and Other Financial Experts
Financial experts may be subject to standards of professional practice from a number of sources when they measure lost profits damages and give related expert testimony. The sources can include governmental regulators as well as professional membership organizations and societies. In addition, a technical community may establish professional standards of practice in other ways.
Discovery dispute over damages expert’s undisclosed work paper
In a discovery dispute, a federal court recently found the defendant had no duty to disclose to the opposing side its expert’s “intermediary” working paper that he used to prepare his damages calculation.
Benefit of the Bargain Economic Damages
With good reason, experts in economic damages focus on lost profit calculations in determining breach of contract claims and other litigation. Determining benefit of the bargain is encountered less often but is an important skill for valuation experts to know for litigation. Join Michael Pakter to learn the essential elements of determining benefit of the bargain damages.
Seven Techniques to Consider When Calculating Damages for Early-Stage Companies
Measuring lost profits damages for new or early-stage businesses can be a daunting task. Traditional damage analyses that rely on historical results are often meaningless since, by definition, startup companies usually lack a track record of operating results. Without an historical operating history for measuring lost profits, the damages expert walks a thin line between speculation and a reasoned analysis. Under most circumstances, to be admissible evidence, damage analyses require relevant and reliable factual bases. These legal and evidentiary requirements are often heightened when measuring damages for new businesses.