An adjunct professor at a university was not reappointed to teach or to manage one of the university’s laboratories.  He sued his department chairman and department administrator individually for slander per se, tortious interference with contract, injurious falsehood and prima facie tort, claiming that statements allegedly made about him by the department chairman and administrator damaged him and led to his termination.

The New York Supreme Court for New York County granted Tarter Krinsky & Drogin’s motion to dismiss the complaint against the firm’s clients, the department chairman and administrator.  The decision is significant because it upholds the right of management to make statements reflecting on an employee’s performance and that such statements are generally privileged.

Partner Richard L. Steer and Associate Tara Toevs represented our clients in this case.