SGRV Attorney David Picker’s client, JP Oil Group, was granted Summary Judgment in the recent  Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division of the Fourth Judicial Department case of JP Oil Group V. Sadruddin M. Lakhani and Amir Perani.

Mr. Picker’s client, a motor fuel wholesaler, sued the individual guarantors of a fuel supply agreement on which the guarantors’ company had defaulted. On a motion to dismiss, he first dismissed the counterclaims and affirmative defenses of fraudulent inducement and mutual mistake. Then, Mr. Picker moved for summary judgment. Despite the defendants’ repeated attempts to relitigate the matter, the trial court in New York granted Mr. Picker’s motion last May, awarding his client a significant sum. The defendants then took an appeal to the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, which Mr. Picker opposed and argued over Zoom on December 5, 2023. On February 9, 2024, the five-justice panel of the Appellate Division unanimously affirmed the trial court’s summary judgment in his client’s favor.

Combining careful analysis with clarity and forcefulness of expression, while never losing sight of clients’ practical needs, David B. Picker has broad experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in both trial and appellate courts in a wide range of commercial litigation matters, including contracts, commercial fraud, creditors’ rights, bankruptcy, professional malpractice, real estate, letter of credit, copyright, trademark, unfair competition, and trust and estate matters. Mr. Picker regularly serves as an arbitrator for the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia.