News & Thought Leadership from Sulloway & Hollis

Attorney Derek Lick Successfully Defends Client From $6 Million Suit and Obtains Favorable Verdict

Derek Lick successfully preserved a jury verdict in favor of his client, a well-established New Hampshire property developer, before the New Hampshire Supreme Court. The plaintiff in the case, a neighboring property owner, brought multiple claims, including slander of title, breach of contract and breach of easement against Attorney Lick’s client. The other party asked the jury to award it in excess of $6 million, plus other damages such as attorneys’ fees. The jury rejected each of the other party’s claims in the entirety, and instead awarded Attorney Lick’s client damages on each of its counterclaims in the exact amount sought by Attorney Lick. After briefing and oral argument by Attorney Lick on behalf of his client in support of the verdict and the multiple trial court pre- and post-trial orders that had been challenged, the New Hampshire Supreme Court recently affirmed the verdict and the actions of the trial court judge.

Attorney Lick defended the case at trial against three attorneys who were jointly representing the other party, including one who was subsequently appointed as United States Attorney for New Hampshire. In the last year and a half, Attorney Lick has served (or is serving) as lead counsel in eight cases pending before the New Hampshire Supreme Court, and he has assisted in briefing two other cases before the court. One of those 10 cases settled after appeal, and of the four cases for which a decision has been issued, Attorney Lick prevailed in each of them.