Complex Commercial Litigation
Business Torts
The claim generally requires a valid contract, the defendant's knowledge of it, intentional and improper conduct inducing breach, actual breach, and damages.
A related claim addresses interference with prospective economic advantage, which protects business expectancies short of a formal contract and typically requires more culpable conduct.
Alternative Names:
Tortious Interference, Interference with Contractual Relations
Why it Matters?
These claims commonly arise in employee raiding, customer poaching, and supplier disputes, and they matter because they reach a defendant who is not a party to the contract. The central defense is justification or privilege: legitimate competition, protecting one's own economic interest, and giving honest advice are recognized defenses in most states. The improper conduct element is where the case is usually decided.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Is legitimate competition a defense?
Can at-will contracts support the claim?
