Dawson v. White Case

Full title: EVAN R. DAWSON, Appellant, v. WHITE CASE et al., Respondents

Court: Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department

Date published: Jun 4, 1992

184 A.D.2d 246 (N.Y. App. Div. 1992)

584 N.Y.S.2d 814

Opinion

June 4, 1992

Appeal from the Supreme Court, New York County (Shirley Fingerhood, J.).

We agree with the IAS court that plaintiff does not demonstrate a relevant public interest in disclosure of the record of an accounting against this law firm. In particular, plaintiff does not explain why disclosure of financial information concerning defendant's partners and clients, relevant in the accounting for purposes of putting a dollar value on plaintiff's interest in defendant, is necessary to facilitate public discussion of policy issues identified by plaintiff, such as the financing and management of law firms. Plaintiff has failed to show "any legitimate public concern, as opposed to mere curiosity" (Matter of Crain Communications v. Hughes, 135 A.D.2d 351, 352, affd 74 N.Y.2d 626, rearg denied 74 N.Y.2d 843), to counter-balance the interest of defendant's partners and clients in keeping their financial arrangements private.

Concur — Sullivan, J.P., Rosenberger, Asch, Kassal and Rubin, JJ.