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Case Citation
Legal Case Name

Fishkin v. Susquehanna Partners, G.P. Case Brief

Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit2009Docket #65723701
340 F. App'x 110

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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
4 min read

tl;dr: An employer sued former employees for breaching non-compete agreements. The court held the employer could not recover the ex-employees’ profits as damages, as disgorgement is not a proper remedy for contract breach unless the defendant’s profits directly define the plaintiff’s loss.

Legal Significance: This case clarifies that under Pennsylvania law, disgorgement of a defendant’s profits is not a proper measure of restitution damages for breach of a non-compete agreement. The remedy is limited to the value of the benefit conferred, not the profits gained from the breach.

Fishkin v. Susquehanna Partners, G.P. Law School Study Guide

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Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Cal Fishkin and Igor Chernomzav, former securities traders for Susquehanna International Group (SIG), executed employment contracts containing non-competition covenants. The agreements provided SIG with alternative remedies for a breach: either specified liquidated damages or injunctive relief plus other remedies available at law. Fishkin, who had earned SIG approximately $30 million in one year using a proprietary trading formula, became dissatisfied with his compensation. While still employed, he began discussions with a third party, NT Prop, to form a competing venture. When asked about SIG’s profitability, Fishkin stated he was bound by confidentiality but implied high profits by saying, “you’ll be pleased.” After leaving SIG, Fishkin and Chernomzav formed a competing firm, TABFG, and began trading. SIG sued for breach of contract and sought an injunction and damages. SIG conceded it could not prove its own lost profits (expectation damages) and instead sought restitution damages measured by the profits earned by TABFG. The district court granted a permanent injunction but denied SIG’s claim for disgorgement, finding it was only entitled to nominal damages. SIG appealed.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Under Pennsylvania contract law, may a non-breaching party recover restitution damages measured by the breaching party’s profits when its own lost profits cannot be calculated with reasonable certainty?

No. The court affirmed the denial of SIG’s claim for restitution damages. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irur

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IRAC Legal Analysis

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Legal Issue

Under Pennsylvania contract law, may a non-breaching party recover restitution damages measured by the breaching party’s profits when its own lost profits cannot be calculated with reasonable certainty?

Conclusion

The case serves as a strong precedent limiting contract damages to their Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut

Legal Rule

For a breach of contract, a defendant's profits are not the proper Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur

Legal Analysis

The court analyzed the three primary contract remedies under Pennsylvania law: expectation, Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud

Flash-to-Full Case Opinions

Flash Summary

  • Under Pennsylvania law, a plaintiff cannot recover a defendant’s profits as
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cu

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