Meunier, et al. v. Market Strategies, Inc. (Lawyers Weekly No. 12-016-17)
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS SUFFOLK, ss. SUPERIOR COURT. 1684CV01546-BLS2 1684CV03592-BLS2 ____________________ JOHN J. MEUNIER, CHRISTY M. WHITE, and the JOHN J. MEUNIER 2012 IRREVOCABLE TRUST v. MARKET STRATEGIES, INC. ____and____ MARKET STRATEGIES, INC. v. COGENT RESEARCH HOLDINGS LLC ____________________ MEMORANDUM AND ORDER ALLOWING MOTION TO DISMISS CLAIM AGAINST COGENT RESEARCH HOLDINGS, LLC Market Strategies, Inc. (“MSI”) claims that Cogent Research Holdings LLC (which the parties refer to as “Holdco”) is liable for breaching a covenant not to sue not because Holdco itself filed a lawsuit, but instead because the three members of Holdco sued MSI in their individual capacities. The two lawsuits have been consolidated. The Court will ALLOW Holdco’s motion to dismiss the one claim against it because MSI has not alleged facts plausibly suggesting that Holdco can be held liable for breach of contract. 1. Factual Background. These consolidated actions arise from the May 2013 sale of Cogent Research LLC to MSI. At the time of the transaction, John Meunier, Christy White, and the John J. Meunier 2012 Irrevocable Trust were the sole owners of Cogent Research. They agreed to sell Cogent Research to MSI in exchange for an “Initial Payment” of $ 8.0 million, a “Delayed Payment” of $ 2.0 million, and a “Contingent Payment” of roughly $ 3.14 million that was due after MSI received additional audited financial statements of Cogent Research. Meunier and White also agreed to work for MSI for three years and entered into a non-competition agreement. Meunier, White, and the irrevocable trust created Holdco in connection with this transaction. They transferred ownership of Cogent Research to Holdco, which in turn was the entity that actually sold Cogent Research to MSI. The parties’ purchase agreement provides that MSI was required to pay the Initial Payment, Delayed – 2 – Payment, and Contingent Payment to Holdco. MSI does not have any contractual obligation to make any of these payments to Meunier, White, or the irrevocable trust. Although the parties’ purchase agreement provides that MSI was to make the Deferred Payment and Contingent Payment to Holdco no later than April 30, 2016, a separate subordination agreement executed at the same time modifies those terms. The parties to the subordination agreement were Holdco, MSI, and an administrative agent representing Senior Lenders of MSI. Meunier and White signed this contract on behalf of Holdco. The subordination agreement provides that the obligations of MSI to make the Delayed and Contingent Payments “shall be subordinate and subject in right and time of payment … to the prior Payment in Full of all Senior Debt” held by the Senior Lenders. It further provides that MSI shall not make and Holdco shall not accept payment of any part of the Deferred and […]