The defendant law firm, Victor Vallance Blais LLP, brought a motion to dismiss or stay an action by its former client, Deirdre Moore, alleging professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.
The court found that Moore's statement of claim failed to establish a causal link between the alleged breaches and the claimed damages, thus disclosing no reasonable cause of action for negligence or breach of fiduciary duty.
The claim for negligent infliction of mental distress was also found to be unpleaded.
While the action exhibited some characteristics of vexatious litigation due to Moore's multiple prior lawsuits against the firm, it was not dismissed on that ground.
The court struck the statement of claim but granted Moore leave to amend her claims for negligence and breach of fiduciary duty, and stayed the action pending the resolution of Moore's ongoing matrimonial litigation, as the outcome of that litigation would inform the viability of her claims against the law firm.