Hackett v. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy

OPINION OF THE COURT

Memorandum.

The Appellate Division order insofar as appealed from should be reversed, with costs, and the petition to stay arbitration denied.

This controversy over petitioner’s right to receive supplemental payments upon his withdrawal from respondent law firm should be decided in these circumstances by an arbitrator in the first instance. That is especially so given the broad arbitration clause in the parties’ partnership agreement and the existence of factual disputes between the parties, including which amendment of the agreement applies and whether the supplemental…