Entities associated with pop star Taylor Swift prevailed in a recent lawsuit by a real estate broker seeking commissions of more than $1 million in connection with Swift’s purchase of a townhouse, located at 153 Franklin St. in Tribeca (the townhouse), for $18 million.

The decision by Judge Jesse Furman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York provides valuable guidance regarding how courts evaluate claims brought by brokers seeking commissions in the notoriously rough-and-tumble world of New York City real estate. While brokers and parties often assume that introducing a purchaser to a property is sufficient to entitle the broker to a commission, New York law requires significantly more.