A New York City judge dismissed a lawsuit against the chair of One Brooklyn Health's board of trustees, originally filed in December.
Here are eight things to know.
1. Board member Maurice Reid and former state Assemblymember Annette Robinson filed the lawsuit against Alexander Rovt, PhD, over a September 2023 board vote to remove One Brooklyn Health CEO LaRay Brown.
2. The petition accused Dr. Rovt and board members of "collective malfeasance and negligence in the performance of their duties." It also raised concerns about conflicts of interest, seeking the court's intervention to dissolve the board or remove its members.
3. Petitioners alleged that Dr. Rovt breached his "duty of loyalty" owed to the system by making public statements about Ms. Brown's alleged mismanaging of system funds and overspending on wages.
4. Dr. Rovt and the board members filed a motion to dismiss the petition, which the judge granted Nov. 6, according to court documents. The respondents argued Dr. Rovt's duty of loyalty is owed to the corporation, not its CEO, and they denied any conflict of interest.
5. The court found that claims of breached fiduciary duties were not "adequately plead" and did not meet the legal standard for board removal. Additionally, the judge noted there was no evidence that Dr. Rovt's statements had caused harm to the organization.
6. The One Brooklyn Health board voted to remove Ms. Brown as CEO in September 2023, sparking protests from healthcare union members. Sandra Scott, MD, was named interim CEO in November 2023.
7. Formed in 2016, One Brooklyn Health includes Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, Interfaith Medical Center and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center.
8. One Brooklyn Health was not immediately available for comment. This story will be updated if more information becomes available.