When bringing an action, a party must be mindful of the applicable statute of limitations.
Recently, the Second Department in King Tower Realty Corp. v G & G Funding Corp., 163 AD3d 541, 543 [2d Dept 2018] held:
“ ‘ On a motion to dismiss a cause of action pursuant to CPLR 3211 (a) (5) as barred by the applicable statute of limitations, a defendant must establish, prima facie, that the time within which to sue has expired. Once that showing has been made, the burden shifts to the plaintiff to raise a question of fact as to whether the statute of limitations has been tolled, an exception to the limitations period is applicable, or the plaintiff actually commenced the action within the applicable limitations period ’ ” (Quinn v McCabe, Collins, McGeough & Fowler, LLP, 138 AD3d 1085, 1085-1086 [2016], quoting Tsafatinos v Law Off. of Sanford F. Young, P.C., 121 AD3d 969, 969 [2014]; see Alizio v Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C., 126 AD3d 733, 734-735 [2015]; Landow v Snow Becker Krauss, P.C., 111 AD3d 795, 796 [2013]). An action to recover damages for legal malpractice must be commenced within three years of accrual (see CPLR 214 [6]; McCoy v Feinman, 99 NY2d 295, 301 [2002]; Quinn v McCabe, Collins, McGeough & Fowler, LLP, 138 AD3d at 1086; Alizio v Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C., 126 AD3d at 735; Farage v Ehrenberg, 124 AD3d 159, 163 [2014]; Landow v Snow Becker Krauss, P.C., 111 AD3d at 796). “ A legal malpractice claim accrues ‘when all the facts necessary to the cause of action have occurred and an injured party can obtain relief in court ’ ” (McCoy v Feinman, 99 NY2d at 301, quoting Ackerman v Price Waterhouse, 84 NY2d 535, 541 [1994]; see Farage v Ehrenberg, 124 AD3d at 164). “ In most cases, this accrual time is measured from the day an actionable injury occurs, ‘ even if the aggrieved party is then ignorant of the wrong or injury ’ ” (McCoy v Feinman, 99 NY2d at 301, quoting Ackerman v Price Waterhouse, 84 NY2d at 541). “ A cause of action to recover damages for legal malpractice accrues when the malpractice is committed, not when it is discovered ” (Alizio v Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C., 126 AD3d at 735; see McCoy v Feinman, 99 NY2d at 301; Quinn v McCabe, Collins, McGeough & Fowler, LLP, 138 AD3d at 1086; Farage v Ehrenberg, 124 AD3d at 164; Landow v Snow Becker Krauss, P.C., 111 AD3d at 796). The continuous representation doctrine serves to toll the statute of limitations and render timely an otherwise time-barred cause of action for legal malpractice, but “ only where there is a mutual understanding of the need for further representation on the specific subject matter underlying the malpractice claim ” (McCoy v Feinman, 99 NY2d at 306; see Alizio v Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C., 126 AD3d at 735).
