Economic torts provide relief in relation to intentional
interference with economic interests. This collection of torts can
be divided into two categories: deceptive market
practices1 and improper market
practices. This paper concerns itself exclusively with the latter,
examining the torts of inducing breach of contract, unlawful
interference with economic interests and civil conspiracy.
Historically, the torts of inducement to breach a contract (the
"inducement tort"), unlawful interference with economic
interests (the "unlawful interference tort") and civil
conspiracy have been difficult to plead. This difficulty reflects
the courts' struggle to clearly identify when the intentional
interference with economic interests should be actionable. This
struggle is, at least in part, attributable to the challenge of
striking a proper balance between competition in a free market and
unfair or improper market practices.
