OPINION & ORDER
Pro se Plaintiff Ricky Kamdem-Ouaffo (“Plaintiff’) initially filed this Action in January 2014 against Pepsico, Inc. (“PepsiCo”), Dr. Peter S. Given, Jr. (“Dr. Given”), Dr. Naijie Zhang (“Dr. Zhang”), and John Doe and/or Jane Doe (collectively, “PepsiCo Defendants”), arguing principally that those Defendants had fraudulently commandeered his intellectual property. (Dkt. No. 1). Plaintiff subsequently filed his Second Amended Complaint in March 2015, adding ScentSational Technologies LLC (“ScentSational”) and Steven M. Landau (“Landau”) as Defendants (collectively, “ScentSational Defendants”). Before the Court is Plaintiffs Motion to Intervene and/or Consolidate (“Motion”), in which he seeks intervention in ScentSational’s pending lawsuit against PepsiCo (“ScentSational Suit”) and/or consolidation of the instant Action with that ease. For the reasons discussed below, Plaintiffs Motion is denied in its entirety.
I, Background
Although the Court assumes the Parties’ general familiarity with the factual and procedural background, the Court will briefly summarize the facts most salient to the Motion.
A. The Instant Action
Plaintiff filed the instant Action on January 31, 2014, naming PepsiCo, Dr. Given, and Dr. Zhang as Defendants. (Compl. (Dkt. No. 1).) On March 14, 2014, Plaintiff filed his First Amended Complaint, alleging 13 causes of action arising out of his employment at PepsiCo. (Am. Compl. (“FAC”) (Dkt. No. 9).) PepsiCo Defendants filed their Motion to Dismiss and supporting papers on June 6 and June 9, 2014. (Dkt. Nos. 34-35, 37.) On July 9, 2014, Plaintiff submitted a “Notice of Counterclaim ... in Support of the Denial of the Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss” as well as an Affidavit and Memorandum of Law in support of that submission. (Dkt. Nos. 41-43.) Along with these papers, Plaintiff also submitted a Proposed Amended Complaint that added ScentSational and Landau as Defendants while alleging virtually identical conduct as alleged against PepsiCo Defendants in the Complaint and FAC. (PL’s Mem. of Law in Supp. of PL’s Countercl. and in Supp. of Denial of Defs.’ Mot. To Dismiss (“PL’s Mem.”) Ex. 1 (“Revised FAC”) (Dkt. No. 43).)
Without accepting the Revised FAC for filing but nonetheless considering its allegations, the Court dismissed Plaintiffs FAC without prejudice on March 9, 2015. (Opinion & Order (Dkt. No. 50).)
On March 25, 2015, Plaintiff filed his Second Amended Complaint against Defendants, principally alleging unlawful appropriation of “patentable intellectual property conceived and developed” by Plaintiff. (Second Am. Compl. (“SAC”) ¶ 6 (Dkt. No. 52).) Pursuant to a briefing schedule set by the Court on May 11, 2015, (Dkt. No. 71), ScentSational Defendants filed their Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs Second Amended Complaint and supporting papers on June 15, 2015. (Dkt. Nos. 72-74.) Aso on that date PepsiCo Defendants filed their separate Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs Second Amended Complaint and supporting papers. (Dkt. Nos. 75-77.) Plaintiff filed the instant Motion on July 21, 2015, (Mot. Pursuant to Fed. R. of Civ. P. 24(a) & 42(a) (“Mot”) (Dkt. No. 84)), along with a “Memorandum of Law in Support of Cross-Motion for Intervention ... and/or Consolidation” and a “Memorandum of Law in Support of the Denial of the PepsiCo Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss.” (Dkt. Nos. 84-86.) Without the Court’s leave, Plaintiff submitted a Proposed Second Amended Complaint With More Definitive Statements that same day. (Mot. to Am. Compl. (“Revised SAC”) (Dkt. No. 81).) Defendants submitted separate Memoranda of Law in Support of their Motions to Dismiss on July 29, 2015. (Dkt. Nos. 87-88.) That same day, PepsiCo Defendants filed their Memorandum of Law in Opposition to Plaintiffs Motion to Intervene and/or Consolidate. (Defs.’ Mem. of Law in Opp’n to Pl.’s Mot. to Intervene and/or Consolidate (“Defs.’ Opp’n”) 1 (Dkt. No. 89).)
In a separate Opinion, the Court has granted the Motions to Dismiss as to all claims against all Defendants in this ease.
B. The ScentSational Suit
On December 5, 2013, ScentSational commenced a suit against PepsiCo, Pepsi-Cola Technical Operations, Inc., Stokely-Van Camp, Inc., The Quaker Oats Company, and Tropicana Products, Inc., based on their alleged misappropriation, disclosure, and use of ScentSational’s trade secrets and other confidential information to pursue and obtain patents for their benefit. (Dkt. No. 1 (No. 13-CV-8645 Dkt.).) Pursuant to a scheduling order set by this Court, (Dkt. No. 24 (No. 13-CV-8645 Dkt.)), PepsiCo and its affiliates filed a motion to dismiss and supporting papers on June 6, 2014, (Dkt. Nos. 28-30 (No. 13-CY-8645 Dkt.)).
On July 1, 2014, prior to resolution of that motion, ScentSational filed an amended complaint against those same defendants, claiming (i) misappropriation of trade secrets, (ii) breach of contract, (iii) unfair competition, (iv) unjust enrichment, (v) the imposition of constructive trusts upon certain patent applications and an issued patent, and (vi) the correction of inventorship of an issued patent. (Dkt. No. 33 (No. 13-CV-8645 Dkt.)). The Court entered a case management and scheduling order on October 16, 2013, (Dkt. No. 41 (No. 13-CV-8645 Dkt.)), and the defendants accordingly filed their answer on October 22, 2014, (Dkt. No. 43 (No. 13-CV-8645 Dkt.)). The Court then referred the case to Magistrate Judge Lisa Margaret Smith to oversee discovery, non-dispositive pretrial motions, and settlement. (Dkt. No. 43 (No. 13-CV-8645 Dkt.).) Pursuant to an amended case management and scheduling order entered on October 7, 2015, the parties were instructed to submit dispositive motions no later than January 14, 2016. (Dkt. No. 76 (No. 13-CV-8645 Dkt.).)
II. Discussion
A. Intervention
1. Applicable Law
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 24 permits a party to intervene in ongoing litigation as of right or by permission of the
For intervention as of right under Rule 24(a)(2), the moving party must show: (1) the application is timely; (2) the applicant has a significant protectable interest relating to the property or transaction that is the subject of the action; (3) the disposition of the action may practically impair the applicant’s ability to protect its interest; and (4) the existing parties may not adequately represent the applicant’s interest. See United States v. Pitney Bowes, Inc.,
Under both relevant provisions of Rule 24, the threshold inquiry is whether the application for intervention is timely. Among the factors to be considered are: “(1) how long the applicant had notice of the interest before it made the motion to intervene; (2) prejudice to existing parties resulting from any delay; (3) prejudice to the applicant if the motion is denied; and (4) any unusual circumstances militating for or against a finding of timeliness.” Pitney Bowes,
2. Analysis
Because of the untimeliness of Plaintiffs Motion, the Court denies his application for intervention.
“In most instances, a motion to intervene based on a claim that was known, but not acted upon, for a period of years would be untimely.” Aristocrat Leisure,
Because Plaintiff has failed to satisfy the threshold requirement of timeliness, he cannot intervene as a right, and the Court need not consider the remaining criteria of Rule 24(a). See Chevron Corp. v. Donziger, No. 11-CV-691,
B. Consolidation
Plaintiff alternatively moves for consolidation of the instant Action with the ScentSational Suit. (See id. at 10 (“Plaintiff asks the Court to allow Plaintiff to intervene in the ScentSational ... lawsuit against PepsiCo and/or to [at] least consolidate hearings.”).)
1. Applicable Law
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 42(a) provides that “[i]f actions before the court involve a common question of law or fact, the court may ... consolidate the actions.” In contrast to intervention, consolidation is not granted as of right. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 42(a) (explaining that “the court may” order actions consolidated (emphasis added)). Thus, district courts have broad discretion to determine whether consolidation is appropriate under the particular circumstances presented. See Johnson v. Celotex Corp.,
2. Analysis
Plaintiff has not met his burden of showing that consolidation would promote judicial economy or do so without prejudicing the Parties. See Haas v. Brookhaven Mem’l Hosp., No. 07-CV-4788,
As for the instant Action, the Court today granted Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss Plaintiffs Second Amended Complaint. The ScentSational Suit, on the other hand, is currently in the midst of discovery, with dis-positive motions to be soon fully submitted. (See Dkt. No. 76 (No. 13-CV-8645 Dkt.).) Clearly, Plaintiffs suit and the suit with which he seeks to consolidate “are at different stages of the litigation.” Ruane v. Cty. of Suffolk,
To that end, consolidation would interfere with the two proceedings, delaying rather than expediting the disposition of those cases and increasing expense to the Parties. See Envirco Corp. v. Clestra Cleanroom, Inc., No. 98-CV-120,
III. Conclusion
For the foregoing reasons, Plaintiffs Motion to Intervene and/or Consolidate is denied. The Clerk of the Court is respectfully requested to terminate the pending Motion. (Dkt. No. 84.)
SO ORDERED.
Notes
. Plaintiff had previously filed a letter requesting permission to join ScentSational and Landau as co-defendants, (Letter from Plaintiff to Court (March 24, 2014) (Dkt. No. 18)), which this Court expressly declined to rule on its Opinion and Order dismissing Plaintiff's FAC, Kamdem-Ouaffo v. Pepsico, Inc., No. 14-CV-227,
. Because PepsiCo Defendants reviewed and responded to Plaintiff’s Revised FAC in their Reply, {see generally Dkt. No. 46), the Court chose to consider the claims contained therein, together with those contained in the FAC. See Paul v. Bailey, No. 09-CV-5784,
. A court must permit a timely application to intervene where the moving party "claims an interest relating to the property or transaction that is the subject of the action, and is so situated that disposing of the action may ... impair or impede the movant's ability to protect its interest, unless existing parties adequately represent that interest." Fed. R. Civ. P. 24(a)(2).
As for permissive intervention, the court may permit a timely application to intervene where the moving party "has a claim or defense that shares with the main action a common question of law or fact.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 24(b)(1)(B).
. The Second Circuit has expressly approved consideration of the same factors in certain circumstances under Rule 24(b) permissive intervention as in intervention as of right under Rule 24(a)(2). See R Best Produce, Inc. v. Shulman-Rabin Mktg. Corp.,
.PepsiCo Defendants argue that Plaintiff's Motion to Intervene "under Rule 24(a) is improper because he filed his Motion in an action in which he is already a party.” (Defs.' Opp'n 1.) Though it may be unusual for a party to request intervention, Rule 24 does, in fact, permit "anyone” to intervene. Fed. R. Civ. P. 24(a) (identifying the circumstances under which "the court must permit anyone to intervene" (emphasis added)); see
. Plaintiff provides no explanation to excuse his delay in filing, thereby underscoring the untimeliness of the Motion. See D''Amato,
. Even assuming, for argument’s sake, that his application was timely, Plaintiff’s Motion to Intervene would fail nonetheless. In its Opinion and Order dismissing Plaintiff’s claims against PepsiCo Defendants, the Court determined that Plaintiff has no legal interest in the patents at issue in the dispute between ScentSational and PepsiCo. See PPC Broadband, Inc. v. Corning Optical Commc’ns RF, LLC, No. 12-CV-911,
. Because Plaintiff moves for intervention pursuant to Rule 24(a)(2), (see Mot. 5), the Court decides the Motion under that provision but nonetheless notes it would deny Plaintiff permissive intervention under Rule 24(b) for the same reason, see Catanzano,
. While "the absence of prejudice to defendants [may be] indicated by the fact that none of them ha[s] opposed, and some have affirmatively moved for, consolidation,” Lloyd v. Indus. Bio-Test Labs., Inc.,
. Some courts have suggested that “the fact that discovery has progressed further in [one] action should not, standing alone, prevent consolidation.” Internet Law Library,
