Show me the paper, or go home.

A home improvement contractor who does not have and plead a valid license as required by relevant local regulations is out of luck when it comes to recovering damages for an alleged breach of a construction contract, or so said the Second Department, in Al-Sullami v. Broskie, which was decided on May 29, 2007. In addition, said the court, the contractor may not recover on the basis of quantum meruit either.