A New York judge ruled Monday that former CBS anchor Dan Rather can proceed with a $70 million lawsuit against the network for firing him, Bloomberg reports.

Rather filed the complaint alleging breach of contract in 2007. New York Supreme Court Judge Hon. Ira Gammerman ruled in April that depositions could be taken in the case. Gammerman said Monday that Rather can sue over claims that the network damaged his reputation when it fired him. But Gammerman said the newsman cannot sue CBS Corp. for fraud, or the onetime parent company Viacom Inc. on claims that it interfered with his contract.

Rather's attorney, Martin Gold, told Bloomberg: "I think the breach-of-contract claim is essentially a slam dunk, there's no defense to that."

James Quinn, a lawyer for CBS, told the news agency he intends to ask the judge for a pretrial ruling dismissing the remaining breach-of-contract and breach-of-fiduciary-duty claims against CBS after depositions and discovery have been completed.