Residential
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April 15, 2024
Justices Won't Hear Brokerage's Arbitration Claim In Fees Suit
The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear HomeServices of America's argument that certain class members in a lawsuit over real estate agents' commissions should have been compelled to arbitrate their antitrust claims rather than taking them to a jury.
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April 15, 2024
High Court Passes On Tenants' Debt Collection Dispute
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to consider a Ninth Circuit ruling that revived a suit filed by tenants who hit a California law firm with a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act suit.
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April 12, 2024
NJ Gives Counties Power To Up Tax After Paying Off Debt
New Jersey will allow counties greater authority to impose property taxes after retiring debts under a bill signed into law by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.
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April 12, 2024
Feds Say Ga. Apartments Denied Wheelchair Accommodation
Federal prosecutors on Thursday hit a Savannah, Georgia, apartment complex, a local housing authority and other defendants with a Fair Housing Act complaint alleging they denied a disabled resident an accessible apartment in spite of her repeated requests that they accommodate her disability.
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April 12, 2024
Ohio Landlords Win Partial Class Cert. For Outsider Fees Suit
An Ohio federal judge partially certified a class of Cleveland Heights property owners who are challenging the constitutionality of a $100 fee applied to those who lease their properties but don't live in Cuyahoga County.
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April 12, 2024
Mich. High Court Snapshot: Atty Sanctions Kick Off April
The Michigan Supreme Court returns Tuesday for its April session, hearing oral arguments about judges' ability to sanction lawyers for past attorneys' work in a case, what defendants say could be double recovery in wrongful death cases, and an attempt to use a Larry Nassar-inspired law to sue Catholic priests for decades-old abuse allegations.
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April 12, 2024
KB Home's 'Emeritus' Director Bylaw Invalid, Chancery Rules
A KB Home bylaw that allowed the homebuilder's board to unilaterally shift an acting director into a non-functioning "emeritus" role without conducting a stockholder vote is invalid under Delaware law, a Delaware Chancery Court judge said Friday, siding with a shareholder who challenged the rule.
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April 12, 2024
SEC Says Developer Pulled EB-5 Funds From Nursing Homes
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accused a Las Vegas developer of using $10 million raised by overseas investors hoping to immigrate to the U.S. to pay down a loan for a project unconnected to their immigration applications.
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April 12, 2024
Vermont Attys Can't Be Sued In Connecticut, Court Says
Two Vermont firms that handled the sale of a Connecticut man's second home near a Vermont ski town cannot be sued in Connecticut because the lawyers' business models and the disputed cash transfers that spurred the litigation were not sufficiently directed toward Connecticut, a three-judge appellate panel ruled on Friday.
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April 12, 2024
Justices Back Property Owner In Dispute Over Permit Fees
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that a $23,420 local traffic impact fee charged to a California property owner's rural manufactured home isn't exempt from scrutiny as a Fifth Amendment taking simply because the charge is allowed by legislation.
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April 11, 2024
Colo. Developer Sues Over Remodeling Impact Fees
A Colorado developer has accused Pitkin County's Board of Commissioners in Colorado federal court of wrongfully charging impact fees on the remodel of a residential property.
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April 11, 2024
Okla. City Officials Clear Hurdle For Planned 1,900-Foot Tower
Oklahoma City Planning Commission members recommended approval for zoning Thursday to allow unlimited height on a site where a developer announced plans to build the tallest tower in the U.S., but not without cracking jokes about what would happen if a tornado landed nearby.
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April 11, 2024
NY Appeals Court Nixes Chelsea Hotel Tenant's Rent Suit
A New York appeals court unanimously backed a lower court's ruling that denied a Chelsea Hotel tenant's bid for rent stabilization for his studio apartment.
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April 11, 2024
Maine Eliminates Municipal Property Tax Levy Limits
Maine will no longer set limits on the amount that local municipalities can increase property taxes by each year as part of a law signed by the state's governor.
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April 11, 2024
11th Circ. Says Insurer Owes Defense In Home Damage Suit
A general contractor's insurer must defend it against claims that it abandoned the construction site of a custom-built home, the Eleventh Circuit ruled Thursday, rejecting the insurer's reliance on two exclusions barring coverage for damage to "that particular part" of property the contractor worked on and corresponding repairs.
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April 11, 2024
Proskauer Adds Kirkland Partner For Tax, Estate Issues
Proskauer Rose LLP has added to its private client services department a partner from Kirkland & Ellis LLP who specializes in developing domestic and international tax and estate plans for clients with very high net worth, the firm announced.
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April 11, 2024
Houston Atty Beats Real Estate Deal Malpractice Suit
In a split decision Thursday, a Houston attorney accused of malpractice was handed a win by the majority of a three-justice Lone Star State appellate panel that cleared her of negligence in connection with a 2014 contract inked between the owner of a property management company and a pair of apartment complex investors, finding that she obtained no "improper benefit" from representing both sides.
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April 11, 2024
Treasury Proposes Steeper Foreign Investment Law Penalties
The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a notice Thursday proposing to sharpen its procedures and enforcement practices for reviewing foreign investment deals for national security issues, according to an announcement.
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April 11, 2024
Akerman Adds Another Real Estate Litigator In NYC Office
Akerman LLP has hired a litigator who focuses his practice on a range of real estate matters and is joining the firm's New York City office as a partner, the firm announced Wednesday.
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April 10, 2024
Nixon Peabody Hires 3 Attys For Boston Land Use Team
Nixon Peabody LLP hired three former Sullivan & Worcester LLP real estate attorneys based in Boston for its permitting and land use team, the firm announced Wednesday.
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April 10, 2024
NC Justices Doubt Homeowner's Attic Fall Suit Can Go To Jury
The North Carolina Supreme Court appeared likely Wednesday to rule against a homeowner who fell through an attic hole left by a builder, with the justices suggesting her actions may have played a part in her injury.
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April 10, 2024
DOJ, La. Nursing Home Owner Settle FHA Loan Fraud Claims
A Louisiana nursing home owner reached a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice to end a lawsuit accusing him of misusing funds and assets for his Federal Housing Administration-insured facilities before and after Hurricane Ida.
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April 10, 2024
McDonald Carano Leader Sees Parties Abusing Force Majeure
Force majeure provisions in construction contracts, which have been given increased attention since the onset of COVID-19, are now being abused by parties as a way to try to shirk responsibility, a construction leader at McDonald Carano LLP told Law360.
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April 10, 2024
KKR, Inovia Lead Rental Platform Guesty To $130M Series F
Short-term rental platform Guesty said Erdinast Ben Nathan Toledano & Co. advised as it has raised $130 million in its Series F funding round in a bid to grow its reach, with representatives from new investors KKR and Inovia Capital joining the company's board.
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April 10, 2024
Real Estate Fund Raising Still Muted With $14B Bagged In Q1
The biggest funds to close in the first three months of 2024 showed that investors are banking on multifamily, industrial and hospitality assets to net returns as the commercial real estate industry continues to hiccup, while capital raising overall is down compared to prior quarters.
Expert Analysis
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Murdaugh Trials Offer Law Firms Fraud Prevention Reminders
As the fraud case against Alex Murdaugh continues to play out, the evidence and narrative presented at his murder trial earlier this year may provide lessons for law firms on implementing robust internal controls that can detect and prevent similar kinds of fraud, say Travis Casner and Helga Zauner at Weaver and Tidwell.
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Challenging Standing In Antitrust Class Actions: Rule 23
A recent Sixth Circuit decision in Fox v. Saginaw County that rejected the common attempt to use Rule 23 to sidestep Article III's standing limitations shows antitrust defendants' success in challenging standing will rest on happenstance without more clarity from the Supreme Court — which no litigant should be comfortable with, say Michael Hamburger and Holly Tao at White & Case.
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Key Limited Partnership Provisions During Market Downturns
With a recession potentially on the horizon, fund managers should carefully examine their funds' limited partnership agreements for items that may be affected by economic downturns, and assess whether modifications may be appropriate, says Matthew Posthuma at Ropes & Gray.
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Firm Tips For Helping New Lawyers Succeed Post-Pandemic
Ten steps can help firms significantly enhance the experience of attorneys who started their careers in the coronavirus pandemic era, including facilitating opportunities for cross-firm connection, which can ultimately help build momentum for business development, says Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners.
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Fla. Foreign Real Estate Law Brings Broad Investment Risks
Last month, Florida became the latest state to enact legislation prohibiting Chinese investors from acquiring certain interests in real property, introducing significant legal uncertainty and consequences for real estate stakeholders and the private equity industry, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.
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Prepping Your Business Ahead Of Affirmative Action Ruling
The U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming ruling on whether race should play a role in college admissions could potentially end affirmative action, and companies will need a considered approach to these circumstances that protects their brand power and future profits, and be prepared to answer tough questions, say Nadine Blackburn at United Minds and Eric Blankenbaker at Weber Shandwick.
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Tackling Judge-Shopping Concerns While Honoring Localism
As the debate continues over judge-shopping and case assignments in federal court, policymakers should look to a hybrid model that preserves the benefits of localism for those cases that warrant it, while preventing the appearance of judge-shopping for cases of a more national or widespread character, says Joshua Sohn at the U.S. Department of Justice.
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How Attorneys Can Help Combat Anti-Asian Hate
Amid an exponential increase in violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, unique obstacles stand in the way of accountability and justice — but lawyers can effect powerful change by raising awareness, offering legal representation, advocating for victims’ rights and more, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.
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Congress Needs To Enact A Federal Anti-SLAPP Statute
Although many states have passed statutes meant to prevent individuals or entities from filing strategic lawsuits against public participation, other states have not, so it's time for Congress to enact a federal statute to ensure that free speech and petitioning rights are uniformly protected nationwide in federal court, say attorneys at Skadden.
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Banking Tips For Lending To Calif. Homeowners Associations
With current financial markets and recent changes to California law putting a brighter spotlight on lending, banks should understand the special considerations involved in lending to homeowners associations and the various possible remedies in the event of a default, says Alex Grigorians at Hanson Bridgett.
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Some Client Speculations On AI And The Law Firm Biz Model
Generative artificial intelligence technologies will put pressure on the business of law as it is structured currently, but clients may end up with more price certainty for legal services, and lawyers may spend more time being lawyers, says Jonathan Cole at Melody Capital.
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How Rent Proposals May Affect Most Populous Md. County
Of the various legislative changes concerning rent controls and property taxes that are being considered in Montgomery County, Maryland, comparatively milder controls are likely to prevail, but even these lenient measures may make it more difficult for the county to fulfill its needs for new housing, says Michael Murray at Greysteel.
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A Lawyer's Guide To Approaching Digital Assets In Discovery
The booming growth of cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens has made digital assets relevant in many legal disputes but also poses several challenges for discovery, so lawyers must garner an understanding of the technology behind these assets, the way they function, and how they're held, says Brett Sager at Ehrenstein Sager.