Real Estate

  • March 22, 2024

    NYC Landlord Jailed For 'Notoriously Negligent' Conditions

    One of New York City's "most notoriously negligent landlords" will spend up to 60 days in Riker's Island jail after he ignored the conditions of two apartment buildings in Manhattan's Washington Heights neighborhood, the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Devleopment has announced.

  • March 22, 2024

    Lewis Brisbois Accused Of Filing 'Sham' Suits To Avert Fault

    A group of 185 Chinese investors have accused Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP attorneys of filing numerous lawsuits — and collecting $3.8 million in legal fees — to cover for failing to read "draconian" contract terms that led the investors to lose their $92.5 million stake in a $2.5 billion Los Angeles mixed-use development.

  • March 21, 2024

    LA City Official Ran Secret Consulting Firm, RICO Jury Told

    Former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan secretly ran an outside real estate consulting firm for years while still employed at City Hall and covertly worked to help get his client's planned $700 million hotel renovation approved, his former business partner testified Thursday at Chan's federal racketeering trial.

  • March 21, 2024

    6th Circ. Probes Outside Firm's Outreach To Class Members

    A Sixth Circuit judge suggested Thursday that there may be free-speech issues with an order barring outside attorneys from sending solicitation letters to potential class members poised to benefit from a pending settlement over Michigan counties' tax foreclosure practices.  

  • March 21, 2024

    Navy Federal Wants Racial Lending Discrimination Suit Axed

    Navy Federal Credit Union on Thursday urged a Virginia federal court to toss a consolidated proposed class action accusing it of racial lending discrimination following a CNN report last year, arguing the plaintiffs have not shown that they were qualified for the loans they applied for, or that the credit union considered race when denying their applications.

  • March 21, 2024

    Developer Says Partner Mishandled Funds In Denver Project

    A real estate developer and a related online platform have accused a hedge fund in Colorado state court of misusing grant money and owing fees for a Denver commercial housing project.

  • March 21, 2024

    El Paso Says US Can't Weigh In On Tribal Land Suit

    El Paso, Texas, is fighting the federal government's bid to back the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo in its land ownership suit, arguing that the government is trying to force a school district to exchange land with the tribe for a promise it won't file aboriginal rights' claims in the area.

  • March 21, 2024

    Calif. Panel Revives Diner's COVID Sanitization Coverage Bid

    A California state appeals court revived a diner's bid for property insurance coverage of COVID-19 losses after it determined the restaurant credibly alleged direct physical losses and that the policy's language covering losses attributable to a virus applied to COVID-19 sanitization efforts.

  • March 21, 2024

    Canadian Supplement Co. Seeks US Bankruptcy Recognition

    A nutritional supplement supplier based in Montreal told a Delaware bankruptcy judge Thursday it needs the U.S. court to recognize its Canadian insolvency proceedings, reasoning that an eviction threat may cut off access to assets in California the debtor needs for its sale plans.

  • March 21, 2024

    8th Circ. Backs Attys' Win In COVID Hotel Eviction Challenge

    Two government attorneys did not violate the U.S. Constitution when they gave the green light to a Minnesota police department to forcibly remove a resident from a Super 8 motel in June 2020 amid a COVID-19 era eviction ban, the Eighth Circuit ruled in a precedential opinion Thursday, citing a "dearth of precedent."

  • March 21, 2024

    Reorganized REIT Can't Duck Interest Post-Ch. 11, Judge Says

    Texas real estate investment trust Hartman SPE LLC must pay an additional $870,000 to satisfy a secured lender's claim, a Delaware bankruptcy judge ruled Thursday, finding that even though the mortgage is set to be repaid Friday, Hartman SPE is still responsible for interest until mid-April.

  • March 21, 2024

    Judge In Blackstone Lease Row Wants Colo. Justices' Input

    A Colorado federal judge has said he would like to have the state Supreme Court answer key questions in a putative class action against Blackstone subsidiaries, writing that tenants' claims alleging the companies' lease agreements violate state law present novel legal issues with little case law to provide guidance.

  • March 21, 2024

    Nursing Home Woes, Cyberattack Sparked Petersen's Ch. 11

    Rising costs after the COVID-19 pandemic, cyberattacks and a general shift away from nursing homes led senior-living company Petersen Health Care to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week with about $296 million in debt, according to a declaration filed Thursday by the company's top restructuring official.

  • March 21, 2024

    9th Circ. Backs Rescission Of Homeowner's Property Policies

    Two Safeco insurers are entitled to rescind policies issued to a woman who misrepresented that her house wasn't used for business when in fact it was rented to short-term guests, the Ninth Circuit affirmed, saying there's no genuine issue of material fact as to the commercial use of the property.

  • March 21, 2024

    Shumaker Hires Kass Shuler Atty In Tampa As Partner

    A 13-year Kass Shuler PA attorney and one-time Florida assistant state's attorney, has joined Shumaker Loop & Kendrick LLP in Tampa as a partner, the firm announced Thursday.

  • March 21, 2024

    Construction Atty Moves Practice To Snell & Wilmer In Dallas

    Snell & Wilmer LLP's geographic footprint and full-service capabilities helped convince a seasoned commercial litigator to move his real estate and construction law practice from Cokinos Young PC to the firm's Dallas office.

  • March 21, 2024

    Ky. Coal Mine Owner Tells 6th Circ. Lease Sale Was Improper

    The owner of a sprawling Kentucky coal mine told the Sixth Circuit on Thursday that a sale of leases by the mine's bankrupt operator was improper because the bankruptcy court didn't hold a required hearing on changes to the assignment of leases.

  • March 21, 2024

    Nossaman Adds 2 Eminent Domain Partners In Texas

    Nossaman LLP announced Thursday that Seijin C. Brooks and Melissa Ferringer have joined the firm's Austin, Texas, office as partners in that shop's eminent domain and valuation group.

  • March 20, 2024

    Petersen Health Care Files Ch. 11 Amid Suits Over HUD Loans

    Assisted living facility operator Petersen Health Care Inc. and more than 100 affiliates filed for Chapter 11 protection Wednesday in Delaware as the company faces claims it has failed to pay millions of dollars in federal housing loans.

  • March 20, 2024

    7th Circ. Closes Door On Italian Hotel's Virus Coverage Bid

    A luxury Italian hotel has no coverage for certain coronavirus-related losses, the Seventh Circuit affirmed on Wednesday, saying that the hotel's own filings contradicted its claim that it suffered a covered physical loss.

  • March 20, 2024

    Receiver Allowed To Have 'Evil Zombie' Standing In Fraud Suit

    The Eleventh Circuit revived a receiver's Florida lawsuit seeking to recover $22 million allegedly lost in a Ponzi scheme, saying he has standing to bring fraudulent transfer claims by several companies used in the fraud because they're no longer the "evil zombies" controlled by the perpetrators.

  • March 20, 2024

    Philly Charter School Exec Convicted Of Embezzlement

    A nonprofit executive was convicted Wednesday in Pennsylvania federal court on all 18 counts of siphoning funds from a tax-exempt educational and housing organization to live lavishly, while the same jury found a colleague guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud but absolved him of other charges.

  • March 20, 2024

    RedBird Sues Brookfield For $150M From Compass Deal

    The private investment firm that sold Compass Datacenters to Brookfield Infrastructure Partners for $5.7 billion last year sued the infrastructure asset manager in Delaware's Court of Chancery on Tuesday, alleging that Brookfield had breached their agreement by refusing to release $150 million out of escrow.

  • March 20, 2024

    Faegre Drinker Adds Former Honigman Construction Pro

    Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP has strengthened its construction and real estate litigation group in Chicago with Raj Patel, previously a partner with Honigman LLP, the firm said Wednesday.

  • March 20, 2024

    NY AG Scoffs At Trump's Claim Of 'Impossible' $465M Bond

    The New York Attorney General's office on Wednesday disputed Donald Trump's claim that posting bond while he appeals a $465 million civil fraud judgment is a "practical impossibility," arguing the former president and his business empire haven't exhausted all avenues.

Expert Analysis

  • Opinion

    White Collar Plea Deals Are Rarely 'Knowing' And 'Voluntary'

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    Because prosecutors are not required to disclose exculpatory evidence during plea negotiations, white collar defendants often enter into plea deals that don’t meet the U.S. Supreme Court’s “knowing” and “voluntary” standard for trials — but individual courts and solutions judges could rectify the issue, says Sara Kropf at Kropf Moseley.

  • How 2 CFPB Advisory Opinions Affect Reporting Agencies

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    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued two advisory opinions last month that demonstrate a continued commitment to address inaccuracies in background check reports and consumer file disclosures through broad interpretation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, expanding on a coordinated federal agency effort, say attorneys at Cooley.

  • Algorithmic Pricing Programs Caught In Antitrust Crosshairs

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    The Justice Department's investigation into software company RealPage follows a host of federal antitrust cases alleging that property owners and casino hotel operators use the same proprietary software programs to fix and maintain pricing, which means algorithmic pricing programs are considered a key price-fixing tool in the digital age, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

  • The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift

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    As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.

  • A Welcome Turning Of The Page For Residential Real Estate

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    After one of the most challenging years on record for residential real estate, 2024 will likely be a time of transition to a stabler business climate, as sellers lose some of their excess bargaining power and the pace of sales picks up, says Marty Green at Polunsky Beitel.

  • 5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money

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    As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.

  • Series

    Playing Competitive Tennis Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My experience playing competitive tennis has highlighted why prioritizing exercise and stress relief, maintaining perspective under pressure, and supporting colleagues in pursuit of a common goal are all key aspects of championing a successful legal career, says Madhumita Datta at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Series

    The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52

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    Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.

  • Strict Duty To Indemnify Ruling Bucks Recent Trend

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    A South Carolina federal court's recent decision that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction to decide an insurer's duty to indemnify prior to the finding of insured liability sharply diverges from the more nuanced or multipronged standards established by multiple circuit courts, says Richard Mason at MasonADR.

  • Ex-OpenSea Staffer Case May Clarify When Info Is Property

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    In considering the appeal of a former OpenSea manager’s wire fraud conviction in U.S. v. Chastain, the Second Circuit may soon provide guidance about whether economic information is traditional property in certain insider trading prosecutions — a theory of fraud that the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly narrowed, say attorneys at Debevoise.

  • Ill. Insurance Ruling Helps Developers, Community Orgs. Alike

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    The Illinois Supreme Court's decision in Acuity v. M/I Homes of Chicago, holding that commercial general liability policy exceptions did not prevent coverage for damage caused by faulty workmanship, will bring more potential insurance coverage for real estate developers and, in turn, larger payouts when community organizations sue them, say Howard Dakoff and Suzanne Karbarz Rovner at Levenfeld Pearlstein.

  • Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success

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    Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.

  • Series

    Competing In Triathlons Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    While practicing law and competing in long-distance triathlons can make work and life feel unbalanced at times, participating in the sport has revealed important lessons about versatility, self-care and perseverance that apply to the office as much as they do the racecourse, says Laura Heusel at Butler Snow.

  • NJ Foreclosure Law Will Have Multifaceted Impact On Lenders

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    New Jersey's A.B. 5664 introduces significant reforms to foreclosure proceedings in the state, potentially lessening the burden on lenders and servicers to maintain foreclosed properties, but also brings new limitations and time frames, say Christina Livorsi and Wael Amer at Day Pitney.

  • Where Justices Stand On Chevron Doctrine Post-Argument

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    Following recent oral argument at the U.S. Supreme Court, at least four justices appear to be in favor of overturning the long-standing Chevron deference, and three justices seem ready to uphold it, which means the ultimate decision may rest on Chief Justice John Roberts' vote, say Wayne D'Angelo and Zachary Lee at Kelley Drye.

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