Commercial
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August 12, 2024
Philly Shop Blames HVAC Contractor For Fire
A boutique operating on the ground floor of a Masonic meeting hall in Philadelphia's Chestnut Hill neighborhood has filed a lawsuit in state court blaming an HVAC contractor for a 2022 fire that severely damaged the building and its business.
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August 12, 2024
NYC Real Estate Week In Review
Blank Rome and Lavian are among the law firms that scored work on the largest New York City real estate deals that hit public records last week, a period that saw six deeds north of $20 million become public.
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August 12, 2024
NJ Health System Wants Proskauer DQ'd From Antitrust Case
Proskauer Rose LLP is facing accusations that it should be disqualified from representing one of New Jersey's largest healthcare systems in an antitrust lawsuit brought by a competitor that was once a client of the firm.
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August 12, 2024
Real Estate, Business Atty Moves Practice To Barley Snyder
A real estate attorney looking to expand the reach of her practice has joined Barley Snyder in York, Pennsylvania, after more than eight years as shareholder and practice group chair for CGA Law Firm.
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August 12, 2024
Move To Duane Morris Closes Whiteford Taylor In Pittsburgh
The last remaining attorney at Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP's Pittsburgh office following the recent departures of 17 colleagues has moved her hospitality industry-focused real estate and transactional practice to Duane Morris LLP.
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August 12, 2024
NJ Atty Beats Malpractice Claims Over Real Estate Dispute
A suspended New Jersey attorney has prevailed over a malpractice complaint from another attorney accusing him of providing bad legal advice on a real estate matter and exposing her to her own malpractice case, according to an order made available Monday.
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August 12, 2024
Mo. Goodwill Qualifies For Charitable Property Tax Exemption
A Missouri Goodwill employing those with "barriers to employment" qualifies for a charitable purpose exemption, making it exempt from property tax, the state tax commission ruled.
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August 12, 2024
Mo. Commission Says Lowe's Can't Value Stores As Vacant
The Missouri State Tax Commission rejected arguments from Lowe's to reduce the value of three properties by a combined $11.7 million, disagreeing with the home improvement giant's arguments that the properties should be valued as though they were vacant.
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August 12, 2024
Trump Co.'s Condo Tower Project Advances In Florida
Doral, Florida, officials on Wednesday advanced a revised request from a company owned by former President Donald Trump to build a series of condo towers with high-end retail after the city signed off on a zoning change for the project last year.
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August 12, 2024
Ex-BCLP Real Estate Partner Rejoins Arnold & Porter In NY
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP said Monday that an attorney with deep expertise in commercial real estate deals has rejoined the firm in New York after a stint with Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP.
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August 09, 2024
SVB's $1.9B FDIC Suit Won't Open 'Floodgates,' Judge Says
A California federal judge trimmed claims from the parent of Silicon Valley Bank's lawsuit against the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. seeking $1.93 billion, but rejected the agency's arguments that allowing some claims to move forward will "open the floodgates" for every failed bank's uninsured depositors to bring a claim.
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August 09, 2024
Guarantors Ink Deal To End 11th Circ. Appeal Of $8.7M Award
Guarantors facing an $8.7 million judgment on a hospitality lender's breach claim have settled the matter stemming from an unpaid $6.2 million loan for a Michigan hotel, according to an Eleventh Circuit filing.
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August 09, 2024
Restoration Worker Can't Shake Employment Deal Claims
North Carolina's Business Court has pared down a lawsuit between a restoration company and a former employee centered on allegations of breaking employment agreements and misusing licenses, with the court ruling most of the worker's claims had to be tossed, while some of the company's accusations can head toward trial.
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August 09, 2024
Contractor Can't Get Insurer's $36M Water Loss Suit Tossed
A subcontractor that installed a Cleveland skyscraper's fire suppression system cannot yet avoid an insurer's $36 million water damage subrogation claim, an Ohio federal court ruled Friday, finding a genuine factual dispute over whether the insurer had coverage obligations to its two insureds in the first place.
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August 09, 2024
Property Plays: Blackstone, Stack Infrastructure, Vornado
Property Plays is a weekly roundup of the latest loans, leases, sales and projects around the country. Send your tips — all confidential — to realestate@law360.com.
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August 09, 2024
Colo. Panel Says Vail Resorts' Land Spat With Town Is Moot
The Colorado Court of Appeals has ruled against Vail Resorts in its suit challenging a local ordinance that allegedly blocked the company's development of 23.3 acres of land that was subsequently taken by the town via eminent domain.
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August 09, 2024
Eckert Seamans Sued Over New Jersey Condo Development
Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC simultaneously represented a real estate development company and two of its former managers, and also improperly took compensation for its work before company debts were satisfied, according to a legal malpractice lawsuit filed this week in New Jersey state court.
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August 09, 2024
Investor Can't Drop Fraud Suit Against Crowdfunding CEO
A California cannabis investor cannot withdraw his lawsuit against a CEO he accused of helping to operate a $2 million crowdfunding scheme, a federal judge ruled, saying the investor now needs the defendant's permission.
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August 09, 2024
Phillips Lytle Adds Ex-Benderson Development In-House Atty
An attorney who started his career at Phillips Lytle LLP has returned to the firm as special counsel on its real estate industry team in New York state after five years as in-house counsel at Benderson Development.
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August 09, 2024
Fannie Mae Seeks Memory Care Receiver After $28.3M Default
Fannie Mae asked a federal judge to appoint a receiver for three North Carolina senior living facilities after arguing that borrower Affinity Living Communities defaulted on $28.3 million worth of loans from the government-backed lender by missing three months of payments.
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August 09, 2024
Mich. Court Says Tax Cap Voided By Law Firm's New Roof
A new roof installed on the office of a Michigan law firm was an addition to the property, allowing its taxable value to increase beyond a statutory cap, the state Court of Appeals ruled, upholding a state tax tribunal finding.
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August 08, 2024
With Data Centers And Power, Brookfield Cheers AI
Brookfield Corp., the Toronto-based asset management behemoth, touted its position recently at the nexus of physical and energy infrastructure amid the artificial intelligence boom.
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August 08, 2024
Newmark Secures $300M For Healthcare Real Estate JV
Newmark Group Inc. has put together a joint venture between two companies and has also obtained $300 million in financing for the venture so that it can develop "purpose-built healthcare properties," the commercial real estate advisory firm announced Aug. 8.
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August 08, 2024
Fla. Judge Dismisses Sex Abuse Suit, Blaming Lies By Atty
A Florida state judge has thrown out a suit by a Palm Beach real estate developer's daughter who alleges her father sexually abused her, ruling that her attorney's misrepresentations about an expert and why he withdrew from the case are fraud against the court.
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August 08, 2024
Wash. HOA Says Allstate Must Cover $8M Water Damage
A Washington state condominium association accused Allstate of wrongfully denying coverage of an $8 million water damage claim it filed after discovering hidden damage to the exterior of its buildings.
Expert Analysis
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Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Beyond getting experience thinking on my feet and tackling stressful situations, the skills I've gained from horseback riding have considerable overlap with the skills used to practice law, particularly in terms of team building, continuing education, and making an effort to reset and recharge, says Kerry Irwin at Moore & Van Allen.
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What To Consider When Buying RE Promissory Notes
In light of recent distress in the real estate market, note purchases — in which an investor buys a promissory note and mortgage rather than actual property — can be a worthwhile alternative to traditional investments, but require careful contemplation of unique risks and strategic considerations, say Douglas Praw and Katelyn DeMartini at Holland & Knight.
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Consider 2 Alternative Exit Plans In RE Distress Scenarios
In the face of an impending wave of foreclosures, lenders and borrowers alike should consider two exit strategies — deed-in-lieu of foreclosure and consent foreclosure — that can mitigate potential costs and diminution in property value that could be incurred during a lengthy proceeding, say attorneys at BCLP.
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Whitewater Kayaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Whether it's seeing clients and their issues from a new perspective, or staying nimble in a moment of intense challenge, the lessons learned from whitewater kayaking transcend the rapids of a river and prepare attorneys for the courtroom and beyond, says Matthew Kent at Alston & Bird.
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SEC Climate Rules Create Unique Challenges For CRE
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recently adopted final rules concerning climate-related disclosures for public companies are likely to affect even real estate companies that are not publicly traded, since they may be required to provide information to entities that are subject to the rules, says Laura Truesdale at Moore & Van Allen.
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New Proposal Signals Sharper Enforcement Focus At CFIUS
Last week's proposed rule aimed at broadening the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States' enforcement authority over foreign investments and increasing penalties for violations signals that CFIUS intends to continue expanding its aggressive monitoring of national security issues, say attorneys at Kirkland.
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How Retail Tenants Can Avoid Paying Rent Prematurely
When negotiating leases for spaces in shopping centers, retail tenants should ensure that the language specifies they only need to begin paying rent when the center is substantially occupied as a whole, as it can be difficult to modify leases that are executed without co-tenancy requirements or termination rights, say Joshua Bernstein and Benjamin Joelson at Akerman.
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Weisselberg's Perjury At Trial Spotlights Atty Ethics Issues
Former Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg’s recent guilty plea for perjury in the New York attorney general's civil fraud trial should serve as a reminder to attorneys of their ethical duties when they know a client has lied or plans to lie in court, and the potential penalties for not fulfilling those obligations, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.
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Climate Disclosure Mandates Demand A Big-Picture Approach
As carbon emissions disclosure requirements from the European Union, California and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission take effect, the best practice for companies is not targeted compliance with a given reporting regime, but rather a comprehensive approach to systems assessment and management, says David Smith at Manatt.
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Playing Hockey Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Nearly a lifetime of playing hockey taught me the importance of avoiding burnout in all aspects of life, and the game ultimately ended up providing me with the balance I needed to maintain success in my legal career, says John Riccione at Taft.
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Trump's NY Civil Fraud Trial Spotlights Long-Criticized Law
A New York court’s recent decision holding former President Donald Trump liable for fraud brought old criticisms of the state law used against him back into the limelight — including its strikingly broad scope and its major departures from the traditional elements of common law fraud, say Mark Kelley and Lois Ahn at MoloLamken.
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$175M Bond Refiled By Trump Is Still Substantively Flawed
The corrected $175 million bond posted by former President Donald Trump on Thursday to stave off enforcement of the New York attorney general's fraud judgment against him remains substantively and procedurally flawed, as well as inadequately secured, says Adam Pollock of Pollock Cohen.
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Calif. Ruling Shows Limits Of Exculpatory Lease Clauses
A California court's recent decision in Epochal Enterprises v. LF Encinitas Properties, finding a landlord liable for failing to disclose the presence of asbestos on the subject property, underscores the limits of exculpatory clauses' ability to safeguard landlords from liability where known hazards are present, say Fawaz Bham and Javier De Luna at Hunton.