Residential
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August 21, 2024
NYC Mayor Wants Land Review In Hunt For New Housing Sites
New York City's mayor told city agencies Wednesday to review land owned and operated by the Big Apple to see if any locations can be used for affordable housing development.
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August 21, 2024
Proptech Sector Stuck In The Doldrums, But Eyeing A Way Out
Hopes that the property technology sector would rebound in 2024 after a down year have not materialized so far — with a recent report showing funding has actually dropped further — but investment and technology professionals anticipate improvements soon and see the potential for major long-term growth.
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August 20, 2024
NC Panel Nixes Black Property Owners' Revived Bias Fight
A North Carolina state appeals court handed the city of Kinston a win Tuesday for a second time in a discrimination lawsuit that the state Supreme Court recently revived, finding that Black property owners' claims that the city unfairly demolished their properties aren't viable because they never completed an "adequate" administrative appeals process.
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August 20, 2024
Neb. Lawmakers OK Property Tax Relief In Special Session
The Nebraska Legislature approved emergency legislation Tuesday to provide $750 million annually in property tax relief and limit local tax hikes, rejecting amendments to help pay for the measure by eliminating numerous sales tax exemptions.
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August 20, 2024
Affordable Housing Finance Expert Returns To Ballard Spahr
Ballard Spahr LLP welcomed back to its Washington, D.C., office a transactional attorney specializing in the affordable housing market who returned to the firm after nearly two years at Carlton Fields.
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August 20, 2024
Foster Garvey Adds 5-Person Enviro Team From Seattle Firm
Foster Garvey PC announced this week that a five-person environmental law team from boutique firm Doll Mack Wells PLLC — highlighted by its three name partners — has joined the firm's Seattle office.
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August 20, 2024
NY Landlord Settles With AG Over Voucher Bias Claims
A property management company has agreed to a settlement under which it must pay $400,000 in restitution and make policy changes after the Office of the New York State Attorney General found the company discriminated against people who use housing vouchers, the office announced Tuesday.
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August 20, 2024
Fla. School Board Can Put Property Tax Increase On Ballot
A Florida school board was within its rights to place a millage increase referendum on the 2024 ballot despite the county's attempt to push the referendum to 2026, a state appeals court ruled.
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August 20, 2024
NC Panel Revives Meddling Claims Against Real Estate Atty
A real estate attorney must face renewed claims that he helped a stranger meddle in an ownership fight among heirs over a parcel of land in Charlotte, the North Carolina Court of Appeals said Tuesday.
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August 20, 2024
Mass. AG Can't Enforce Housing Act, State's Top Court Told
Massachusetts' attorney general lacks the authority to force compliance with a law requiring communities to create multifamily housing zoning districts because lawmakers have already included the loss of some types of state aid as a penalty, but no other enforcement powers, lawyers for the town of Milton have told the state's highest court.
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August 20, 2024
A Deep Dive Into Law360 Pulse's 2024 Women In Law Report
The legal industry continues to see incremental gains for female lawyers in private practice in the U.S., according to a Law360 Pulse analysis, with women now representing 40.6% of all attorneys and 51% of all associates.
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August 20, 2024
These Firms Have The Most Women In Equity Partnerships
The legal industry still has a long way to go before it can achieve gender parity at its upper levels. But these law firms are performing better than others in breaking the proverbial glass ceiling that prevents women from attaining leadership roles.
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August 19, 2024
NAR Intros New CEO As Broker Fee Rules Kick Off
The National Association of Realtors announced Monday that the trade association has tapped Nykia Wright to step in as CEO, just days after new broker rules agreed to under a $418 million settlement took effect.
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August 19, 2024
Buyers Sue Over Unfinished Mandarin Oriental Condo Project
Buyers of a condominium at the planned Mandarin Oriental at the Via Mizner project in Boca Raton, Florida, are suing the developer for the return of their deposit, saying the building that was supposed to be ready years ago is still "just a few steps beyond a concrete shell."
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August 19, 2024
Kasowitz Urges NY Court To Toss Supertall Tower Suit
Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP asked a New York state court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two limited liability companies tied to AmBase Corp. over Manhattan's troubled supertall Steinway Tower.
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August 19, 2024
DQ'd Judge Should Have Kept Quiet, Tax Challengers Say
A Michigan federal judge who disqualified himself from homeowners' challenge to a $217 million dam repair tax assessment put his "thumb on the scale of justice" by improperly commenting on legal questions as he bowed out, according to homeowners seeking to have the comments rescinded.
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August 19, 2024
Ex-McElroy Execs' Theft, Bias Cases Paused Amid Ch. 11
A New Jersey state court has sided with McElroy Deutsch and stayed all litigation between the law firm and two former executives, including both the firm's fraud claims and discrimination counterclaims made against it, while a related bankruptcy case plays out.
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August 19, 2024
Rialto Sues To Recoup Paul Hastings, Williams & White Fees
Rialto Capital Management LLC has filed a lawsuit against RB Realty Capital LLC in New York state court alleging it is owed at least $331,000 for legal costs, including an attorney's Wi-Fi charges, after refinancing for an RB Realty property fell through.
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August 19, 2024
HUD Joins 6-Year Strategy To Beat Extreme Heat
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said it's partnering with two dozen federal agencies for an initiative focused on implementing solutions for extreme heat dangers in communities.
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August 19, 2024
NYC Real Estate Week In Review
Wachtel Missry and Hunton Andrews Kurth were among the law firms that guided the largest New York City real estate deals that hit public records last week, a slow period that saw only five transactions above $15 million become public.
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August 16, 2024
Florida Unlikely To Act Quickly On Condo Law Cost Concerns
Florida lawmakers appear unlikely to take preemptive action to modify condominium safety laws enacted after the deadly 2021 building collapse in the town of Surfside, despite concerns that approaching year-end deadlines for mandated structural inspections and reserve studies will lead to overwhelming financial burdens for many residents.
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August 16, 2024
Agency Didn't Dupe Court In Worker's Suit, Mich. Panel Says
A Michigan state appeals court refused to upend a Detroit housing agency's defeat of a former property manager's allegation that it fired him without using a progressive discipline system established by his collective bargaining agreement, saying the worker failed to show that his former employer purposely misled the court.
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August 16, 2024
Greek Shipping Titan's Widow Files For Bankruptcy In NY
Antonia Milonas, the widow of late Greek shipping magnate Spiros Milonas, is seeking bankruptcy protection in New York with about $6.7 million in debt owed to the IRS, her mortgage lender and others.
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August 16, 2024
Developer's Widow Sues For Control Of Century Homebuilders
The widow of Sergio Pino, the late founder and CEO of Century Homebuilders Group LLC, has filed suit asking a Florida state court to declare her the sole owner of the company and "to finally put an end to unlawful efforts" by his estate and his brother to claim otherwise.
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August 16, 2024
'Brazen' Plot To Steal Graceland From Presleys Nets Charges
A woman was charged in Missouri federal court Friday with attempting a wild scheme to defraud the family of Elvis Presley by auctioning the late singer's iconic Graceland estate and pocketing the proceeds, a plot that was only foiled when suspicious minds raised red flags.
Expert Analysis
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Fair Lending Activity: Calm On The Surface, Churning Below
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recently released annual fair lending report to Congress confirms that despite the paucity of public fair lending enforcement actions in 2022, the CFPB and prudential banking agencies are engaged in significant nonpublic oversight, examination and enforcement activities, say attorneys at Cooley.
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The Basics Of Being A Knowledge Management Attorney
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Michael Lehet at Ogletree Deakins discusses the role of knowledge management attorneys at law firms, the common tasks they perform and practical tips for lawyers who may be considering becoming one.
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To Hire And Keep Top Talent, Think Beyond Compensation
Firms seeking to appeal to sophisticated clients and top-level partners should promote mentorship, ensure that attorneys from diverse backgrounds feel valued, and clarify policies about at-home work, says Patrick Moya at Quaero Group.
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Negotiating Material Escalation In Construction Contracts
As material price escalation clauses have remained popular in construction contracts despite an easing of recent supply chain issues, attorneys representing owners should understand key considerations for negotiating such clauses, and strategies to mitigate potential exploitation by contractors, says H. Arthur Black II at Brooks Pierce.
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Identifying Trends And Tips In Litigation Financing Disclosure
Growing interest and controversy in litigation financing raise several salient concerns, but exploring recent compelled disclosure trends from courts around the country can help practitioners further their clients' interests, say Sean Callagy and Samuel Sokolsky at Arnold & Porter.
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Key Drivers Behind Widespread Adoption Of NAV Financing
While net asset value-based lending has existed for years, NAV lending has only started to move into the mainstream recently — likely due to difficult market conditions faced by sponsors including persistent inflation, high interest rates and a lack of exit opportunities, say Matthew Kerfoot and Jinyoung Joo at Proskauer.
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The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Elrod On 'Jury Duty'
Though the mockumentary series “Jury Duty” features purposely outrageous characters, it offers a solemn lesson about the simple but brilliant design of the right to trial by jury, with an unwitting protagonist who even John Adams may have welcomed as an impartial foreperson, says Fifth Circuit Judge Jennifer Elrod.
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Beware Unique Compliance Risks In Home Equity Lending
As borrowers increasingly look to junior-lien mortgages and home equity lines of credit instead of first-lien mortgages, regulators will pay increased attention in turn and lenders will have to watch for a number of legal and regulatory pitfalls as they rush to meet this newfound demand, say attorneys at Orrick.
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4 Business-Building Strategies For Introvert Attorneys
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Introverted lawyers can build client bases to rival their extroverted peers’ by adapting time-tested strategies for business development that can work for any personality — such as claiming a niche, networking for maximum impact, drawing on existing contacts and more, says Ronald Levine at Herrick Feinstein.
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New AI Lending Tech Could Exacerbate Old Bias Risks
As credit and mortgage lending businesses increasingly utilize artificial intelligence technology to help make decisions, they must be aware of the legal risks that may arise under familiar anti-discrimination laws, say Kali Bracey and Grace Wallack at Jenner & Block.
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Caregiver Flexibility Is Crucial For Atty Engagement, Retention
As the battle for top talent continues post-pandemic, many firms are attempting to attract employees with progressive hybrid working environments — and supporting caregivers before, during and after an extended leave is a critically important way to retain top talent, says Manar Morales at The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance.
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AI Road Ahead Is Promising For Cautious Fintechs
Financial institutions should understand the conceptions and misconceptions about artificial intelligence likely to influence regulators, and proactively study potential adverse impacts and establish use case strategies and other guardrails for deploying AI, say attorneys at Jones Day.
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In-Office Engagement Is Essential To Associate Development
As law firms develop return-to-office policies that allow hybrid work arrangements, they should incorporate the specific types of in-person engagement likely to help associates develop attributes common among successful firm leaders, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.