Commercial

  • September 25, 2025

    Roundup: Insurance Highlights At Climate Week NYC 2025

    Politicians and business leaders at this year’s Climate Week in New York City are emphasizing that climate change is posing huge challenges for people struggling with high insurance premiums, but opportunity still exists for the industry in a green transition. Here, Law360 looks at just a few of the happenings this year at the weeklong conference.

  • September 25, 2025

    NY Judge Approves Hold On Cannabis Store Proximity Rule

    A New York state judge has signed off on an agreement between marijuana stores and cannabis regulators to temporarily halt enforcement of a recent regulatory reinterpretation of store location requirements that threatened to upend more than a hundred cannabis businesses.

  • September 25, 2025

    Ex-FTE CEO Gets 12 Years For $13.6M Accounting Fraud

    The former chairman and CEO of FTE Networks Inc. on Thursday was sentenced to 12 years in prison for a multifaceted $13.6 million ploy to conceal the telecommunications and real estate company's shaky financial condition and embezzle company funds.

  • September 25, 2025

    SEC's $1.2M Deal In EB-5 Fraud Case Gets Judge's OK

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced that a Nevada federal court has ordered a real estate developer and one of her companies to pay over $1.2 million to settle the agency's claims that they used $10 million raised from overseas investors hoping to immigrate to the U.S. to instead pay down an unrelated project loan.

  • September 25, 2025

    2 Firms Advise Self-Storage REIT, Manager On Merger

    California-based SmartStop Self Storage REIT said it will acquire Arizona's Argus Professional Storage Management in a merger agreement advised by Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP and Fennemore Craig PC.

  • September 25, 2025

    DC Court Upholds Transfer Tax On Long-Term Leaseback

    The $39 million sale of a Washington, D.C., property and a long-term deal to lease it back to the seller constituted two separate taxable transactions, an appeals court said Thursday, rejecting a claim for a $1 million refund.

  • September 25, 2025

    NJ Amusement Park Co. Won't Get Hearing On Shore Project

    New Jersey appeals court found Thursday that a Jersey Shore amusement park owner isn't entitled to a hearing before an agency that approved a grant making way for a luxury housing and retail development on the site of a nearby parking lot.

  • September 25, 2025

    CSX Says Biz Owner Rehashing Claims In Rail Crossing Suit

    Railroad company CSX Transportation Inc. has asked a Pennsylvania federal court to permanently ax a local business owner's request for punitive damages amid a dispute over access to a railroad crossing, arguing the owner is repeating claims the court already rejected.

  • September 25, 2025

    RXR Launches Luxury Office Venture With $3.5B Portfolio

    RXR has formed an investment platform for top-tier office buildings in New York City, backed by a portfolio of Manhattan properties worth $3.5 billion in deal value, the firm said.

  • September 25, 2025

    NJ Panel Tosses Suit Over West Windsor Industrial Project

    A New Jersey appellate court on Thursday backed the permanent dismissal of a suit filed by two West Windsor residential property owners over the township's approval of a zoning ordinance for a more than 5 million-square-foot commercial and industrial project.

  • September 25, 2025

    Flagstar Seeks Instant Win In Ex-Live Well VP Fraud Case

    Flagstar Bank has urged a Michigan federal judge to grant it an early win against a former executive of the now-bankrupt Live Well for his role in a scheme to defraud lenders by inflating the value of bonds, saying because the executive already pled guilty to securities fraud, he cannot now deny liability in the bank's civil case.

  • September 25, 2025

    Casinos In Queens, Yonkers Advance In Race For Licenses

    Two existing New York gaming facilities moved forward in the high-stakes competition for three full casino licenses, after two committees appointed by local elected officials approved their plans.

  • September 25, 2025

    SmartLabs Accused Of Dodging Rent On Cambridge Lab

    Boston-headquartered SmartLabs is facing a lawsuit over millions in unpaid rent owed to the landlord of one of its Cambridge facilities, according to a complaint filed in Massachusetts state court.

  • September 25, 2025

    Wis. Judge Backs Wildlife Refuge Land Swap Deal

    A Wisconsin federal judge has granted summary judgment to the federal government and two utility companies against all claims in a suit filed by conservationist groups that alleged that the government wrongfully approved a land exchange deal with the utilities so the companies could build part of a 101-mile transmission line project through a wildlife refuge.

  • September 25, 2025

    Holland & Knight Launches Real Estate Dispute Team

    Holland & Knight LLP announced it has formed a new real estate disputes and advocacy team, noting the group will provide counsel to clients on lease litigation matters, complex contract claims and other commercial property disputes.

  • September 25, 2025

    The Torch Tower, With A Thrill Ride, Back Online In Manhattan

    Construction has resumed at Extell Development's supertall hotel and thrill ride project in Manhattan known as The Torch, and Law360 has updated the status of that project on its tall buildings tracker.

  • September 24, 2025

    Tower Developer Linked To Menendez Ally Wants Suit Tossed

    The developer behind a disputed high-rise project — once led by a businessman convicted in the bribery scheme involving former U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez — is asking a New Jersey judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a neighboring municipality, arguing the case is incurably flawed.

  • September 24, 2025

    Calf. Property Owner Renews Ch. 11 With $10M+ In Debt

    The owner of a lot in California estimated to be worth $46 million renewed efforts to perform a Chapter 11 and address unsustainable debt, having filed for bankruptcy earlier this year but not completing the process.

  • September 24, 2025

    Hyperscalers Say Spend Hits $400B With 5 New US Sites

    OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank on Wednesday said they are planning five additional U.S. sites to host artificial intelligence data centers, in a step toward spending $500 billion on their Stargate project by the end of 2025. 

  • September 24, 2025

    Davis Polk Guides $1B Manhattan Buy Across The Finish Line

    New York City recently saw its first single-asset commercial real estate deal above the $1 billion mark in 2025, and a Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP lawyer who worked on the matter told Law360 that the trade is a sign of strength in the Manhattan office market.

  • September 24, 2025

    Final JC Penney Ch. 11 Distributions On Horizon, Atty Says

    Lawyers winding down the bankruptcy estate of department store J.C. Penney told a Texas bankruptcy judge on Wednesday they expect to be able to make final creditor payments shortly, nearly five years after the Chapter 11 plan took effect.

  • September 24, 2025

    Rick Perry's Data Center REIT Launches Plans For $550M IPO

    Fermi America, a venture by former U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry to build a 5,000-acre Amarillo, Texas, energy and data center, sought a $13.1 billion valuation Wednesday in an initial public offering guided by Haynes Boone and Vinson & Elkins LLP.

  • September 24, 2025

    Marsh US Real Estate Leader On Insurance Landscape

    Commercial real estate companies, squeezed by higher interest rates in recent years, have also seen a dramatic increase in insurance premiums. Duncan C. Ellis, who leads Marsh's U.S. and Canada real estate and hospitality practice, spoke to Law360 Real Estate Authority about what's behind the trends in commercial real estate insurance.

  • September 24, 2025

    Ohio House Bill Seeks Approval Rule For Some Property Tax

    Ohio would require some political subdivisions to obtain approval from their member governing bodies before imposing property tax above a statutory limit under a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.

  • September 24, 2025

    11th Circ. Asked To Combine Easement Deduction Appeals

    The Eleventh Circuit should consolidate two cases appealing U.S. Tax Court rulings that cut $47 million in deductions for conservation easement donations, a partnership argued, saying the government's opposition to combining them overlooks the opportunity to save resources.

Expert Analysis

  • 4 Strategies For De-Escalating Hospitality Industry Disputes

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    As recent uncertainty in the travel business exacerbates the risk of conflict in the hospitality sector, industry in-house counsel and their outside partners should consider proactive strategies aimed at de-escalating disputes, including preserving the record, avoiding boilerplate clauses and considering arbitration, say Randa Adra at Crowell and Stephanie Jean-Jacques at Hyatt.

  • SEC Signals Opening For Private Fund Investment Reform

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    At SEC Speaks in late May, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission made clear that it's considering allowing registered funds of private funds to be offered broadly to true retail investors, meaning existing funds should review their disclosures focusing on conflicts of interest, liquidity and fees, say attorneys at Stradley Ronon.

  • Unicoin Case Reveals SEC's Evolving Enforcement Posture

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    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's recent fraud allegations against cryptocurrency company Unicoin send a clear message that while the Trump administration supports digital asset development, it will act decisively against deception, inflated valuations and false assurances, says David Zaslowsky at Baker McKenzie.

  • Opportunity Zone Revamp Could Improve The Program

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    If adopted, the budget bill's new iteration of the opportunity zone program could renew, refine and enhance the effectiveness and accountability of the original program by including structural reforms, expanded eligibility rules and incentives for rural investment, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Review Risk Is Increasing For Foreign Real Estate Developers

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    Federal and state government efforts have been expanding oversight of foreign investment in U.S. real estate, necessitating careful assessment of risk and of the benefits of notifying the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Evolving Federal Rules Pose Further Obstacles To NY LLC Act

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    Following the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's recent changes to beneficial ownership information reporting under the federal Corporate Transparency Act — dramatically reducing the number of companies required to make disclosures — the utility of New York's LLC Transparency Act becomes less apparent, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Negotiating Triparty Hotel Agreements To Withstand Risk

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    Brewing economic uncertainty in the hospitality industry underscores the importance of subordination, nondisturbance and attornment agreements, and hotel managers should tightly negotiate these agreements to ensure remedies will not disturb key rights, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • CRE Challenges Demand New Lease And Development Plans

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    As developers and landlords face declining occupancy of commercial, industrial and office space post-pandemic, a combination of business and lease considerations may better position stakeholders to protect the value and profitability of their commercial real estate, says Geoffrey Leskie at Segal McCambridge.

  • Ch. 11 Free-And-Clear Sale Ruling Takes Pragmatic Approach

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    A recent ruling from a New York bankruptcy court in which the debtors were allowed to sell interests free and clear regardless of a lienholder's objection signals a practical approach and a recalibration of the balance between debtor flexibility and creditor protections, say attorneys at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • What's At Stake As 9th Circ. Eyes Cultural Resource Damages

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    In Pakootas v. Teck Cominco, the Ninth Circuit is faced with the long-unresolved question of whether cultural resource damages are recoverable as part of natural resource damages under the Superfund law — and the answer will have enormous implications for companies, natural resource trustees and Native American tribes, says Sarah Bell at Farella Braun.

  • 5 Insurance Types For Mitigating Tariff-Related Trade Losses

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    The potential for significant trade-related losses as a result of increased tariffs may cause companies to consider which of their insurance policies, including marine, builders risk, trade credit, and directors and officers, could provide coverage to alleviate the financial impact, say attorneys at Pillsbury.

  • Avoiding Pitfalls Around New Calif. Commercial Lease Law

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    A California law that became effective this year requires commercial landlords to extend certain protections previously afforded to residential tenancies, and a few key provisions of the law especially warrant reexamination of leasing and operational processes, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • Measuring And Mitigating Harm From Discriminatory Taxes

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    In response to new tariffs and other recent "America First Trade Policy" pronouncements, corporations should assess and take steps to minimize their potential exposure to discriminatory and reciprocal tax measures that are likely to come, say economists at Charles River Associates.