Residential

  • September 28, 2023

    Sports Arena Part Of Reno Resort's $1B Planned Upgrade

    Grand Sierra Resort plans to build a sports arena and an 800-room hotel as part of a $1 billion investment in its downtown Reno, Nevada, property.

  • September 28, 2023

    Colorado County Commissioners Want Out Of Ordinance Suit

    A Colorado county's board of commissioners urged a federal judge this week to toss a property owner and a homeowners association's lawsuit over a local short-term rental regulation, arguing they failed to state a claim.

  • September 28, 2023

    Bank Accused Of Fudging Time Records To Avoid OT

    A banking company has not been paying its loan officers overtime wages even though they often work over 40 hours a week, and it has instead been creating time records that understate how long employees are working, a former loan officer alleged in a suit in Texas federal court.

  • September 28, 2023

    NY's Highpoint JV Buys South Florida Site For Townhouses

    A joint venture of New York-based Highpoint Property Group and Florida's Akabas Properties has closed on a $2.3 million development site in Pompano Beach, Florida, for a planned townhouse project, in a transaction advised by Day Pitney.

  • September 28, 2023

    Compass Acquires Texas Realty Group

    Compass Inc. acquired independent Texas real estate brokerage Realty Austin and Realty San Antonio, according to an official Compass announcement.

  • September 28, 2023

    Young Conaway Advises Real Estate Firm's Ch. 11 Petition

    Tacoma, Washington-based real estate firm High Valley Investments LLC and a series of affiliates have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware federal court, in a move guided by Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor LLP.

  • September 28, 2023

    NY Must Revisit Couples' Pass-Through Credits, Tribunal Says

    New York state must recompute real property tax credits that passed through to two couples who were S corporation shareholders, the state Tax Appeals Tribunal affirmed in a ruling released Thursday, saying the state was wrong about how an acquisition affected the credits.

  • September 28, 2023

    Real Estate Rumors: Microsoft, PPG Development, Acadia

    Microsoft has reportedly subleased out 66,000 square feet of office space in Manhattan, PPG Development is said to have paid $14 million for 1.4 acres in Florida and Acadia Realty Trust has reportedly landed $33 million in financing for a Manhattan residential building.

  • September 28, 2023

    Deutsche Seeks Foreclosure Of NYC Rent-Regulated Portfolio

    Deutsche Bank Trust on Thursday filed to foreclose on a portfolio of seven rent-stabilized buildings in New York City owned by a landlord who has been criticized in years past for building violations.

  • September 28, 2023

    Sober Living Homes Await Potential High Court Intervention

    As a petition challenging sober living homes' right to be shielded by federal disability laws sits before the U.S. Supreme Court, legal experts are bracing for a decision that could reshape the landscape of the addiction recovery industry.

  • September 28, 2023

    In Building Code Controversy, Steps Taken To Cut Staircases

    The humble staircase has become an unlikely source of controversy in the fight to build more multifamily housing on the West Coast, with reformers arguing they add even more expense amid a historic housing crisis while limiting the variety of apartments.

  • September 27, 2023

    Newsom, Calif. Lawmakers Sue To Nix Tax Ballot Measure

    A measure that would make it harder to raise taxes in California, already approved for the November 2024 ballot, represents an illegal attempt to revise the state constitution and must be stricken, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature said in an emergency petition with the state Supreme Court.

  • September 27, 2023

    ​​​​​​​Wintrust Escapes Black Borrowers' Bias Suit In Illinois

    An Illinois federal judge tossed a proposed racial discrimination class action against Wintrust and its subsidiary Wednesday, determining that Black borrowers suing the bank for racial bias failed to state a claim and didn't single out any discriminatory policy.

  • September 27, 2023

    Houston OKs 'Missing Middle,' Bans Some Front Driveways

    Houston on Wednesday passed a contentious and long-fought measure intended to bolster "missing middle" housing, even with strong opposition to a front driveway ban that caused a last-minute amendment.

  • September 27, 2023

    Mich. House Panel Advances Detroit Land Value Tax Plan

    A Michigan House tax-writing committee approved legislation Wednesday that would authorize Detroit to hold a referendum on creating a land value tax system, advancing Mayor Mike Duggan's plan to combat blight by raising taxes on vacant lots.

  • September 27, 2023

    Insurer Freed From Covering Ga. Developer In Pollution Suit

    Wesco Insurance Co. does not have to cover a Georgia homebuilding company in a lawsuit claiming runoff from a residential development damaged neighbors' property, thanks to a pollution exclusion in the developer's liability policy, according to a Peach State federal judge.

  • September 27, 2023

    Jury, Court Reject Developer's Claims In Acquisition Spat

    A Georgia jury and judge have turned away most of American Southern Homes' claims that a rival developer violated multiple elements of an acquisition agreement between the two companies.

  • September 27, 2023

    Ohio Board Waives Late Payment Penalty Due To Mail Theft

    The Ohio Board of Tax Appeals waived a man's late property tax payment penalty, reversing a local board's decision after finding that the late payment was due to a postal worker stealing mail.

  • September 27, 2023

    Buyer Fights Counterclaims In $34M Apartments Sale Suit

    A Los Angeles-based real estate investment and operating company pushed back this week against counterclaims recently lodged in Michigan federal court by two property owners it accused of lying about rental prices in a $34 million deal to purchase two Michigan student apartment buildings.

  • September 27, 2023

    Investor Scheme Ringleader Faces More RICO Claims In Penn.

    A self-proclaimed real estate mogul was hit on Wednesday with two more Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act suits accusing him of running a scheme where he'd make off with investor funds intended for renovating properties or purchasing them.

  • September 27, 2023

    CFPB Report Finds Sharp Rise In Mortgage Closing Costs

    Homebuyers paid significantly more in closing costs in 2022, possibly due to their increased use of discount points to offset higher interest rates, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said in a report released Wednesday.

  • September 27, 2023

    Pulte Homes Says 19 Insurers Must Defend Damage Claims

    A subsidiary of homebuilder Pulte told a federal judge in Arizona that 19 insurance providers are bound to defend it from claims of deficient construction work at an Arizona master-planned community, saying the work was done by subcontractors who named Pulte as an additional insured party in policies.

  • September 27, 2023

    Rhode Island Bank Agrees To $9M DOJ Redlining Settlement

    One of the nation's oldest community banks has agreed to pay $9 million to settle government claims of racial discrimination in its residential mortgage lending in Rhode Island, the U.S. Department of Justice said Wednesday.

  • September 27, 2023

    Fla. Developer's Coverage Appeal Can Go On, 11th Circ. Says

    A Sarasota property owner may proceed with its appeal of a Florida federal court's finding that a construction manager's insurer does not owe coverage for an underlying defect suit, the Eleventh Circuit held, saying there are no jurisdictional issues that affect the court's ability to hear the case.

  • September 27, 2023

    Barnes & Thornburg Adds Morris Manning Real Estate Duo

    Barnes & Thornburg LLP has brought in a team of two Morris Manning & Martin LLP real estate experts as partners in its Atlanta office.

Expert Analysis

  • Fair Lending Activity: Calm On The Surface, Churning Below

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    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.

  • The Basics Of Being A Knowledge Management Attorney

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    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.

  • To Hire And Keep Top Talent, Think Beyond Compensation

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    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.

  • Negotiating Material Escalation In Construction Contracts

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    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.

  • Identifying Trends And Tips In Litigation Financing Disclosure

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    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.

  • Key Drivers Behind Widespread Adoption Of NAV Financing

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    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.

  • The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Elrod On 'Jury Duty'

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    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.

  • Beware Unique Compliance Risks In Home Equity Lending

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    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.

  • 4 Business-Building Strategies For Introvert Attorneys

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    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.

  • New AI Lending Tech Could Exacerbate Old Bias Risks

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    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.

  • Caregiver Flexibility Is Crucial For Atty Engagement, Retention

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    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.

  • AI Road Ahead Is Promising For Cautious Fintechs

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    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.

  • In-Office Engagement Is Essential To Associate Development

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    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.