Real Estate

  • September 05, 2024

    TM Ruling Creates Way To Pierce Corporate Veil, Justices Told

    A conservative legal group says that a Fourth Circuit ruling the justices have agreed to review over a $43 million trademark award in a fight between two businesses that use the name "Dewberry" provides a new way to pierce the corporate veil that "veers far from acceptable legal principles."

  • September 05, 2024

    SQRL Store Chain Landlords Want Out Of Ch. 11 Stay

    The landlords of 30 SQRL fuel station and convenience store locations are urging a Texas federal bankruptcy court to allow them to avoid an automatic stay that they allege is blocking them from taking ownership of the SQRL locations for themselves.

  • September 05, 2024

    Clubman Talc Settles Prominent Developer's Asbestos Claims

    The company behind Pinaud Clubman talcum powder products has settled claims that its merchandise contained asbestos and caused cancer in a real estate developer described by attorneys for co-defendant Johnson & Johnson as the "Donald Trump of Springfield, Massachusetts."

  • September 05, 2024

    Judge Sharp No Stranger To Complex Cases Biz Court To See

    Business Court Judge Stacy Sharp says that most of the cases she's litigated across her career would have been a perfect fit for the state's newest venue.

  • September 05, 2024

    Unconstitutionality Of Transparency Act Clear, 11th Circ. Told

    A small business group and one of its members have told the Eleventh Circuit that an Alabama federal judge correctly ruled that the Corporate Transparency Act is unconstitutional, so there was no need for them to demonstrate that the law fails to pass constitutional muster.

  • September 05, 2024

    LA Developer Beats RICO Suit Over CEQA Fight At 9th Circ.

    The Ninth Circuit affirmed Thursday a decision tossing a Hollywood hotel developer's $100 million racketeering suit against rival hotel developers, rejecting the plaintiff developer's allegations that its competitors had pursued "objectively baseless" sham California Environmental Quality Act litigation to extort the firm.

  • September 05, 2024

    Real Estate Co. EasyKnock Settles Battle With Ch. 7 Trustee

    New York-based real estate investor EasyKnock Inc. would fork over the full alleged value of a debtor's home to her bankruptcy estate as part of a proposed deal to settle the Chapter 7 trustee's fraud claims and the company's own suit alleging collusion.  

  • September 05, 2024

    Ga. Panel Affirms Tax Assessors' Partial Win In Valuation Fight

    The Georgia Court of Appeals has affirmed a trial court's order granting partial summary judgment to the Lowndes County Board of Tax Assessors in a dispute concerning the $5.3 million ad valorem tax assessment on a rent-restricted apartment complex.

  • September 05, 2024

    Ariz. Tribe Doubled Down In Lithium Project Row, Court Told

    The federal government has accused the Hualapai Indian Tribe of doubling down on conjecture with regard to the possible effects of the Big Sandy Valley Lithium Exploration Project, urging an Arizona federal judge to reject the tribe's request for a preliminary injunction.

  • September 05, 2024

    2nd Circ. Chilly To Mortgage-Backed Securities ERISA Suit

    The Second Circuit appeared unlikely Thursday to revive a union pension fund's suit looking to hold Wells Fargo and Ocwen Financial Corp. liable for losses on mortgage-backed securities, with two judges signaling the risky loans the fund sued over might not be covered by federal benefits law.

  • September 05, 2024

    Ill. Judge Exits Home Sellers' Broker Fees Antitrust Suit

    An Illinois federal judge has recused herself from a certified and settled class action that accused the National Association of Realtors and multiple major brokerages of conspiring to charge artificially inflated broker commissions for home sellers.

  • September 04, 2024

    Leech Tishman Combines With Calif. Firm Nelson Hardiman

    Leech Tishman is set to add California-based healthcare and life science law firm Nelson Hardiman's 17 attorneys to its Los Angeles office this fall and will do business in the Golden State under the combined name Leech Tishman Nelson Hardiman, the firm announced Tuesday.

  • September 04, 2024

    Homeowners Say Wis. Tribe Can't Block Roads Again

    Homeowners in a Wisconsin town whose roads were barricaded by a Native American tribe have urged a federal judge to protect access to their properties during litigation until their easement claims can be resolved, saying the U.S. government and the tribe must immediately remove any roadway blockages.

  • September 04, 2024

    Builder's Battle With Conn. Town Tossed Over Zoning Appeal

    A lawsuit that a property developer filed against officials of a Connecticut town, seeking to restart construction and sales of a housing project after receiving a cease-and-desist order, is untimely because the company is still pursuing a local zoning appeal, a Connecticut state judge has ruled in dismissing the case.

  • September 04, 2024

    4th Circ. Sets Legal Hemp Standard In THC Firing Case

    A split Fourth Circuit panel on Wednesday set a standard for the legality of hemp products, although it still found that a real estate company worker claiming she was illegally fired for testing positive for a THC substance didn't back her disability bias claims.

  • September 04, 2024

    Drink Co.'s Ex-CEO Must Face Suit Over Illegitimate Profits

    A Florida federal bankruptcy judge on Wednesday denied a bid by the former CEO of the corporation that makes Bang Energy to toss a lawsuit alleging the company's profits were based on deception and that the chief executive left the business insolvent, but ordered that the complaint be clarified.

  • September 04, 2024

    Turning Tides: Real Estate's Impending Insurance Crisis

    Climate risk, once an abstract concept, is now a stark reality in the real estate industry as damage from stronger and more frequent weather events portends a drastic correction in the property insurance market. This new series explores state and local government efforts, shifting investor behavior, and home-buying trends as the climate-driven insurance crisis bubbles to the surface.

  • September 04, 2024

    Judge Says EB-5 Investors, Fund Must Disclose More Info

    An Illinois federal judge told a group of Chinese investors and a development fund on Wednesday they both must provide additional information in a suit accusing the fund of making off with $13.2 million intended for the development of a Hawaii resort.

  • September 04, 2024

    Steward Health Gets OK To Sell Mass. Hospitals For $343M

    A Texas bankruptcy judge on Wednesday approved Steward Health Care's $343 million sale of six of its Massachusetts hospitals and new funding that will help the company keep its facilities in the Bay State operating.

  • September 04, 2024

    NJ Health System Wins Access To Fraud File In Antitrust Fight

    A New Jersey federal judge Wednesday allowed health system RWJBarnabas Health Inc. to move ahead with a subpoena on the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation in a case in which RWJBarnabas is accused of antitrust violations by rival health system CarePoint Health Management Associates LLC.

  • September 04, 2024

    Warren Urges IRS To Look At Possible REIT Tax Break Abuse

    The Internal Revenue Service should increase its scrutiny of real estate investment trusts to determine whether companies are benefiting from REIT tax benefits while flouting rules, including those that limit the level of a REIT's ownership in a company, Sen. Elizabeth Warren told the agency's commissioner.

  • September 04, 2024

    SEC Fines Investor Over $7.5M In Undisclosed Affiliate Fees

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has fined Florida-based investor Digital Bridge for failing to properly disclose about $7.5 million worth of payments to affiliates for services provided to a group of funds the firm manages.

  • September 04, 2024

    Former Michelin Tire Factory Site Worth $30M, NJ Jurors Told

    The owner of a 22-acre former Michelin Tire factory in Milltown, New Jersey, told jurors Wednesday it should be paid at least $30 million by a borough redevelopment agency to acquire the property through eminent domain for the construction of a 350-unit mixed-use residential development.

  • September 04, 2024

    Insurer Must Cover Woman's Fire Claim, Wash. Panel Says

    An insurer must cover a woman's claim for damage to her former home after she was assaulted and set on fire by her ex-husband, a Washington state appeals court ruled, finding that a domestic abuse exception to the policy's intentional loss exclusion applies.

  • September 04, 2024

    McElroy Deutsch's Former CFO Fights Bid To Sink Ch. 11 Case

    The currently incarcerated former chief financial officer for McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP denied that his Chapter 11 filing was a bad faith maneuver meant to stall ongoing civil litigation, claiming instead that the bankruptcy will allow for the liquidation of property for the benefit of creditors.

Expert Analysis

  • Series

    After Chevron: Opportunities For Change In FHFA Practices

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of the Chevron doctrine should lead to better cooperation between the Federal Housing Finance Agency and Congress, and may give the FHFA a chance to embrace transparency and innovation and promote sustainable housing practices, says Mehdi Sinaki at Michelman & Robinson.

  • Series

    NC Banking Brief: All The Notable Legal Updates In Q2

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    After federal banking agencies last quarter released a supplemental final rule updating the Community Reinvestment Act, North Carolina banks involved in community development should consider how the new rule might open up opportunities for investment and services that can benefit underserved areas, says Adam Goldblatt at Michael Best.

  • Series

    Boxing Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    Boxing has influenced my legal work by enabling me to confidently hone the skills I've learned from the sport, like the ability to remain calm under pressure, evaluate an opponent's weaknesses and recognize when to seize an important opportunity, says Kirsten Soto at Clyde & Co.

  • What NYC's Green Fast Track Means For Affordable Housing

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    New York City's Green Fast Track for Housing initiative, which went into effect last month, aims to speed up the environmental review process for modest residential developments and could potentially pave the way for similar initiatives in other cities, say Vivien Krieger and Rachel Scall at Cozen O'Connor.

  • The Often Overlooked NY Foreclosure Notice Requirements

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    As multifamily real estate defaults mount, New York foreclosing parties should be aware of pitfalls and perils that can await the litigant who is not prepared to ensure adherence with tenant notice requirements under the Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law, say Christopher Gorman and John Muldoon at Rosenberg & Estis.

  • Opinion

    Industry Self-Regulation Will Shine Post-Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's Loper decision will shape the contours of industry self-regulation in the years to come, providing opportunities for this often-misunderstood practice, says Eric Reicin at BBB National Programs.

  • 3 Ways Agencies Will Keep Making Law After Chevron

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    The U.S. Supreme Court clearly thinks it has done something big in overturning the Chevron precedent that had given deference to agencies' statutory interpretations, but regulated parties have to consider how agencies retain significant power to shape the law and its meaning, say attorneys at K&L Gates.

  • Roundup

    After Chevron

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    In the month since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference standard, this Expert Analysis series has featured attorneys discussing the potential impact across 26 different rulemaking and litigation areas.

  • Opinion

    Atty Well-Being Efforts Ignore Root Causes Of The Problem

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    The legal industry is engaged in a critical conversation about lawyers' mental health, but current attorney well-being programs primarily focus on helping lawyers cope with the stress of excessive workloads, instead of examining whether this work culture is even fundamentally compatible with lawyer well-being, says Jonathan Baum at Avenir Guild.

  • A Case Study For Calif. Cities In Water Utility Takeovers

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    With growing water scarcity and drier weather looming, some local governments in California have sought to acquire investor-owned water utilities by eminent domain — but the 2016 case of Claremont v. Golden State Water is a reminder that such municipalization attempts must meet certain statutory requirements, say attorneys at Nossaman.

  • Series

    Skiing And Surfing Make Me A Better Lawyer

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    The skills I’ve learned while riding waves in the ocean and slopes in the mountains have translated to my legal career — developing strong mentor relationships, remaining calm in difficult situations, and being prepared and able to move to a backup plan when needed, says Brian Claassen at Knobbe Martens.

  • Zoning Reform May Alleviate The Affordable Housing Crisis

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    As America's affordable housing issues continue to worsen, zoning reform efforts can help to provide more affordable homes and mitigate racial and economic segregation, though opposition from residents and in courts could present challenges, say Evan Pritchard and Madeline Williams at Cozen O'Connor.

  • Unpacking The Circuit Split Over A Federal Atty Fee Rule

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    Federal circuit courts that have addressed Rule 41(d) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are split as to whether attorney fees are included as part of the costs of a previously dismissed action, so practitioners aiming to recover or avoid fees should tailor arguments to the appropriate court, says Joseph Myles and Lionel Lavenue at Finnegan.

  • NJ Justices Clarify First-Party Indemnification Availability

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    In Boyle v. Huff, the New Jersey Supreme Court recently held that indemnification can be available in first-party claims, resolving an open question and setting up contracting parties for careful negotiations around indemnity clauses, says Todd Leon at Marshall Dennehey.

  • Arbitration Implications Of High Court Coinbase Ruling

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's recent Coinbase v. Suski ruling not only reaffirmed the long-standing principle that arbitration is a matter of contract, but also established new and more general principles concerning the courts' jurisdiction to decide challenges to delegation clauses and the severability rule, say Tamar Meshel at the University of Alberta.

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