Our Approach
Navigating the complex world of commercial real estate and land use requires an experienced legal team. Our real estate and land use attorneys are supported by the transactional and litigation attorneys from the firm's other practice groups, enabling comprehensive legal services for individuals, small businesses, large corporations, institutional investors, cooperatives and condominiums, local governments, lenders, brokers, title companies, property managers, and developers.
Our team believes in a proactive and collaborative approach. Whether a client is pursuing a development project, negotiating a lease, or facing a complex sale or acquisition of assets and real property, our attorneys work closely with you as trusted advisors every step of the way.
Our Services
Commercial Real Estate
Transactions
- Purchase and sale agreements for office, retail, industrial, and multifamily properties
- Due diligence: title review, surveys, environmental reports, zoning compliance
- Commercial lease negotiation — landlord and tenant side
- Sale-leasebacks, ground leases, and easement agreements
Finance & Development
- Mortgage loans, construction financing, and mezzanine debt
- Joint ventures, real estate funds, and LLC/LP structuring
- 1031 exchanges, Opportunity Zones, and tax-advantaged structures
- Construction contracts and contractor disputes
Distressed Assets
- Foreclosures and deed-in-lieu transactions
- Loan workouts, modifications, and restructuring
- Bankruptcy-related real estate matters
Litigation
- Complex title, easement and ownership disputes
- Commercial landlord-tenant disputes
- Managing agent disputes
- Partnership disputes
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Cooperative and Condominium
General Counsel & Entity Formation
Counsel clients through disputes with their cooperative or condominium board or homeowner’s association.
Advise boards through entity formation, drafting crucial governing documents – including declarations, proprietary leases, bylaws, alteration agreements – and other relevant documents, as well as ongoing legal counsel for day-to-day board governance.
Vendor & Financing Contracts
Negotiate, draft, and review a wide array of contracts on behalf of associations, including bylaw and rule amendments, vendor contracts, arrears, operative documents, management agreements, maintenance services, landscaping, labor contracts, and refinance or construction loan documents.
Ensure boards receive the best terms whether securing vendor services, refinancing, or undertaking capital improvements.
Collections, Enforcement, and Litigation
We have significant experience handling enforcement issues such as late maintenance fees, violations, and inter-owner disputes.
Our Real Estate Litigation Group represents cooperative and condominium boards in all types of matters, including disputes, eviction and foreclosure proceedings, collection actions, and breach-of-contract or board-governance litigation.
Regulatory & Statutory Updates
Our proactive approach includes ongoing monitoring of legislative and regulatory changes affecting co-ops and condos – tax abatements, lending programs, environmental compliance, access laws, corporate governance requirements, and more. Our collaborative approach with our clients keeps them informed of legal and regulatory changes.
Land Use & Development
Entitlements & Approvals
- Zoning approvals, variances, special use permits, and rezonings
- Representation before planning boards, zoning boards, and Municipal Boards
- Environmental review under NEPA, SEPA, and state equivalents
- Developer agreements and impact fee negotiations
Regulatory & Compliance
- Wetlands, floodplain, and environmental regulation compliance
- Historic preservation and landmark designation matters
- Subdivision approvals and site plan review
- ADA accessibility compliance
Litigation
- Challenging or defending zoning decisions in court
- Takings and eminent domain / inverse condemnation claims
- Neighbor and community opposition disputes
- Title, easement and ownership disputes