Commercial

  • June 12, 2024

    $18.8M Theft Coverage Suit Must Be Heard In State Court

    A Texas federal judge ruled that a lawsuit brought against an insurer over $18.8 million in theft and vandalism at a Georgia shopping center belongs in state court, refusing to create diversity by removing a plaintiff. 

  • June 12, 2024

    Real Estate Firm Fights CBRE's Bid To Slip Negligence Claim

    A real estate investment firm told an Iowa federal court to reject CBRE Inc.'s dismissal bid in a $10.3 million suit over Iowa property deals that fell through, arguing that CBRE "grossly oversimplifies" the firm's professional negligence claim against it.

  • June 12, 2024

    Texas AG: Wind Project Lease Negotiators Need A License

    Texas' attorney general told the Lone Star State's real estate commission that a person involved in lease negotiations for a wind farm project should have had a license from the commission following a recent project that cast doubt on the requirement.

  • June 12, 2024

    Historic Brownfields Funding Is Fueling Cleanup Catch-Up

    Under the time crunch of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funding for brownfield cleanups has increased by more than 700% in the last three years as cities and nonprofits vie to tackle their most complex sites.

  • June 12, 2024

    Ohio Tax Board Undoes Vacant Eatery's COVID-19 Value Cut

    An Ohio County Board of Revision erred when it lowered a vacant restaurant property's value after the property owner argued the value had dropped as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state Board of Tax Appeals ruled.

  • June 12, 2024

    Perkins Coie Real Estate Chair Eyes Energy As Rates Hold

    As the Federal Reserve continues to hold on interest rates and hint that it may take longer to start lowering them, more real estate investors are looking to alternative energy projects, Perkins Coie's real estate leader told Law360 Real Estate Authority in a recent interview.

  • June 11, 2024

    Insurer Given Early Exit From Contractor's Cost Overrun Suit

    An insurance company was axed Monday from a general contractor's $8.5 million lawsuit against a developer seeking payment for its work building an apartment complex, with a North Carolina state court judge ruling it was too soon to rope in the insurer.

  • June 11, 2024

    Vornado JV Inks $400M Refi For NYC Office, Retail Building

    A street retail joint venture led by Vornado Realty Trust secured a $400 million refinancing for a 315,000-square-foot office and retail property at 640 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, according to a statement from Vornado on Monday.

  • June 11, 2024

    WeWork Announces CEO Switch As It Leaves Ch. 11

    WeWork, fresh from the confirmation of its Chapter 11 restructuring plan, said Tuesday it will be led by John Santora, who will take over as CEO as the company leaves bankruptcy behind.

  • June 11, 2024

    Cannabis REIT Will Invest $43M Into Purchased Fla. Land

    Cannabis-focused real estate investment trust Innovative Industrial Properties Inc. plans to invest $43 million into 16 acres of Ocala, Florida, land that it bought for $13 million.

  • June 11, 2024

    Net Lease REIT Sells 2 Office Properties For $60.7M

    Net Lease Office Properties said Tuesday that it has sold two Minnesota office properties leased to Blue Cross Blue Shield for a combined $60.7 million. 

  • June 10, 2024

    3 Firms Guide $125M ND Data Center Construction Loan

    CIM Group announced Monday that the investment firm closed on a $125 million loan to Applied Digital for the company's construction of a North Dakota data center campus, in a deal guided by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Milbank LLP and Lowenstein Sandler LLP.

  • June 10, 2024

    NYC Tells 2nd Circ. No Sanctions In COVID Rent Law Suit

    New York City told the Second Circuit that its late-in-the-game jurisdictional arguments don't warrant sanctions amid litigation over pandemic protection for commercial real estate tenants, arguing that it raised the claims as soon as possible.

  • June 10, 2024

    Ex-Real Estate Business Partners Duel In Calif. Court

    Two former real estate business partners lodged dueling suits against each other in California state court with accusations of backstabbing, theft and lying.

  • June 10, 2024

    Conn. Hospital Broke $4.25M Property Sale Deal, Buyer Says

    A Connecticut hospital has been accused in state court of breaking its $4.25 million property sale contract after the sale was called off following the hospital's merger with Northwell Healthcare Inc.

  • June 10, 2024

    Manhattan Office Leasing Up Again From 2023, Per CBRE

    Leasing activity in Manhattan's office market remained elevated in May compared to a year prior, with a Covington & Burling LLP deal leading the way as the month's biggest transaction, CBRE said Monday.

  • June 10, 2024

    Co. Says 16 Intervenors Will Drag Out Alaska Mine Dispute

    A company seeking relief from a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decision to block a mining proposal for a stretch of pristine salmon habitat on Alaska's Bristol Bay asked a federal judge to exclude more than a dozen environmental groups from joining the case.

  • June 07, 2024

    Federal Realty Exits Santa Monica Outdoor Mall For $103M

    Federal Realty Trust said it has exited Santa Monica, California's struggling Third Street Promenade by selling off a group of eight properties in the outdoor mall near the city's pier for $103 million.

  • June 07, 2024

    DOE Reveals National Definition Of Zero-Emissions Building

    The U.S. Department of Energy unveiled a federal definition for determining whether a residential or commercial building qualifies as a zero-emissions building as part of an ongoing effort to slash greenhouse gas emissions across the traditionally heavily emitting sector.

  • June 07, 2024

    NYC Hotel Land Sale Ends $275M Lease Dispute

    An investment group led by David Werner sold a Manhattan hotel property to an affiliate of Highgate Capital Investments LP for $275 million in a deal overseen by Latham & Watkins LLP, per county property records filed June 6.

  • June 07, 2024

    Real Estate Co. Will Begin $170M Houston Tower Project

    A Tennessee-based real estate company is set to begin construction on a $170 million, 37-story, mixed-use, Class A tower project in Houston, Texas, in October, according to a filing with Texas' Department of Licensing and Regulation.

  • June 07, 2024

    Texas Top Court Denies Roofer's Challenge To Adjuster Laws

    The Supreme Court of Texas tossed on Friday a roofing company's challenge to the state's public adjuster licensing laws, saying that requiring a license or preventing certain conduct didn't violate the roofer's free speech rights.

  • June 07, 2024

    Bank Says Alzheimer's Center Owes $17M On Defaulted Loan

    An Alzheimer's care center owes Bank of Oklahoma nearly $17 million after it became the last of four memory care facilities to default on a $27.5 million loan that was used to refinance their mortgage debt, according to a complaint filed in Georgia federal court.

  • June 07, 2024

    Miami Official Can't Shake Zoning Abuse Claims

    A Miami commissioner can't escape allegations that he and other city officials conspired to sabotage local businesses with zoning and safety laws after a pair of business owners backed the commissioner's opponent in a 2017 election, a Florida federal judge ruled.

  • June 07, 2024

    MoFo, Foley & Lardner Guide $695M Sale Of Construction Biz

    Middle-market private equity firm Palladium Equity Partners LLC has sold a construction company to an affiliate of electrical solutions company nVent Electric PLC for $695 million in a deal guided by Morrison Foerster and Foley & Lardner LLP, according to an official announcement.

Expert Analysis

  • Best Practices For Lenders To Limit Recourse Liability

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    As projects face loan maturities in a higher interest rate environment, lenders should diligently observe even seemingly innocuous formalities following an event of default in order to minimize potential recourse liability, especially when borrowers have certain covenants, say Ryan Goins and Matthias Kleinsasser at Winstead.

  • 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.

  • Rising Interest Rates Bring Risk For Construction Contractors

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    With rising interest rates causing many construction projects to be slowed or halted, it's important for general contractors to implement safeguard measures against the risk of significant financial losses caused by owner-driven schedule modifications, says Kevin Riexinger at Gfeller Laurie.

  • Keys To Navigating The Post-Pandemic CRE Market

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    As the commercial real estate market continues to face repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic, lawyers should use office occupancy and leasing volume numbers to anticipate future trends and help guide clients through an uncertain landscape, says Joseph Calvanico at J2C Valuations.

  • 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.

  • How Rate Exportation Is Shifting Amid Regulatory Trends

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    All banks and their partners, including fintechs, that wish to lend to borrowers in multiple states and charge uniform interest rates should heed regulatory developments across the country and determine how best to mitigate risks in their efforts to offer credit to consumers on a nationwide basis, say attorneys at Ballard Spahr.

  • How The Commercial Real Estate Slump May Weigh On Banks

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    The continuing underperformance of the U.S. commercial real estate market has significant implications for the financial performance and disclosure requirements for various banks, especially regional ones with large debt exposures, say Atanu Saha and Yong Xu at StoneTurn.

  • 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.

  • Landlords Should Prep As WeWork Faces Potential Ch. 11

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    After years of financial trouble and the recent announcement that it has substantial doubt that it would be able to continue as a going concern, WeWork may have a bankruptcy filing in its future that would have a significant impact on landlords and other stakeholders who are owed money by the company, say attorneys at Cadwalader.

  • 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.

  • Conn. Ruling Highlights Keys To Certificate-Of-Need Appeals

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    The Connecticut Supreme Court's recent decision in High Watch Recovery Center v. Department of Public Health, rejecting rigid application of statutes concerning certificate-of-need procedure, provides important guidance on building an administrative record to support a finding that a case is contested, say attorneys at Robinson & Cole.

  • 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.