Commercial
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November 27, 2024
Developer Reboots Plan For Miami Beach Deauville Project
Miami Beach officials have reviewed a new plan to bring a hotel and condominium towers to the city's former Deauville Beach Resort location, with developers relying on a new state law preventing voter opposition of the sort that ended a previous intended development at the site two years ago.
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November 27, 2024
Illinois Top Court Will Decide Fate Of $7B Power Line Permit
The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to review a lower court's decision striking state utility regulators' approval to build part of the $7 billion Grain Belt Express high-voltage transmission line.
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November 27, 2024
Lender Seeks $1M Limit After Broker's Claim Notice Mistake
A lender assigned insurance rights by an underlying defendant as part of a $1 million settlement told a Florida federal court that it is still owed the defendant's $1 million limit even though the defendant's insurance broker failed to notify the correct carrier about the lender's lawsuit.
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November 27, 2024
Mich. Bill Would Bar Local Property Tax Caps Tied To Rate Cut
Michigan would bar local governments from imposing caps on annual property tax revenue that require an automatic rate reduction as part of a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives.
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November 27, 2024
City Golf Course Exempt From Property Tax, Fla. Justices Say
A municipal golf course in Florida is exempt from property taxes despite a management agreement with a for-profit company, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday, reversing an appeals court decision.
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November 27, 2024
Conn. High Court Snapshot: Bank Regulation, Workers' Comp
When it convenes for the third term of the season, the Connecticut Supreme Court will hear cases that could affect the scope of the state banking department's authority to determine its own jurisdiction and clarify a workers' compensation benefits law.
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November 27, 2024
Virgin Islands Mall, Lloyd's End $6M Spat Over July 4 Fire
The owner of a historic marketplace in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which accused certain underwriters at Lloyd's of London of denying more than $6 million in claims after an Independence Day fire, agreed to drop all claims against the underwriter, according to a notice Monday.
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November 27, 2024
Co. Seeks $4.4M In Bad Faith Damages Over Developer Row
A collections company that was assigned insurance rights as part of settled, underlying litigation concerning a real estate development in Washington state told a federal court it's entitled to over $4.4 million in bad faith damages against an insurer, arguing the carrier prioritized its own interests ahead of its insured.
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November 26, 2024
Developer Accuses Fla. Attys Of 'Fraudulent Billing' Scheme
A real estate developer embroiled in a dispute with Conrad & Scherer LLP over unpaid legal fees has filed a new lawsuit against two of the firm's partners, claiming they operated a "bait and switch" scheme to overbill him for their work in litigation over a loan to finance construction of a $76 million Aspen home.
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November 26, 2024
Claims Court Won't Let US Slip Landowners' Flooding Suit
The U.S. Court of Federal Claims has refused to let the federal government escape a suit filed by property owners who claimed that their properties were taken without just compensation due to years of destructive flooding caused by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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November 26, 2024
Delta's Preemption Stance Flops In Seattle Jet Pollution Suit
A Washington federal judge has declined Delta and Alaska Airlines' bid to dismiss a proposed class action filed by neighbors of Seattle's primary airport over alleged flight-path pollution, saying it's too early to tell whether the claims will be preempted by federal regulations governing air travel or plane emissions.
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November 26, 2024
New Orleans Property Owner Revives Bid To Nix Arbitration
A New Orleans property owner has again urged a Louisiana federal judge to overturn his order forcing it to arbitrate a $7 million Hurricane Ida damage claim with 11 insurers for a block of luxury apartments and retail shops, pointing to a recent ruling by the state's top court.
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November 26, 2024
Surgeon Acquitted Of Wire Fraud In Case Over $60M Fla. Hotel
A Florida federal jury has acquitted a Colombian surgeon of wire fraud conspiracy following a trial over the government's allegations that he defrauded investors through a Ponzi-like scheme involving a $60 million luxury hotel project in one of Miami-Dade County's high-end neighborhoods.
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November 26, 2024
Indicted Ex-Conn. Budget Official May Ask To Delay Trial
Ex-Connecticut budget official Konstantinos "Kosta" Diamantis is considering a bid to delay his February trial on 22 charges that he coerced contractors to pay him kickbacks on school construction jobs, according to a Tuesday motion by prosecutors seeking to postpone certain deadlines.
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November 26, 2024
Illinois Landowners Blast FERC Moves On $7B Power Line
The Federal Energy Regulatory unlawfully amended a negotiated rate authority for the $7 billion Grain Belt Express high-voltage power line despite not sanctioning a 2020 change in project ownership, Illinois residents, farmers and landowners told the D.C. Circuit Monday.
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November 26, 2024
7th Circ. Says Insurer Must Defend $3.4M Faulty Work Row
An architectural design firm's commercial general liability insurer must defend it and its owner against faulty work claims seeking more than $3.4 million in damages, the Seventh Circuit ruled, after the Illinois Supreme Court overturned prior appellate precedent siding with insurers in such disputes.
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November 26, 2024
Ohio Board Rejects Shuttered Golf Course's Bid To Cut Value
A closed golf course failed to present evidence to lower its appraised value by roughly $640,000, the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals ruled Tuesday, saying the property's appraiser failed to account for the value of dilapidated buildings on the land.
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November 26, 2024
Ropes & Gray Expands NY Presence With New Midtown Lease
Ropes & Gray LLP has signed a new lease with RXR Realty for larger office space in midtown Manhattan due to substantial growth in New York, the firm announced Monday.
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November 25, 2024
Gov't Defends EB-5 Rule That Hikes Up Petition Fees
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency pushed for an early win in Texas federal court against a suit challenging increases for filing fees for petitions related to USCIS' EB-5 immigrant investor program.
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November 25, 2024
Informant Says He Brought Developers To Madigan's Law Firm
An ex-Chicago alderman who wore a wire to meetings with former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was back on the stand Monday describing how he arranged a meeting with developers of a Chicago apartment building at Madigan's law office, with jurors hearing a call in which Madigan said to "go ahead and process" a zoning change for that project after the alderman asked if the developer gave him legal work.
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November 25, 2024
Judge Bemoans 'Chaotic' Contracts In Jack Nicklaus IP Case
The New York state judge presiding over golf legend Jack Nicklaus' intellectual property lawsuit on Monday signaled he may not be able to untangle a set of contradictory contracts, which could lead to a trial over who can use the "Golden Bear's" name and likeness.
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November 25, 2024
Fried Frank Advises Blackstone's $198M NYC Retail Deal
Blackstone, advised by Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson LLP, has bought a portfolio of four retail properties in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood for $197.5 million, the private equity firm announced Monday.
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November 25, 2024
Hemp Sellers Say Conn. Cannabis Laws Violate Constitution
A dozen Connecticut hemp retailers filed a federal lawsuit against the governor and attorney general challenging a number of state laws meant to regulate so-called high-THC hemp products, claiming the statutes are so vague they are unconstitutional.
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November 25, 2024
NYC Real Estate Week In Review
Goldgrub Law and Mandelbaum Barrett are among the law firms that steered the largest New York City real estate deals to hit public records last week, a period that saw several large residential transactions across Manhattan and Queens.
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November 25, 2024
Law Firm Leasing Surpasses Pre-COVID Rate So Far In 2024
The rate at which U.S. law firms are signing major office leases — those at or above 20,000 square feet — has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, according to new data released by Savills on Monday, showing that while activity is up, firms are divided on whether to expand, downsize or maintain their square footage.
Blackstone, Santander OK $1B Infrastructure Loan Portfolio Deal
Blackstone Inc. has acquired the interests of a $1 billion infrastructure loan portfolio from Santander Corporate & Investment Banking, the private equity giant announced Tuesday.
EB-5 Experts Eyeing 4 Suits For Needed Clarity
A 2022 law that revived and revamped the EB-5 immigrant investor visa program has left stakeholders with unanswered questions, and immigration attorneys said at a webinar Wednesday that they're eyeing four current cases for potential answers.
McCarter Partner, Former Miami Official On AI In Land Use
From planning for mega storms to streamlining zoning approvals, artificial intelligence tools are bringing efficiency and new modeling capabilities to local governments.
Expert Analysis
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How CFIUS' Updated Framework Affects Global Investors
The recent change to the monitoring and enforcement regulations governing the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States will broaden administrative practices around nonnotified transaction investigations, increase the scope of information demands from the committee and accelerate its ability to impose mitigation on parties, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.
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Flying Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Achieving my childhood dream of flying airplanes made me a better lawyer — and a better person — because it taught me I can conquer difficult goals when I leave my comfort zone, focus on the demands of the moment and commit to honing my skills, says Ivy Cadle at Baker Donelson.
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Circus Arts Make Me A Better Lawyer
Performing circus arts has strengthened my ability to be more thoughtful, confident and grounded, all of which has enhanced my legal practice and allowed me to serve clients in a more meaningful way, says Bailey McGowan at Stinson.
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Foreclosing Lenders Still Floating In Murky Legal Waters In NY
The New York foreclosure landscape remains in disarray after the state's highest court last month declined to weigh in on whether legal changes from 2022 that severely curtailed lenders' ability to bring successive foreclosure cases were retroactive, says Brian Rich at Barclay Damon.
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Being A Navy Reservist Makes Me A Better Lawyer
Serving this country in uniform has not only been one of the greatest honors of my life, but it has also provided me with opportunities to broaden my legal acumen and interpersonal skills in ways that have indelibly contributed to my civilian practice, says Phillip Smith at Weinberg Wheeler.
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Notable Q3 Updates In Insurance Class Actions
Total loss valuation cases and labor depreciation cases dominated the past quarter of insurance class actions, with courts continuing to reject challenges to condition adjustments in the former, and a pro-insured trend persisting in the latter, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.
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Playing Ultimate Makes Us Better Lawyers
In addition to being fun, ultimate Frisbee has improved our legal careers by emphasizing the importance of professionalism, teamwork, perseverance, enthusiasm and vulnerability, say Arunabha Bhoumik and Adam Bernstein at Regeneron.
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NYC Hotel Licensing Law's Costs May Outweigh Its Benefits
A hotel licensing bill recently approved by New York's City Council could lead to the loss of many nonunionized hotels that cannot afford to comply, says Stuart Saft at Holland & Knight.
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Being An Artist Makes Me A Better Lawyer
My work as an artist has highlighted how using creativity and precision together — qualities that are equally essential in both art and law — not only improves outcomes, but also leads to more innovative and thoughtful work, says Sarah La Pearl at Segal McCambridge.
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Calif. Ruling Offers Hope For Mitigated Negative Declarations
In Upland Community First v. City of Upland, a California appeals court upheld a warehouse development's mitigated negative declaration over its greenhouse gas emissions thresholds — a rare victory against this type of challenge providing reassurance that such declarations can be upheld, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.
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There's No Crying In Property Valuation Baseball Arbitration
The World Series is the perfect time to consider how the form of arbitration used for settling MLB salary disputes — in which each side offers competing valuations to an arbitrator, who must select one — is often ideal for resolving property valuation disputes, say Sean O’Donnell at Herrick Feinstein and Mark Dunec at FTI Consulting.
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Webuild Ruling Complicates Arb. Award Enforcement In US
A Delaware federal court's recent decision in Sociedad Concesionaria Metropolitana de Salud v. Webuild, if read literally, could undercut the United States' image as a proarbitration jurisdiction by complicating creditors' efforts to enforce awards against property in this country, says Jeff Newton at Omni Bridgeway.
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Beekeeping Makes Me A Better Lawyer
The practice of patent law and beekeeping are not typically associated, but taking care of honeybees has enriched my legal practice by highlighting the importance of hands-on experience, continuous learning, mentorship and more, says David Longo at Oblon McClelland.