Real Estate

  • August 23, 2024

    PE Fund Says SEC Is Overstepping With 'Fishing Expedition'

    A large South Carolina private equity fund has sued the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly overstepping its authority by trying to regulate the business' activities through an unconstitutional "fishing expedition" investigation that threatens the building of thousands of housing units.

  • August 23, 2024

    Insurer Must Cover Flooded Basements, Mich. Panel Says

    An insurer must pay a property owner over $150,000 in damages stemming from drain backups and water damage, a Michigan state appeals court ruled, finding that the property owner inquired about increased coverage before the discovery of the loss.

  • August 23, 2024

    Wire Verification Not Vital In Fla. Fraud Suit, Wells Fargo Says

    Wells Fargo urged a Florida federal court Friday to toss a lawsuit alleging the bank allowed a hacker to steal a real estate transaction's proceeds, saying there's no obligation to match a wire beneficiary to their account, and it didn't know the transfer was fraudulent because the process is automated.

  • August 23, 2024

    Colo. Board Wrong In Nixing Fees From Valuation, Court Rules

    The Colorado Board of Assessment Appeals improperly applied a state Supreme Court decision that erroneously revived a dispute over whether fees should be included in a resort's property valuation, a state appeals court ruled.

  • August 23, 2024

    Brokerage Startup Challenges NAR Listing Rules

    A Utah-based residential brokerage startup has accused the National Association of Realtors, an affiliated Utah multiple listing service and several major brokerages including Keller Williams Realty Inc. of engaging in an antitrust conspiracy that involved the defendants blocking the startup from accessing the NAR's MLS because the startup offers cheaper commission fees.

  • August 23, 2024

    Insurer Scores Coverage Win Over Retaining Wall Failure

    A contractor's insurer has no duty to help cover a $2.66 million settlement over the contractor's faulty construction of retaining walls, a Washington federal court ruled, finding an "impaired property" exclusion applicable.

  • August 23, 2024

    Wachtell Reps As MLB's Braves Announce Executive Shakeup

    The parent company of the Atlanta Braves on Friday announced that Chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk will have increased voting power, representing a major shift in control after Liberty Media Corp. split off from the MLB team and its associated real estate development company in November 2022 to become a separate publicly traded entity.

  • August 23, 2024

    Williams Mullen Rehires Ellis & Winter Atty In NC

    Williams Mullen has brought back a former associate, who is rejoining the firm's Raleigh, North Carolina, team as a partner to work on a range of commercial real estate-related matters.

  • August 23, 2024

    DOJ Sues RealPage For Helping Fix Rental Rates

    The U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit Aug. 23 accusing RealPage of helping residential landlords across the country fix rental prices through the use of its revenue management software.

  • August 22, 2024

    Homeowner Loses Atty Fees In Suit Over HOA Fence Policy

    A Texas appeals court reversed a homeowner's win in a dispute with his neighbors over privacy fences facing a road, finding that a new state law prevents homeowners associations from enacting any covenant barring homeowners from putting up security measures, so the homeowner couldn't collect attorney fees.

  • August 22, 2024

    Pennsylvania Hospital Gets 1 Week Reprieve In Steward Ch. 11

    A Texas bankruptcy judge on Thursday approved an order setting general closing procedures for bankrupt hospital operator Steward Health Care, but gave Pennsylvania authorities a week's reprieve as they try to arrange a hospital sale.

  • August 22, 2024

    Texas Court Backs Nate Paul's Co. In Real Estate Receiver Row

    A Texas state appeals court on Thursday reversed a decision allowing a receiver to settle a lawsuit on behalf of a company owned by real estate investor Nate Paul, relying largely on a dispute from an El Paso appeals court involving Paul's companies with "nearly identical" facts.

  • August 22, 2024

    Ex-Morgan Stanley Representative Concedes SEC Suit

    A former Morgan Stanley representative who was criminally convicted in a $4.8 million Ponzi scheme has conceded in a suit brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, saying he agrees with the agency that judgment should be issued against him.

  • August 22, 2024

    Kenya's Justices May Ax Part Of Tax Act That Set Off Unrest

    The Supreme Court of Kenya agreed to stay a lower court's ruling declaring unconstitutional the government's entire 2023 tax package, which sparked deadly nationwide protests, but it looks likely to scrap at least part of the law next month, attorneys told Law360 on Thursday.

  • August 22, 2024

    Apache Carry Petition To High Court With A Prayer Journey

    Members of an Apache nonprofit fighting to save an Indigenous worship site from destruction are making stops to visit other tribes throughout the country for prayers and support as they deliver a petition to the Supreme Court that seeks to undo a Ninth Circuit ruling and block a mining project.

  • August 22, 2024

    Auburn Wants Out Of 11th Circ. Arguments Over Burial Ground

    Auburn University has asked the Eleventh Circuit to be excused from oral arguments next month in a dispute between two Native American groups over a burial ground where centuries-old human remains were exhumed to make way for construction of a multimillion-dollar casino.

  • August 22, 2024

    King & Spalding Grows New York Real Estate Group

    An attorney specializing in transactional work and fund formation moved his practice this week to King & Spalding LLP's New York office after four and a half years with Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP.

  • August 22, 2024

    Chinese Developer Seeks US Recognition For $7.4B Reorg

    A Chinese real estate developer is asking a New York bankruptcy judge for U.S. recognition for its efforts to restructure more than $7.4 billion in overseas debt held in Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands.

  • August 21, 2024

    Top New York Real Estate News This Summer

    Catch up on the hottest real estate news out of New York so far this summer, from office sales and foreclosures to casino projects and housing policies.

  • August 21, 2024

    Fla. Co. To Pay $5M To End CFPB's Illegal Foreclosure Claims

    Florida-based mortgage servicer Fay Servicing agreed Wednesday to pay a total of $5 million and its founder and CEO Edward Fay faces potential pay restrictions to resolve the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's claims the company violated a prior 2017 agreement and multiple federal laws that protect borrowers against illegal foreclosure practices.

  • August 21, 2024

    Finance Guru Can't Send Timeshare Fraud Suit To Arbitration

    Celebrity financial planner David L. Ramsey III and his company can't pause and arbitrate a proposed class action alleging they promoted a timeshare exit fraud scheme on his radio show, a Washington federal judge said Wednesday, finding they were not included in arbitration agreements with the timeshare owners.

  • August 21, 2024

    Insurers Escape Calif. Starbucks Drive-Thru Easement Row

    A California appeals court affirmed a lower court decision, finding commercial property insurers didn't have to defend an owner who allegedly tricked one tenant into signing an easement agreement for a parking lot, neglecting to mention it would be used by a Starbucks drive-thru.

  • August 21, 2024

    Fla. Real Estate Co.'s Assets Frozen After $56M Ponzi Claims

    The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has secured an asset freeze in its suit against a Florida-based real estate investment company whose managers misused tens of millions of investor proceeds, including by paying investors "in a Ponzi-like fashion."

  • August 21, 2024

    Minn. Justices OK Denial Of Homestead Tax Break

    A Minnesota property was correctly denied a homestead classification and property tax break because the owner did not live at the home as required, the state Supreme Court said Wednesday, affirming a state tax court decision.

  • August 21, 2024

    3rd Circ. Affirms Health Chain Win In Pa. Hospital Sale Dispute

    The seller of a Pennsylvania hospital was in compliance with its state licensing requirements when the facility was sold, and thus, did not violate the terms of the sale agreement when the buyer needed to update its fire-safety plans to stay licensed, the Third Circuit has affirmed.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • Fla. HOA Reforms Bring Major Wins For Homeowners

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    A recently signed law brings broad changes for homeowners associations in Florida, alleviating some pressure imposed by overly restrictive rules and potentially setting up litigation surrounding how HOAs enforce their governing documents, says Christopher Miller at Varnum.

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