Residential

  • 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

    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 22, 2024

    Residential Real Estate Cases To Watch In 2024's 2nd Half

    A housing bias suit against an Illinois city, ongoing litigation surrounding the National Association of Realtors and the government's related antitrust probe, and a legal malpractice suit stemming from a foreclosure are among the residential cases real estate attorneys should be tracking during the second half of 2024.

  • August 21, 2024

    NYC Mayor Wants Land Review In Hunt For New Housing Sites

    New York City's mayor told city agencies Wednesday to review land owned and operated by the Big Apple to see if any locations can be used for affordable housing development.

  • August 21, 2024

    Proptech Sector Stuck In The Doldrums, But Eyeing A Way Out

    Hopes that the property technology sector would rebound in 2024 after a down year have not materialized so far — with a recent report showing funding has actually dropped further — but investment and technology professionals anticipate improvements soon and see the potential for major long-term growth.

  • August 20, 2024

    NC Panel Nixes Black Property Owners' Revived Bias Fight

    A North Carolina state appeals court handed the city of Kinston a win Tuesday for a second time in a discrimination lawsuit that the state Supreme Court recently revived, finding that Black property owners' claims that the city unfairly demolished their properties aren't viable because they never completed an "adequate" administrative appeals process.

  • August 20, 2024

    Neb. Lawmakers OK Property Tax Relief In Special Session

    The Nebraska Legislature approved emergency legislation Tuesday to provide $750 million annually in property tax relief and limit local tax hikes, rejecting amendments to help pay for the measure by eliminating numerous sales tax exemptions.

  • August 20, 2024

    Affordable Housing Finance Expert Returns To Ballard Spahr

    Ballard Spahr LLP welcomed back to its Washington, D.C., office a transactional attorney specializing in the affordable housing market who returned to the firm after nearly two years at Carlton Fields.

  • August 20, 2024

    Foster Garvey Adds 5-Person Enviro Team From Seattle Firm

    Foster Garvey PC announced this week that a five-person environmental law team from boutique firm Doll Mack Wells PLLC — highlighted by its three name partners — has joined the firm's Seattle office.

  • August 20, 2024

    NY Landlord Settles With AG Over Voucher Bias Claims

    A property management company has agreed to a settlement under which it must pay $400,000 in restitution and make policy changes after the Office of the New York State Attorney General found the company discriminated against people who use housing vouchers, the office announced Tuesday.

  • August 20, 2024

    Fla. School Board Can Put Property Tax Increase On Ballot

    A Florida school board was within its rights to place a millage increase referendum on the 2024 ballot despite the county's attempt to push the referendum to 2026, a state appeals court ruled.

  • August 20, 2024

    NC Panel Revives Meddling Claims Against Real Estate Atty

    A real estate attorney must face renewed claims that he helped a stranger meddle in an ownership fight among heirs over a parcel of land in Charlotte, the North Carolina Court of Appeals said Tuesday.

  • August 20, 2024

    Mass. AG Can't Enforce Housing Act, State's Top Court Told

    Massachusetts' attorney general lacks the authority to force compliance with a law requiring communities to create multifamily housing zoning districts because lawmakers have already included the loss of some types of state aid as a penalty, but no other enforcement powers, lawyers for the town of Milton have told the state's highest court.

  • August 20, 2024

    A Deep Dive Into Law360 Pulse's 2024 Women In Law Report

    The legal industry continues to see incremental gains for female lawyers in private practice in the U.S., according to a Law360 Pulse analysis, with women now representing 40.6% of all attorneys and 51% of all associates.

  • August 20, 2024

    These Firms Have The Most Women In Equity Partnerships

    The legal industry still has a long way to go before it can achieve gender parity at its upper levels. But these law firms are performing better than others in breaking the proverbial glass ceiling that prevents women from attaining leadership roles.

  • August 19, 2024

    NAR Intros New CEO As Broker Fee Rules Kick Off

    The National Association of Realtors announced Monday that the trade association has tapped Nykia Wright to step in as CEO, just days after new broker rules agreed to under a $418 million settlement took effect.

  • August 19, 2024

    Buyers Sue Over Unfinished Mandarin Oriental Condo Project

    Buyers of a condominium at the planned Mandarin Oriental at the Via Mizner project in Boca Raton, Florida, are suing the developer for the return of their deposit, saying the building that was supposed to be ready years ago is still "just a few steps beyond a concrete shell."

  • August 19, 2024

    Kasowitz Urges NY Court To Toss Supertall Tower Suit

    Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP asked a New York state court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by two limited liability companies tied to AmBase Corp. over Manhattan's troubled supertall Steinway Tower.

  • August 19, 2024

    DQ'd Judge Should Have Kept Quiet, Tax Challengers Say

    A Michigan federal judge who disqualified himself from homeowners' challenge to a $217 million dam repair tax assessment put his "thumb on the scale of justice" by improperly commenting on legal questions as he bowed out, according to homeowners seeking to have the comments rescinded.

  • August 19, 2024

    Ex-McElroy Execs' Theft, Bias Cases Paused Amid Ch. 11

    A New Jersey state court has sided with McElroy Deutsch and stayed all litigation between the law firm and two former executives, including both the firm's fraud claims and discrimination counterclaims made against it, while a related bankruptcy case plays out.

  • August 19, 2024

    Rialto Sues To Recoup Paul Hastings, Williams & White Fees

    Rialto Capital Management LLC has filed a lawsuit against RB Realty Capital LLC in New York state court alleging it is owed at least $331,000 for legal costs, including an attorney's Wi-Fi charges, after refinancing for an RB Realty property fell through.

  • August 19, 2024

    HUD Joins 6-Year Strategy To Beat Extreme Heat

    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said it's partnering with two dozen federal agencies for an initiative focused on implementing solutions for extreme heat dangers in communities.

  • August 19, 2024

    NYC Real Estate Week In Review

    Wachtel Missry and Hunton Andrews Kurth were among the law firms that guided the largest New York City real estate deals that hit public records last week, a slow period that saw only five transactions above $15 million become public.

  • August 16, 2024

    Florida Unlikely To Act Quickly On Condo Law Cost Concerns

    Florida lawmakers appear unlikely to take preemptive action to modify condominium safety laws enacted after the deadly 2021 building collapse in the town of Surfside, despite concerns that approaching year-end deadlines for mandated structural inspections and reserve studies will lead to overwhelming financial burdens for many residents.

Expert Analysis

  • Rethinking In-Office Attendance For Associate Retention

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    The hybrid office attendance model doesn't work for all employees, but it does for many — and balancing these two groups is important for associate retention and maintaining a BigLaw firm culture that supports all attorneys, says Summer Eberhard at Major Lindsey.

  • Justices' Minn. Takings Ruling May Have Broad Impact

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Tyler v. Hennepin County that a Minnesota tax foreclosure violated the U.S. Constitution's takings clause may, beyond resolving a circuit split, influence well-established foreclosure laws across the U.S., say Emily Ladd and Gregory Nowak at Miller Canfield.

  • Murdaugh Trials Offer Law Firms Fraud Prevention Reminders

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    As the fraud case against Alex Murdaugh continues to play out, the evidence and narrative presented at his murder trial earlier this year may provide lessons for law firms on implementing robust internal controls that can detect and prevent similar kinds of fraud, say Travis Casner and Helga Zauner at Weaver and Tidwell.

  • Challenging Standing In Antitrust Class Actions: Rule 23

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    A recent Sixth Circuit decision in Fox v. Saginaw County that rejected the common attempt to use Rule 23 to sidestep Article III's standing limitations shows antitrust defendants' success in challenging standing will rest on happenstance without more clarity from the Supreme Court — which no litigant should be comfortable with, say Michael Hamburger and Holly Tao at White & Case.

  • Key Limited Partnership Provisions During Market Downturns

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    With a recession potentially on the horizon, fund managers should carefully examine their funds' limited partnership agreements for items that may be affected by economic downturns, and assess whether modifications may be appropriate, says Matthew Posthuma at Ropes & Gray.

  • Firm Tips For Helping New Lawyers Succeed Post-Pandemic

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    Ten steps can help firms significantly enhance the experience of attorneys who started their careers in the coronavirus pandemic era, including facilitating opportunities for cross-firm connection, which can ultimately help build momentum for business development, says Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners.

  • Fla. Foreign Real Estate Law Brings Broad Investment Risks

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    Last month, Florida became the latest state to enact legislation prohibiting Chinese investors from acquiring certain interests in real property, introducing significant legal uncertainty and consequences for real estate stakeholders and the private equity industry, say attorneys at Simpson Thacher.

  • Prepping Your Business Ahead Of Affirmative Action Ruling

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    The U.S. Supreme Court's upcoming ruling on whether race should play a role in college admissions could potentially end affirmative action, and companies will need a considered approach to these circumstances that protects their brand power and future profits, and be prepared to answer tough questions, say Nadine Blackburn at United Minds and Eric Blankenbaker at Weber Shandwick.

  • Tackling Judge-Shopping Concerns While Honoring Localism

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    As the debate continues over judge-shopping and case assignments in federal court, policymakers should look to a hybrid model that preserves the benefits of localism for those cases that warrant it, while preventing the appearance of judge-shopping for cases of a more national or widespread character, says Joshua Sohn at the U.S. Department of Justice.

  • How Attorneys Can Help Combat Anti-Asian Hate

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    Amid an exponential increase in violence against Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, unique obstacles stand in the way of accountability and justice — but lawyers can effect powerful change by raising awareness, offering legal representation, advocating for victims’ rights and more, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

  • Congress Needs To Enact A Federal Anti-SLAPP Statute

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    Although many states have passed statutes meant to prevent individuals or entities from filing strategic lawsuits against public participation, other states have not, so it's time for Congress to enact a federal statute to ensure that free speech and petitioning rights are uniformly protected nationwide in federal court, say attorneys at Skadden.

  • Banking Tips For Lending To Calif. Homeowners Associations

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    With current financial markets and recent changes to California law putting a brighter spotlight on lending, banks should understand the special considerations involved in lending to homeowners associations and the various possible remedies in the event of a default, says Alex Grigorians at Hanson Bridgett.

  • Some Client Speculations On AI And The Law Firm Biz Model

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    Generative artificial intelligence technologies will put pressure on the business of law as it is structured currently, but clients may end up with more price certainty for legal services, and lawyers may spend more time being lawyers, says Jonathan Cole at Melody Capital.