To reduce their potential liability from secondhand smoke-related issues, condominium and cooperative boards and landlords or rental buildings can attempt to adopt rules and bylaws or lease terms that clearly address smoking issues. (Altho…
Many aspects of the American work landscape have changed radically in the last two decades. As the service and information economies have overtaken manufacturing and other more traditional forms of labor, the old 9-to-5, office-bound workd…
Some of the most intense combat occurring in modern times is not that which has taken place on battlefields, such as at Normandy, Pork Chop Hill, or in the la Drang Valley, or currently in the mountains of Afghanistan, but rather in the…
It’s probably not something you think about every day—or that's especially pleasant to contemplate at any time—but the fact remains: without a thoughtfully constructed estate plan, there is a significant risk of your assets ending up in …
Lawsuits are usually not an association’s go-to method for dispute resolution. Expensive and time-consuming, they can quickly turn into a financial burden and may create strained relations in the community. Unfortunately, in some cases …
While some condos and co-ops are lucky enough to have lawyers serve as members of their board, the majority of boards don’t have an in-house legal expert. They often reach out to their attorney to answer questions, vet documents and sen…
The New York State legislative season is here again, and bills of all kinds are being considered, including housing. Some of these bills directly impact co-op and condo board members, managers and residents. Housing is also on the agend…
Fires devastated Breezy Point; areas of Staten Island were destroyed with lives lost; thousands of residents in Lower Manhattan were plunged into darkness after an electrical transformer exploded on the East River. These events were amo…
A recent federal appeals court decision on the subject of income tax law stands to be of great benefit to cooperative corporations around the city, particularly in light of damage suffered in many buildings from Hurricane Sandy. Alphon…
One of our clients recently asked us to investigate the accuracy of their building’s square footage as listed on New York City’s Notice of Property Value. In order to contest the gross building area of a parcel, the city requires an eng…