Attorney Jacob Amir obtained the cancellation of a mechanics lien filed against a condominium building and 48 condominium units. The lienor, a general contractor, needed to pay substantial insurance premiums in order to qualify its bid for a project. When the project was delayed, the contractor filed for recovery of its premium costs. Our firm first filed a demand for a Lien Law statement to identify the claimed expenditures, then filed a petition under Lien Law 19(b) to discharge the lien since it was based upon expenses that are not recoverable through the Lien Law. The Court adopted our arguments and canceled the mechanic’s lien in its entirety.
Webinar: A Matter of Trust – When Owners Transfer Apartments to Trusts, LLCs, & Other Legal Entities
Register NOW for our November 16th, Cooperator Town Hall Event at 2:00pm EST. Led by Kenneth R. Jacobs and A.J. Morgenstern.
Shareholders and unit owners often seek to transfer ownership of their apartments to Revocable Living Trusts, Medicaid Trusts, Family Limited Liability Companies and other artificial entities in order to avoid probate and reduce their tax liability. These requests can create challenges for boards – including protecting the association’s ability to enforce its governing documents, avoiding under-the-radar transfers, and maintaining a sense of community in the building. This panel of experts will discuss the legal and procedural implications of these transfers, when co-ops and condos should permit owners to make them, and how to protect boards and residents from the unique issues created by non-individual ownership.
To register for the webinar, Visit Cooperator.Com
This program is presented by The Cooperator New York.
Registration is required.
Jacob Amir has been appointed Co-Chair of the Construction Law Committee of the Westchester Bar Association.
Jacob Amir has been appointed Co-Chair of the Construction Law Committee of the Westchester Bar Association. The Committee members are engaged in some of the largest and most advanced public and private development projects in the County and around New York State.
Smith Buss & Jacobs 2021 selections by Super Lawyers
Eric Blaha, Jeffrey Buss, Kenneth Jacobs, Mark Manewitz & Thomas Smith have each been selected to the 2020 New York Metro Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.
Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.
Jacob Amir obtained dismissal of a complaint brought by a commercial property owner against our client, the principal of a construction company, regarding the principal’s certification on payment requisitions totaling about $700,000 under a $7.5 million construction management contract.
The owner alleged that our client engaged in fraud and misrepresentation when he certified the accuracy of payment requisitions which the owner claimed were false due to non-performance and non-payments to subcontractors. The Court adopted Jacob’s arguments that the principal could not be held personally liable for the claims alleged, and granted dismissal of the entire complaint.
Webinar: Legal Updates – New State, Local & Federal Legislation – What Boards Should Know
Register NOW for our June 29th, Cooperator Town Hall Event at 2:00pm EST. Led by Kenneth R. Jacobs, Emanuela Lupu-Ferrante, and Jennifer L. Stewart.
Overview: The New York State legislature amended several important laws affecting co-ops and condos in the last two days of its session. Several new federal and local laws will also have a major impact on co-op and condo communities. Boards across the city and state have some pressing questions: Does marijuana legalization affect smoking policies? What are the implications of the new co-op exemptions from the Tenant Protection Act? How should boards address updated COVID requirements for employees? How do NYC’s enhanced lead paint testing protocols affect owners? Our partners will explain the implications of these and other recent changes, and offer valuable insights into how they may impact community governance and management.
To register for the webinar, visit cooperator.com
This program is presented by The Cooperator New York.
Registration is required.
Jack Malley won an appeal on December 29, 2020. The First Department affirmed Supreme Court, New York County’s decision granting a preliminary injunction enjoining a Manhattan co-op from evicting Jack’s client from an apartment he inherited after the co-op board denied his transfer application.
Webcast: Trends and Developments in Trade Secrets: What Companies Must Know and Do
Charles Welcome joins a group of panelists on Thursday, December 10th at 3:00 pm to present an in-depth analysis of the recent trends and developments in trade secrets. Speakers will offer the best practices to effectively identify and mitigate potential loopholes and protect trade secrets from risks of theft. They will also provide the audience with practical knowledge on how to secure a company’s valuable information.
Register HERE, registration is FREE for the first 30 registrants courtesy of Smith Buss & Jacobs, LLP.
Discount Code: SMITH149107
View Invite HERE
Smith Buss & Jacobs 2020 selections by Super Lawyers
Eric Blaha, Jeffrey Buss, Kenneth Jacobs & Thomas Smith have each been selected to the 2020 New York Metro Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.
In addition, Associate, Charles Welcome has been named to the 2020 New York Metro Rising Stars List. This is an exclusive list, recognizing no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state.
Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.
Webinar: Best Practices to Avoid Breach of Fiduciary Duty Liability
Register HERE to join Nancy Durand, Special Counsel on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at 12pm as she presents in the webinar sponsored by New York Council of Nonprofits Inc.
“Join NYCON corporate ally, Smith Buss & Jacobs as they guide us through the best practices to avoid fiduciary duty liability. In this webinar they will cover what directors’ duties are, some recent cases illustrating conduct that constitutes a break of fiduciary duty, including consequences for breach, and best practices for avoiding breach of fiduciary duty claims.”
Registration is required, free for NYCON members.
For more information contact:
Nancy Durand
ndurand@sbjlaw.com
