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    • January Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Opens

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Opens

      On January 3, 2000, starting from scratch, Adam Leitman Bailey opened the doors to the firm bearing his name.  Bartering a small law office in exchange for providing legal services for his landlord, Adam Leitman Bailey pledged to become the best law firm in New York 1) by only taking on business where he believed he was possibly the best lawyer for the case or deal and 2) by creating a level of client service surpassing that of all other...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Claim Against Title Company Regarding a Purported Negligent Search

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Claim Against Title Company Regarding a Purported Negligent Search

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a title company in connection with a claim that the search performed by the title company was negligent.  The title company was retained by the purchaser of the property in connection with the sale of a property that was inherited after the death of seller’s father.  Seller represented that he was the sole heir of the decedent and executed an heirship affidavit indicating he was the sole heir. The property was transferred to...

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    • May Image of Habitat Magazine

      Who’s Who in Real Estate Law 2000

      Habitat Magazine

      Who’s Who in Real Estate Law 2000

      Habitat Magazine

      Personal History Birth: Bayside, NY Avocations, Hobbies: Running, Reading, Architecture, Basketball Education B.A., With honors, Rutgers J.D., cum laude, Syracuse University College of Law. Significant Legal Accomplishment Our success comes from our ability to not only win at trial or obtain favorable settlement results but from being able to see potential problems in advance. That prevents litigation and can save thousands of dollars. One of the advantages of our firm is that we practice in many areas of real estate...

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    • October Photo of street view of New York City

      Are Buyers of New Condos and Co-ops Subject to Caveat Emptor?

      New York Law Journal

      Are Buyers of New Condos and Co-ops Subject to Caveat Emptor?

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio  Before purchasing a condominium or cooperative apartment in a newly built high rise of six or more stories in New York, a prospective buyer needs to pay close attention to the warranty provisions of the sponsor’s offering plan and purchase agreement. Unless the agreement contains the sponsor’s express warranty that the construction of the building or the apartment will be free from material defects, if a material defect is later discovered, the...

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    • September

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails in Title Litigation Involving An Interpretation of the New York Recording Statute

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails in Title Litigation Involving An Interpretation of the New York Recording Statute

      Rivas v. McDonnell Supreme Court of the State of New York; Appellate Division: Second Judicial Department My Story: The Importance of Title Insurance I got the panicked call at about 7 PM one evening from Earl, a friend and fellow real estate attorney. “Adam, I really, really screwed up, man,” he said, sounding out of breath. “I need help big time. I’m desperate.” Earl went on to explain that he represented a buyer named Pura Rivas who was purchasing a...

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    • October Photo of street view of New York City

      Jonathan W. Burke Realty Co. v. Alliance LLC

      New York Law Journal

      Jonathan W. Burke Realty Co. v. Alliance LLC

      New York Law Journal

      10/22/2003 N.Y.L.J. 17, (col. 1) New York Law Journal Volume 230 Copyright 2003 ALM Properties, Inc. All rights reserved Wednesday, October 22, 2003 Decisions JONATHAN W. BURKE REALTY CO. V. ALLIANCE 77 LLC SUPREME COURT IA PART 36 BROKER DENIED SUMMARY RECOVERY OF COMMISSION FOR TENANT CLAIMED BARRED BY ZONING REGULATIONS NEW YORK Landlord/Tenant Law Justice Shafer PLAINTIFF REAL estate broker sought summary recovery of a commission for finding a tenant, a tanning salon, for defendant’s commercial premises. The landlord...

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    • January American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law logo

      Annual Meeting of the Antitrust Section of the New York State Bar Association

      Annual Meeting of the Antitrust Section of the New York State Bar Association

      John M. Desiderio spoke on the topic of “Antitrust Injury: Before and After Brunswick.”    

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    • February Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in the First Judicial Department

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Plaintiff’s Claim of Right of First Refusal, Defendants Can Enter Into the Contract With a Third Party

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Plaintiff’s Claim of Right of First Refusal, Defendants Can Enter Into the Contract With a Third Party

      8.3.2.3.V2 Million Gold Realty Co., Inc. v. S.E. & K. Corp. N.Y.A.D. 1 Dept.,2004. Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, New York. MILLION GOLD REALTY CO., INC., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. S.E. & K. CORP., Defendant-Respondent. Action No. 1. Million Gold Realty Co., Inc., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. S.E. & K. Corp., et al., Defendants-Respondents. Action No. 2. Million Gold Realty Co., Inc., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. S.E. & K. Corp., et al., Defendants-Respondents. Action No. 3. Feb. 19, 2004. Background: Action was brought against landowners...

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    • April

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Legal Battle for a Holocaust Survivor, Finding Him a New Home

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Legal Battle for a Holocaust Survivor, Finding Him a New Home

      Chaim Indig, an 83-year-old Auschwitz survivor from Boro Park, is now able to live out of his days peacefully and comfortably in a handicapped-accessible luxury apartment in Midwood, known as the Premier House thanks to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Read more about this case below:

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    • August Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in the First Judicial Department

      Kahn v. 230-79 Equity Inc.

      Kahn v. 230-79 Equity Inc.

      TRACEY KAHN, Petitioner-Tenant-Respondent, v. 230-79 EQUITY INC. AND MICHAEL RICH, Respondents-Landlords-Appellants, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Respondent-Respondent. 570669/03 SUPREME COURT OF NEW YORK,APPELLATE TERM, FIRST DEPARTMENT 2004 NY Slip Op 50302U; 2 Misc. 3d 140A; 2004 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 409 April 8, 2004, Decided NOTICE: [**1] THIS OPINION IS UNCORRECTED AND WILL NOT BE PUBLISHED IN THE PRINTED OFFICIAL REPORTS. PRIOR HISTORY: Landlords appeal from an order of the Civil Court, New York County, dated July 21, 2003 (Jerald...

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    • November Phot of New York City Townhouses

      New Home Warranty: An Open Question Seeking an Answer

      New York Law Journal

      New Home Warranty: An Open Question Seeking an Answer

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio In 1998, in Fumarelli v. Marsam Construction, Inc.1 the New York Court of Appeals decided that the statutory housing merchant implied warranty contained in Article 36-B of the General Business Law2 “effects a complete substitute for the common law remedy” that the Court itself first proclaimed ten years earlier in Caceci v. DiCanio Construction Corp.3 Nevertheless, despite the sweeping statement, in Fumarelli, that Article 36-B “eclipses the holding in Caceci,” it remains...

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    • April New York City buildings top view

      Commercial Property: Landlords May Entirely Eliminate Leasing

      New York Law Journal

      Commercial Property: Landlords May Entirely Eliminate Leasing

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio Commercial landlords need relief. They are, and have been increasingly, frustrated by the procedural and substantive moves that determine (more often than not) the scope and duration of an eviction action in landlord-tenant litigation. A knowledgeable commercial tenant’s attorney, without any great effort, will readily employ defensive tactics that can delay, by as much as six months or more, the time when a landlord can reacquire lawful possession of its valuable commercial...

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    • August Photo of landlord-tenant law book

      Self-Help Evictions: The Neglected Commercial Remedy

      New York Law Journal

      Self-Help Evictions: The Neglected Commercial Remedy

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio Where the right to do so is expressly reserved in a commercial lease, a landlord may reenter the leased premises peaceably, without resort to court process, upon termination of the lease or upon the commercial tenant’s defaulting on payment of rent or other lease terms.1 A commercial landlord’s common law right to use “self-help” to reenter his property peaceably to evict a defaulting tenant or other person with no right of possession...

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    • October Photo of a car wash

      New York Ave. Car Wash, LLC v. Aqua Car Wash and Detailing, LLC

      New York Ave. Car Wash, LLC v. Aqua Car Wash and Detailing, LLC

      New York Ave. Car Wash, LLC v Aqua Car Wash & Detailing, Inc. 2005 NY Slip Op 07937 Decided on October 24, 2005 Appellate Division, Second Department Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. This opinion is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the Official Reports. Decided on October 24, 2005 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPELLATE DIVISION : SECOND JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT A. GAIL PRUDENTI, P.J. HOWARD MILLER...

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    • January Photo of New York City buildings street view

      Default Clauses: Better Drafting Can Forestall Problems

      New York Law Journal

      Default Clauses: Better Drafting Can Forestall Problems

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John Desiderio Attorneys are making too much money litigating disputes between commercial landlords and tenants. Even the most frequently used “standard form” leases permit tenants to stall and strangle property owners.1 And these same leases leave tenants without proper recourse when property owners fail to follow written commitments.2 Instead of blaming a judge, a landlord, or a tenant, it is time that practitioners recognize, to paraphrase Shakespeare, that the fault is not in the judicial...

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    • February headshot of Dov Treiman

      Dov Treiman Named Chairperson of Apartment Law Insider Board of Advisors

      Dov Treiman Named Chairperson of Apartment Law Insider Board of Advisors

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    • March Photo of New York City buildings

      Enforcing the Contract – Obtaining Down Payment on Specific Performance

      New York Law Journal

      Enforcing the Contract – Obtaining Down Payment on Specific Performance

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio At the pinnacle of real estate law, the real estate closing may be the most basic and common real estate experience, but the familiarity ends once a provision of the contract of sale has been breached. Inspired by the number of telephone calls, e-mails, and general correspondence received from practitioners who have requested guidance in enforcing a contract to purchase or sell real estate, this article addresses recurring issues that arise again and...

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    • headshot of Adam Leitman Bailey

      Adam Leitman Bailey Named to Board of Editors Commercial Leasing Law and Strategy

      Adam Leitman Bailey Named to Board of Editors Commercial Leasing Law and Strategy

      Commercial Leasing Law & Strategy Board of Editors Members:DALE ALLINSON, Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP, East Meadow, NYADAM LEITMAN BAILEY , Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.,New York JEANNE BANKA, Daoust, Vukovich, Baker-Sigal, Banka, LLP, TorontoGLENN A. BROWNE, Braun, Browne & Associates, P.C., Riverwoods, ILELIZABETH COOPER, The Staubach Company., Washington, DCWILLIAM R. CROWE, Mayo, Gilligan & Zito, LLP, Hartford, CTMICHELLE R. CURTIS, Shulman, Rogers, Gandal, Pordy & Ecker, P.A., Rockville, MDD. ALBERT DASPIN, Holland & Knight, LLP, Oakbrook Terrace, ILIRA FIERSTEIN, Seyfarth Shaw, LLP,...

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    • April

      New Home Sweet Home for Disabled Man

      New York Daily News

      New Home Sweet Home for Disabled Man

      New York Daily News

      By: Lore Croghan April 23rd, 2006 THERE’S A HAPPY ENDING in sight for a disabled Holocaust survivor who has been living as a virtual prisoner in his Brooklyn home. After two years of legal wrangling, tomorrow Chaim Indig, who uses a wheelchair, is set to move into a handicapped-accessible co-op in Premier House – a luxury Midwood building whose board initially had turned him away. “He indicated he’s excited about the move,” said his daughter, Shevie Sinensky, who must speak for...

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    • May Photo of New York City buildings

      Right of First Refusal: In Pursuit of an Effective, Litigation-Proof Provison

      New York Law Journal

      Right of First Refusal: In Pursuit of an Effective, Litigation-Proof Provison

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio Since biblical Abraham’s purchase of his wife Sarah’s burial plot in Hebron from Ephron the Hittite, the transfer of land has been creative, predictable and repetitive.1 Despite the familiarity of such transactions, land transfers have been the subject of an inordinate amount of litigation. Of course, the importance and value of land and the necessity for shelter assists in explaining many of the battles. However, an analysis and survey of right-of-first-refusal litigation,...

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    • August New York Court of Appeals

      Tenant Protection: Suggestions Offer Remedies for Harsh Provisions

      New York Law Journal

      Tenant Protection: Suggestions Offer Remedies for Harsh Provisions

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio During the last five years, the pendulum of commercial leasing has begun to swing. At common law, the doctrine of “caveat emptor” governed commercial leasing. By the 1970’s, New York courts, relying on equitable principles, began to carve out exceptions to caveat emptor. 1 Equity gained greater currency and judicial decisions softened commercial lease provisions that potentially endangered or evicted tenants.2 Recently, New York courts at all levels have moved away from...

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    • April Image of a German beer garden

      German beer garden owner: Eviction case had racial tones

      The Villager

      German beer garden owner: Eviction case had racial tones

      The Villager

      By: Gerard Flynn April 4th, 2007 A recent settlement reached between Sylvester Schneider, owner of the East Village bar and restaurant Zum Schneider, and his landlord has left Schneider with mixed feelings about the case and the plaintiffs who were trying to force him out of his space. The case concluded in State Supreme Court on Thurs., March 15. Under the terms of the agreement, Schneider’s lease will be extended until 2021, he will not have to reduce his sidewalk...

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    • New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails in Getting Clients’ Application for Attorneys’ Fees Awarded

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails in Getting Clients’ Application for Attorneys’ Fees Awarded

      James Sykes, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, -against- RFD Third Avenue I Associates, LLC. Defendant- Respondent April 10, 2007 Trevor Davis, et al., Defendants. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. , New York (William J. Geller of counsel), for appellants. Background: Purchasers of real property sought to recover legal fees following release of monies held in escrow in connection with litigation against sellers. The Supreme Court, New York County, Louis Crespo, Special Referee, denied fee application, and purcha s- ers appealed. Holding: The Supreme...

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    • New York City Department of Finance logo

      The Race to Erase Recording Mistakes

      New York Law Journal

      The Race to Erase Recording Mistakes

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and Jackie Halpern Weinstein To protect the integrity of this nation’s property transfer system, the robo-signing controversy must result in a better system of transferring property and loans. Beneath this public debacle exists another old timer in the world of recording: property transfer mistakes. Improper, mistaken, or wrongly executed and indexed instruments have existed since the birth of the first recording system and have had our courts both provide and fail to deliver justice for the...

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    • August headshot of Jackie

      Jackie Halpern Weinstein Speaks in the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building Before Manhattan Community Board 10 on Zoning and Land Use Issues With Respect to the Redevelopment of New York City’s Harlem

      Jackie Halpern Weinstein Speaks in the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building Before Manhattan Community Board 10 on Zoning and Land Use Issues With Respect to the Redevelopment of New York City’s Harlem

      Jackie Halpern Weinstein Speaks in the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building Before Manhattan Community Board 10 on Zoning and Land Use Issues With Respect to the Redevelopment of New York City’s Harlem.

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    • September New York State of Legislature building

      Adverse Possession: Veto Confirmed Existing Law on ‘Claim of Right’

      New York Law Journal

      Adverse Possession: Veto Confirmed Existing Law on ‘Claim of Right’

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio This past session, the New York State Legislature passed a bill1 that would have effectively eliminated the doctrine of adverse possession as we know it today. However, on Aug. 28, Governor Spitzer vetoed the bill noting the “radical impact” it would have had on New York’s adverse possession law.2 For now at least, the law remains unchanged. The bill provided that a possessor’s “actual knowledge” of the true owner of the property...

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    • October Appellate Division of the Supreme Court in the First Judicial Department

      NMP Group LLC v. Fammes Group LLC

      NMP Group LLC v. Fammes Group LLC

      At an Appellate Term of the Supreme Court, First Department Held at the Court House, Borou.tof Manhattan, City of New York, on the 18th  day of October 2007 Present: – Hon. Douglas E. McKeon, P.J., “William J. Davis, “Martin Schoenfeld, Justices NMP – Group LLC, Petitioner-Landlord-Respondent -against- Fammes Group, LLC, Respondent-Appellant N.Y. County Clerk’s # 570783/07 N.Y. Civil L&T Index #71998/07 ORDER ON MOTION The above named respondent-appellant having by notice of motion, dated October 10, 2007, moved for an...

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    • December New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division

      Appellate Term, First Department Affirms Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Victory and Award of Attorney fees in hotly contested non-primary residence case

      Appellate Term, First Department Affirms Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Victory and Award of Attorney fees in hotly contested non-primary residence case

      542 East 14th Street v. Lee Supreme Court, Appellate Division: First Department — N.Y.S.2d —- — N.Y.S.2d —-, 2007 WL 4571088 (N.Y.Sup.App.Term), 2007 N.Y. Slip Op. 27540 (Cite as: — N.Y.S.2d —-) 542 East 14th Street LLC v. Lee N.Y.Sup.App.Term,2007. Supreme Court, Appellate Term, New York, First Department. 542 EAST 14TH STREET LLC, Petitioner-Landlord-Appellant, .v. Charlene LEE, Respondent-Tenant-Respondent. Dec. 28, 2007. Background: Landlord commenced holdover summary proceeding against tenant, seeking possession of tenant’s rent-stabilized apartment on ground of nonprimary residence....

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    • February Save Harlem Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Harlem Businesses From Eviction

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Harlem Businesses From Eviction

      One of the largest real estate developers in the United States, Kimco Realty, sent termination and demolition notices to the business owners who worked in Harlem’s longest building. All of the commercial tenant’s leases either had expired or had demolition clauses allowing the developer to evict the commercial tenants. The building in question was one block west of the cultural epicenter of Harlem on world-famous 125th Street, home of numerous institutions key to African American culture, notably the Apollo Theatre....

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    • May Building under construction

      “Standing” to Sue Sham Condo, Co-Op Sponsors Changed

      New York Law Journal

      “Standing” to Sue Sham Condo, Co-Op Sponsors Changed

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio Kramer v. W10Z/515 Real Estate Ltd. Partnership, 1 a recent decision of the Appellate Division, First Department, is a case of great importance to purchasers of new condominium and cooperative apartment units. In a sweeping opinion, the court completely overhauled, if not expressly overruled, a line of its own decisions that appeared to effectively bar any private suit against condo and co-op sponsors who make fraudulent representations in offering plans for newly...

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    • January Photo of unfurnished apartment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains One of the Largest Buyouts in New York History for a Residential Tenant: Total Value Equaled 1.4 Million for 400-Square-Foot Studio Apartment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains One of the Largest Buyouts in New York History for a Residential Tenant: Total Value Equaled 1.4 Million for 400-Square-Foot Studio Apartment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains One of the Largest Buyouts in New York History for a Residential Tenant Total Value Equaled 1.4 Million For 400-Square-Foot Studio Apartment.

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    • Photo of street view of New York City

      When Is It Company? When a Crowd?

      New York Law Journal

      When Is It Company? When a Crowd?

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Treiman With Governor Paterson’s recent announcement that New York would accord administrative recognition to same-sex unions Adam Leitman Bailey solemnized in jurisdictions that recognize such unions, notably in every jurisdiction with which New York shares a border except for Pennsylvania, the focus is once again placed on nontraditional families. In the groundbreaking decision of Braschi v. Stahl, the New York Court of Appeals granted administrative recognition to nontraditional families for purposes of rent regulation.1...

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    • Photo of Amato Opera

      Curtain Closing on Amato Opera

      New York Law Journal

      Curtain Closing on Amato Opera

      New York Law Journal

      By: Justin Smulison January 28th, 2009 The curtain will close on the Amato Opera’s long run at 319 Bowery as the company’s theater has been sold for $3.7 million. Anthony Amato said that he had purchased the four-story, near-7,500 square foot building, which had formerly been a storage facility for restaurant equipment, in 1961 for around $20,000. He ran the opera house with his wife, Sally, who passed away in 2000. Now 88 years old, Mr. Amato will be semi-retired. However, he...

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    • March Photo of Riverside building

      Tenants Sue Landlord in Attempt to Force Repairs

      The New York Sun

      Tenants Sue Landlord in Attempt to Force Repairs

      The New York Sun

      By: Candace Taylor August 21st, 2008 Tenants in a Pinnacle Group building on Riverside Drive and 144th Street are suing their landlord, claiming that the six-story rental building is in need of extensive repairs. The building, at 668 Riverside Dr., is set to undergo a conversion into condominiums, but the tenants are claiming that “mold, constantly leaking pipes, rotting wood, fallen ceilings, and dangerous electrical environments” must be fixed before the conversion can begin. The Pinnacle Group is a large...

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    • April Photo of FBI police charger

      Title Litigation: Expense of Theft Prevention Dwarfed by the Cost of Fraud

      New York Law Journal

      Title Litigation: Expense of Theft Prevention Dwarfed by the Cost of Fraud

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey At the start of this new millennium, the most effective means to rob a bank no longer includes the use of a gun. The real estate closing table has replaced the gun and mask as the most favored and effective tool of theft from financial institutions. As the New York Times reported on Oct. 19, 2008, the Federal Bureau of Investigation declared its inability to properly investigate the number of property and mortgage fraud claims, due...

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    • May Photo of New York City commercial real estate

      The Most Crucial Commercial Lease Cases

      Law Journal Newsletters

      The Most Crucial Commercial Lease Cases

      Law Journal Newsletters

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Treiman For almost two years, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. have been compiling a list of the greatest commercial leasing cases of all time. The authors have always been fans “greatest” lists—there being something special about choosing the best among so many great people, entertainers, athletes, composers, or, in our case, cases that have had the greatest effect on leasing law. “Greatest” lists permeate our entire culture and are the basis for...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails at Appellate Term Ordering Eviction of Commercial Business That Failed to Properly Follow Lease Requirements in Renewing Lease

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails at Appellate Term Ordering Eviction of Commercial Business That Failed to Properly Follow Lease Requirements in Renewing Lease

      In 221-06 Merrick Blvd. Associates, LLC v. Crescent Electric Acquisition Corporation, in a decision that came down on July 14, 2009, the Appellate Term for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts brought a new level of analysis to the age-old question about tenants’ renewal options in commercial leases. While well established principles hold tenants strictly to the requirements for the exercise of the option, a line of authority permits equitable considerations to override the tenant’s indolence. Under this new...

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    • Photo of 542 East 14th Street

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Victorious in Case of First Impression Before Appellate Division Involving Ailing Relative Defense to Primary Residence Action

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Victorious in Case of First Impression Before Appellate Division Involving Ailing Relative Defense to Primary Residence Action

      By Noeleen G. Walder July 9th, 2009   Temporary Relocation to Aid Aging Parents Found No Basis for Eviction From Rent-Stabilized Unit A landlord cannot evict a mother who left her teenaged daughter behind in her rent-stabilized New York City apartment while she relocated to California to care for her ailing parents, a state appellate court has ruled. In 2002, after Charlene Lee had spent almost two years tending to the medical needs of her 80- year-old father and her...

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    • Chinatown Landowners Keep Their Property Despite Two Purported Written Contracts of Sale

      Chinatown Landowners Keep Their Property Despite Two Purported Written Contracts of Sale

      When the Chins first came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., they had what can accurately be described as double trouble. As owners of one of the very few When the Chins first came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., they had what can accurately be described as double trouble. As owners of one of the very few vacant lots in Chinatown, it was said they had contracted to sell their property to two separate people., it was said they had contracted...

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    • June Photo of a condominium building on Madison Avenue

      Condo Board’s Long Legal Nightmare Is Over

      Habitat Magazine

      Condo Board’s Long Legal Nightmare Is Over

      Habitat Magazine

      August 10, 2017 By Bill Norris Aug. 10, 2017 — Courts rule that sponsor is responsible for faulty construction. Construction defects can have a long shelf life. As the condominium board at 50 Madison Avenue has learned, the legal ramifications of faulty construction can live on for a decade, or more. But based on a new court ruling, this board has reason to hope that its long legal nightmare is finally over. In a 2009 decision, an appellate court ruled...

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    • Chambers and Partners logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey Ranked By Chambers USA 2009 As One Of New York’s Leading Real Estate Lawyers

      Adam Leitman Bailey Ranked By Chambers USA 2009 As One Of New York’s Leading Real Estate Lawyers

      Adam Leitman Bailey has been ranked by Chambers as one of New York’s leading lawyers for real estate in the 2009 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Chambers USA 2009 called Adam Leitman Bailey “a tenacious and confident litigator who is quick-witted in court and respected by the judges.” Adam Leitman Bailey,P.C. is one of only two New York real estate firms with fewer than 20 attorneys to receive a Chambers ranking. Chambers and Partners is a...

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    • July

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails at Appellate Term Ordering Eviction of Commercial Business That Failed to Properly Follow Lease Requirements in Renewing Lease

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails at Appellate Term Ordering Eviction of Commercial Business That Failed to Properly Follow Lease Requirements in Renewing Lease

      In 221-06 Merrick Blvd. Associates, LLC v. Crescent Electric Acquisition Corporation, in a decision that came down on July 14, 2009, the Appellate Term for the Second, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Judicial Districts brought a new level of analysis to the age-old question about tenants’ renewal options in commercial leases. While well established principles hold tenants strictly to the requirements for the exercise of the option, a line of authority permits equitable considerations to override the tenant’s indolence. Under this new...

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    • August 1641 Park Avenue apartment

      1641 Park Avenue Associates v. Irma Graziani

      1641 Park Avenue Associates v. Irma Graziani

      CIVIL COURT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NEW YORK: HOUSING PART P Index No. 81391/05 1641 PARK AVENUE ASSOCIATES, Petitioner, -against- Irma Graziani, Respondent-tenant, Lea Wolfburg, Respondent-occupant. After trial on the underlying holdover proceeding, and in consideration of all testimonial and documentary evidence adduced therein, the court finds and decides as follows: Respondent Irma Graziani concedes that she lives elsewhere and, before trial, had withdrawn any possessory claim for the premises, apartment #28 at 101 East 1l6 street, New York,...

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    • September Photo of 901 Broadway

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Closes Sale of 901 Broadway for $24.6 Million

      New York Law Journal

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Closes Sale of 901 Broadway for $24.6 Million

      New York Law Journal

      By: Justin Smulison September 16, 2009 The five-story building at 901 Broadway has been sold to a Spanish investor for $24.6 million, or $1,716 per square foot. The landmarked, 14,336-square-foot building, was the original home of the Lord & Taylor Dry Goods Store, and has stood in the Flatiron District for 142 years. A partner at Adam Leitman Bailey, represented the buyer, an entity owned by a private Spanish investor. Wachtel & Masyr partner Morris Missry represented the seller, Thor...

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    • November 50 Madison Avenue Preview Image

      Making New Law, Appellate Division Finds That Condo Board Not Liable for Repairing Newly Constructed Building and Finds That Obligation to Repair Remains with Sponsor; Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Victorious at Trial Level and Appeal

      Making New Law, Appellate Division Finds That Condo Board Not Liable for Repairing Newly Constructed Building and Finds That Obligation to Repair Remains with Sponsor; Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Victorious at Trial Level and Appeal

      On November 8, 2009, the Appellate Division ruled that a building’s developer and not a condominium board shall be responsible for making repairs to a newly constructed building. In Lorne v. 50 Madison Avenue LLC, a unit owner sued the board of directors for failing to remediate a construction defect. A unanimous Appellate Division dismissed the condominium board from the lawsuit while determining that the sponsor was the proper party for the lawsuit. It should be noted that this is...

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    • Madison square park

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails: Court Rules That Board of Managers Has No Duty to Repair Owners’ Unit

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails: Court Rules That Board of Managers Has No Duty to Repair Owners’ Unit

      by Scott E. Mollen Condominiums—Construction Defects—Suit Against Sponsor, Board and Manager—Alteration Agreements—Res Judicata A DEFENDANT CONDOMINIUM board of managers (board), individual board members and a defendant management company (manager), moved to dismiss a complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(1); (5) and (7). The board and individual board member defendants also sought costs, sanctions and attorney fees. The plaintiff opposed the motions and cross-moved for sanctions against the defendants and their counsel and for attorney fees. This action is “the latest in...

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    • Anti-fraud icon

      Preventing Fraud at a Real Estate Closing

      Mortgage Banking Magazine

      Preventing Fraud at a Real Estate Closing

      Mortgage Banking Magazine

      By Adam Leitman Bailey There are some simple yet effective steps that can be taken to avert fraud at a real estate closing. At the start of the 21st century, the most effective means to rob a bank no longer includes the use of a gun. The real estate closing table has replaced the gun and mask as the most favored and effective tool of theft from financial institutions. As The New York Times reported on Oct. 19, 2008, the...

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    • February Upper West Side Town House Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Trial Discovering Fraud by Landlord to Thwart Owner’s Use Case

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Trial Discovering Fraud by Landlord to Thwart Owner’s Use Case

      A twenty-five year tenant of an Upper West Side townhouse, together with her husband, is keeping her apartment after a three-year litigation war defending a personal use holdover proceeding brought by her landlord. The crux of the landlords’ claim was that they needed the apartment so that their daughter had somewhere to stay on her occasional visits to the city. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s clients were the only remaining tenants in the townhouse after others died, were either bought out,...

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    • May Super Lawyers logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey Named Super Lawyer, Corporate Counsel Edition

      Adam Leitman Bailey Named Super Lawyer, Corporate Counsel Edition

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is pleased to announce that Adam Leitman Bailey has been selected for inclusion in the May/June 2010 Law Politics’ Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition. In 2008, Super Lawyers launched Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition. Published six times a year, this magazine includes nationwide listings of attorneys selected by Super Lawyers in business-related practice areas, and is sent to 25,000 corporate counsel and CEOs.

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    • St. Tropez building

      Board of Managers of St. Tropez Condominium v. Kashani Corp.

      Board of Managers of St. Tropez Condominium v. Kashani Corp.

      Board of Managers of St. Tropez Condominium v. Kashani Corp. Slip Copy N.Y.Sup. 2010. Slip Copy2010 WL 2089347, 2010 N.Y. Slip Op. 50939(U) This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports.   Board of Managers of the St. Tropez Condominium, Petitioner-Landlord-Respondent, v. Kashani Corporation d/b/a Take 6 Boutique, Respondent-Tenant-Appellant. 570200/10. Appellate Term of the Supreme Court, First Department Decided on May 26, 2010 Digest-Index Classification:Landlord and Tenant- -Eviction–Failure to Comply with Stipulation Settling Underlying...

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    • The New York Law Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Lands Largest Settlement in New York History for a Restaurant Opened Less Than Seven Months

      New York Law Journal

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Lands Largest Settlement in New York History for a Restaurant Opened Less Than Seven Months

      New York Law Journal

      Restaurant Negotiates Deals Of $2.5M in Crane Collapse By Jeff Storey June 29, 2016 Owners of a recently opened restaurant shut down when the collapse of construction crane heavily damaged its building have won almost $2.5 million in settlements. The incident occurred on March 15, 2008 at 303 East 51st St. where a condominium was being built. Along with property damage, seven people were killed, and more than a dozen injured. No one was injured at the Crave Ceviche Bar...

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    • Building construction site

      Navigating Buyers and Developers Through New Construction Deals

      New York Law Journal

      Navigating Buyers and Developers Through New Construction Deals

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio In late 2008, the real estate sky had started to fall and fall quickly. As a result of the loss of financing and wages, many purchasers in contract to buy a unit in a newly constructed building were either no longer able or willing to close on their units. To make matters worse, the credit markets had been greatly curtailing the flow of money into the hands of developers from purchasers. In...

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    • June Chambers and Partners logo

      Chambers and Partners Selects Adam Leitman Bailey as a Leading Real Estate Lawyer for its Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2010

      Chambers and Partners Selects Adam Leitman Bailey as a Leading Real Estate Lawyer for its Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2010

      In its review Chambers USA 2010 praised Adam Leitman Bailey: Adam Leitman Bailey of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is highlighted for his landlord and tenant litigation practice. Interviewees predict that both his firm and his standing in the marketplace will only continue to grow; and that clients call him “an extraordinary practitioner who gets great results,” saying: “His ability to anticipate things before they happen has opened my eyes.” From the 74,425 lawyers practicing law in New York, Adam Leitman...

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    • July Luna Park Housing Complex

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Assists Luna Park in Closing on $68 Million Loan & Grants; Cooperative Obtains Record $21 Million Grant from City, State, and Federal Government

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Assists Luna Park in Closing on $68 Million Loan & Grants; Cooperative Obtains Record $21 Million Grant from City, State, and Federal Government

      Representing the second largest cooperative in the entire world, Luna Park Housing Corporation needed $68 million in connection with a major capital project that includes replacing all of the brick facades throughout the entire project, replacing all windows with new energy efficient windows, and replacing all of the building’s roofs. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was hired not only to represent the corporation in closing the largest loan in New York that year but we had worked with city, state and...

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    • September

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Landmark Victories Using a Forgotten and Overlooked Federal Law: Judge Rules Condo Deals Come Under Federal Law; a ‘Game Changer’ Decision

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Landmark Victories Using a Forgotten and Overlooked Federal Law: Judge Rules Condo Deals Come Under Federal Law; a ‘Game Changer’ Decision

      In late 2008, the real estate sky had started to fall and fall quickly. As a result of the loss of financing and wages, many purchasers in contract to buy a unit in a newly constructed building were either no longer able or willing to close on their units. To make matters worse, the credit markets had been greatly curtailing the flow of money into the hands of developers from purchasers. In March 2008, one of the last outposts of...

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    • November Photo of New York Post on New York City skyline

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Against Trump Soho on Fraud Claims; Settlement Provides Millions of Dollars to Clients

      The New York Post

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Against Trump Soho on Fraud Claims; Settlement Provides Millions of Dollars to Clients

      The New York Post

      “They cried “fraud!” — and now, a bunch of well-heeled apartment hunters will get a staggering 90 percent of their deposits back on posh pads they intended to buy at the troubled Trump SoHo condo-hotel because they relied on the developers’ “deceptive” sales figures.  In a federal lawsuit settled yesterday, woulda-been buyers of 10 condos — including former French soccer star Olivier Dacourt — will get back 90 percent of $3.16 million (Not part of settlement total number is $5.197)...

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    • December Crain's logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked One of New York City’s Best Places to Work

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked One of New York City’s Best Places to Work

      Bonuses for all Most law firms have profit-sharing only among partners, but 10-year-old Adam Leitman takes a different track. Every staffer at this boutique real estate firm­—including associates, paralegals and janitors‑shares the fruits of its success. To ensure transparency, an independent accountant tabulates the firm’s quarterly earnings. “Everybody sees all year what the bonuses will be,” says founder Adam Leitman Bailey. Alice Davidson, a receptionist, received her bonus after only six months on the job. “It was a pleasant surprise,...

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    • January

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Named to the 95th Edition of the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Named to the 95th Edition of the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been named to the 95th Edition of the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. The Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register is limited to only the most distinguished law practices. For over 90 years, the Bar Register has been a unique guide to the legal community’s most eminent professionals. It includes only those select law practices that have earned the highest rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory and have been designated by their colleagues as preeminent in their field.

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    • headshot of John Disiderio

      John M. Desiderio Rated by Martindale-Hubbell as “AV Preeminent”

      John M. Desiderio Rated by Martindale-Hubbell as “AV Preeminent”

      John M. Desiderio is rated by Martindale-Hubbell as “AV Preeminent” signifying the “Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability and Ethical Standards.” Mr. Desiderio has been rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell for over 25 years. John M. Desiderio is proud to receive an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the country’s preeminent lawyer rating service. An “AV” rating signifies an attorney that has “achieved the highest levels of professional skill and integrity.” John M. Desiderio’s “AV” rating is based on peer reviews...

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    • Appellate Division Finds That Equity Will Not Intervene to Relieve Commercial Tenant of Its Failure to Timely Exercise a Lease Renewal Option: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Victorious

      Appellate Division Finds That Equity Will Not Intervene to Relieve Commercial Tenant of Its Failure to Timely Exercise a Lease Renewal Option: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Victorious

      A commercial tenant sought information on how to exercise the renewal option in its lease. When informed by the landlord to the follow the renewal provision in the lease, tenant failed to do so until after the option date had expired. When the landlord brought a holdover, the tenant argued that its failure to renew was excusable and that equity should intervene to relieve it of its failure to timely renew. After a trial, the civil court held for the...

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    • The Glass Castle book

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes it Possible For Over One Hundred Homesteaders To Overcome Opposition and Obtain Home Ownership

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes it Possible For Over One Hundred Homesteaders To Overcome Opposition and Obtain Home Ownership

      The Dysfunctional City As a result of the urban decay that plagued New York City in the 1970’s, eleven old tenement buildings in Manhattan’s Lower East Side were abandoned by their owners and became the property of the city through tax foreclosure proceedings. The city’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) did not have the resources to maintain the buildings, left them vacant, and boarded them up. The buildings soon became havens for drug dealers and vandals who stripped...

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    • Image of Braswell Galleries logo

      NYC Landlord Wants Money for Back Rent from Collector Who Auctioned off Suit John Lennon Wore

      Maclean's

      NYC Landlord Wants Money for Back Rent from Collector Who Auctioned off Suit John Lennon Wore

      Maclean's

      By: Jennifer Peltz January 16th, 2011 NEW YORK, N.Y. – A New York City landlord has a message for the collector who recently sold the suit John Lennon wore on the cover of the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album: You never give me your money. The seller’s former landlord has sued the gallery that auctioned the late Beatle’s suit for $46,000, trying to get at the proceeds to satisfy a rent debt. Braswell Galleries was told before the Jan. 1 sale...

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    • February Image of Habitat Magazine

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Is Thanked by the Board of Directors in Habitat Magazine for Negotiating a Laundry Room Lease: Coming Clean on Contracts

      Habitat Magazine

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Is Thanked by the Board of Directors in Habitat Magazine for Negotiating a Laundry Room Lease: Coming Clean on Contracts

      Habitat Magazine

      February, 2011 The Situation. The building had a central laundry room that desperately needed renovation. The space, which had been serviced by the same company for the last decade, was dirty and dusty, with walls and flooring showing obvious signs of extended wear and tear. STEP 1 Preparing. Board director Joan Tedeschi did more than most to prepare herself for the job. She took a seminar at the Council of New York Cooperatives and Condominiums given by Adam Leitman Bailey...

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    • Queens condominium

      Queens Newly Constructed Condominium Receives $900,000 Including Donation of Apartment to Settle Claims for Complete Repairs to Building

      Queens Newly Constructed Condominium Receives $900,000 Including Donation of Apartment to Settle Claims for Complete Repairs to Building

      The board of a 66-unit luxury new construction condominium in Queens hired Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. after the board’s numerous attempts at trying to compel the condominium’s sponsor to remediate the serious facade, plumbing, and leaking conditions failed. Adding insult to injury, the condominium’s sponsor was trying to force the board to purchase the residential unit designated as the resident managers unit for an inflated price financed by the sponsor, forcing the board to pay an unconscionable interest rate on...

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    • March Photo of John Lennon

      Thanks to the Beatles, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses Aggressive and Creative Tactic to Recover Money Judgment for Landlord

      Thanks to the Beatles, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses Aggressive and Creative Tactic to Recover Money Judgment for Landlord

      The landlord, represented by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., started an eviction case against a delinquent tenant. The landlord prevailed; the tenant was evicted and the landlord received a money judgment in the amount of rent owed.  It was determined that the tenant was unemployed and had no discoverable assets. After doing due diligence, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. learned that the tenant planned on selling a suit worn by John Lennon and they took action to recover money...

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    • American College of Real Estate lawyers award

      Adam Leitman Bailey Selected to the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL)

      Adam Leitman Bailey Selected to the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL)

      Adam Leitman Bailey has been elected a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers recognizing national preeminence in the practice of real estate law. From ACREL’s website: The American College of Real Estate Lawyers is the premier organization of U.S. real estate lawyers. Admission is by invitation only after a rigorous screening process. ACREL’s distinguished, nationally-known lawyers have been elected to fellowship for their outstanding legal ability, experience and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the...

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    • April

      Finding the Uncommon Deal: A Top New York Lawyer Explains How to Buy a Home for the Lowest Possible Price

      Finding the Uncommon Deal: A Top New York Lawyer Explains How to Buy a Home for the Lowest Possible Price

      Written by Adam Leitman Bailey Finding the Uncommon Deal: A Top New York Lawyer Explains How to Buy a Home for the Lowest Possible Price is now available in bookstores nationwide!To order Finding The Uncommon Deal:  A Top New York Lawyer Explains How to Buy a Home for the Lowest Possible Price on Amazon.com please visit: http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Uncommon-Deal-Explains-Possible/dp/0470943661/   Finding the Uncommon Deal lands the #1 spot on the New York Times Best Sellers list! Click here to view the Index Click here to view a...

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    • Bisnow logo

      Real Estate Bisnow writes about the importance of three Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. cases in 2011

      Real Estate Bisnow

      Real Estate Bisnow writes about the importance of three Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. cases in 2011

      Real Estate Bisnow

      Well-known NYC lawyer Adam Leitman Bailey practices real estate law, but his cases have an impact beyond CRE. Today, we take a look at three of his firm’s victories—and why they matter. Adam Bailey, March 2012 Adam (above, speaking at a recent Baruch alumni panel with Cassidy Turley’s Stephen Pearlman and BlackRock’s Barry Ziering) calls himself a natural underdog, having grown up lower-middle class in Bayside, Queens and LA. “Starving is a great motivator,” he says. He reps Fortune 500...

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    • May Finding the Uncommon Deal book

      Adam Leitman Bailey’s Home Buying Book Finding the Uncommon Deal Becomes Number 1 New York Times Bestseller

      The New York Times

      Adam Leitman Bailey’s Home Buying Book Finding the Uncommon Deal Becomes Number 1 New York Times Bestseller

      The New York Times

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    • Images of houses with real estate scam written on them

      Cooperative Landlord Wins Eviction In Non-Primary Residence Case: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Catches Fraud

      Cooperative Landlord Wins Eviction In Non-Primary Residence Case: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Catches Fraud

      The board of directors of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, a Mitchell Lama cooperative, faced an overwhelming problem: they suspected that the shareholder of record of a unit in the cooperative was not residing in the unit as her primary residence. However, all of the cooperative’s documentation – the stock certificate, proprietary lease, and household income affidavits – indicated that the shareholder did, in fact, live in the apartment. However, given Adam Leitman Bailey’s extensive experience with non-primary residence cases,...

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    • Photo of Manhattan Supreme Court

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Secure a Surprising Victory in Manhattan Supreme Court

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Secure a Surprising Victory in Manhattan Supreme Court

      The owner of a newly-constructed hotel was shocked to learn that a mechanic’s lien in the amount of $100,000 was recorded on his property by a subcontractor with whom there was no privity of contract. The subcontractor alleged that the general contractor on the construction project did not fully compensate him for work done installing an HVAC unit. Taking over the case from a previous attorney, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. immediately moved in court to amend its petition to discharge...

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    • Photo of building demolition

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Large Cooperative Building From Having Entire Election Overturned and New Board of Directors Instated

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Large Cooperative Building From Having Entire Election Overturned and New Board of Directors Instated

      Disgruntled shareholders in cooperatives can go to great lengths to challenge the decision-making of the board of directors. In one of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C’s latest cases, a shareholder, whose intention was to put his own team of individuals on the board, brought a proceeding in Supreme Court to overturn the latest election. The shareholder asserted several allegations of electoral fraud and conspiracy, despite the fact that an independent election committee certified the election as fair. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C....

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    • Photo of eight-story condominium

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Represents Developer in Successful Settlement of Condominium Dispute

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Represents Developer in Successful Settlement of Condominium Dispute

      The board of managers and all unit owners in a newly constructed eight-story condominium agreed to accept an all cash $178,500 offer from the building’s developer in full settlement of all possible claims of the board and unit owners for alleged defects in the construction of the building’s roof. The board had initially sought a much larger sum for what it claimed it would cost to do a full roof replacement. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was then retained to represent...

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    • Photo of building demolition

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Appeal for Hotel Developer; Demolition Termination Clause Not Tolled When Commercial Tenant Fails to Satisfy the Requirements for Obtaining a Preliminary Injunction

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Appeal for Hotel Developer; Demolition Termination Clause Not Tolled When Commercial Tenant Fails to Satisfy the Requirements for Obtaining a Preliminary Injunction

      In this case, the landlord, in accordance with the lease, served the tenant with a 12-month notice of termination based upon the landlord’s intention to demolish the building. The tenant brought an action in the Supreme Court and moved for a preliminary injunction to halt the running of the notice. Among other things, the tenant claimed that the prior landlord had prematurely engaged in renovations and that waived the present landlord’s right to demolish and that the landlord (whose earlier...

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    • June Photo of a co-op

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails in Favor of Rejected Cooperative Purchaser

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails in Favor of Rejected Cooperative Purchaser

      In a case successfully prosecuted by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., a foreign national who had her application for ownership in a tiny cooperative apartment building rejected now stands to recover a substantial down payment with nine (9) percent interest from the date of the rejection. The owner of the unit claimed that the prospective tenant had sabotaged the interview because she had changed her mind about buying the unit because of some ambiguity as to who could occupy the apartment. ...

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    • Photo of New York City homes

      Adam Leitman Bailey Discusses How to Buy a Home in New York City

      NBC Nightly News

      Adam Leitman Bailey Discusses How to Buy a Home in New York City

      NBC Nightly News

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    • Sublease NYC preview image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Client From Buying Unit that Would One Day Have Lost The Unit’s Windows

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Client From Buying Unit that Would One Day Have Lost The Unit’s Windows

      New development transactions pose an entirely different set of risks, benefits, and logistical challenges than a traditional re-sale. Many times, Purchasers enter a contract for a Unit that is not yet built, in a building without a financial history and potentially not yet cleared by institutional lenders for closing. These factors often cause confusion around due diligence and delays when it comes to closing on the Unit. Two first-time homebuyers retained Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to represent their interest in...

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    • July Photo of Lotus Condominium

      Lotus Developer Settles Lawsuit

      The Real Deal

      Lotus Developer Settles Lawsuit

      The Real Deal

      By: David Jones July 01, 2011 The developer of the Lotus condominium in Williamsburg has agreed to hand over 10 apartments to the condo board, settling a private lawsuit and investigation by the attorney general amid complaints about structural defects at the building and thousands of dollars in unpaid common charges. Developer Steven Kohn signed a “confession of judgment” at Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office June 3, giving the 10 unsold apartments to the condo board, according to documents obtained...

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    • Photo of Ground Zero Mosque site

      Judge Rules Ex-Firefighter Cannot Sue Over Mosque

      Judge Rules Ex-Firefighter Cannot Sue Over Mosque

      By: Colin Moynihan July 10th, 2011 A Manhattan judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a former New York City firefighter who is trying to stop the construction of an Islamic community center in Lower Manhattan. The former firefighter, Timothy Brown, sought to overturn a decision by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission to deny landmark status for a 150-year-old building on Park Place that would be demolished to make way for the center. The building, which once housed a...

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    • Luxury Condiminium in Williamsburg

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Forces Sponsor to Fix Newly Constructed Building and Donate Ten Units to Settle Case

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Forces Sponsor to Fix Newly Constructed Building and Donate Ten Units to Settle Case

      In late 2006, purchasers were eager to buy units in a “luxury” new construction condominium being built in the heart of trendy Williamsburg. The purchasers closed on 19 of the 29 units (the condominium’s sponsor retained ownership of the last ten units). Shortly after closings began, unit owners began to realize that despite the fancy marketing, the building was rampant with construction defects. Myriad calls and letters to the condominium’s sponsor, and its principal, resulted in no response to the...

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    • Confidential folder icon

      Brokerage Law: Appellate Division Reinstates Unjust Enrichment Claim Against Wrongdoers

      Brokerage Law: Appellate Division Reinstates Unjust Enrichment Claim Against Wrongdoers

      Taking over the matter from another law firm where a commercial brokerage firm had its complaint for various causes of action, including unjust enrichment, dismissed as against all defendants except a shell limited liability company with no assets, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has achieved reinstatement of the complaint against two of the wrongdoers for unjust enrichment and the possibility of moving against the two other wrongdoers in the future. In Georgia Malone & Co. v. Rieder, et. al., Malone &...

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    • New York City buildings

      Real Estate Developer Settles Claim by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Client That Real Estate Investment Offerings Violated New York Securities Laws

      Real Estate Developer Settles Claim by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Client That Real Estate Investment Offerings Violated New York Securities Laws

      An investor client of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. invested several million dollars in a number of separate real estate investment properties owned or controlled by a single real estate developer. The developer represented to the investor that the offerings were private in nature and not subject to the registration filing requirements prescribed for public offerings of real estate investment securities by the Martin Act, New York State’s “blue sky” law. Over time, the client came to believe that the developer...

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    • August Photo of cash

      Lawyers: You CAN Recover Cash When Condo Sponsors Underfund Reserves

      Habitat Magazine

      Lawyers: You CAN Recover Cash When Condo Sponsors Underfund Reserves

      Habitat Magazine

      By Adam Lietman Bailey Rainy Day Money – Condo Style Reserve Fund Obligations  Do you live in a condominium conversion? Are your reserves underfunded? As a condo board you may be able to recover millions of dollars from your sponsor. Sponsors of condo conversions really have only one material obligation: to provide sufficient money for a reserve fund. If they don’t leave large enough reserves, condominiums may not have sufficient capital to perform necessary remedial construction work, leaving buyers with...

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    • Photo of Murray Hill co-op

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevailed Into Allowing Family Into Cooperative Unit Despite Cooperative’s Claim That Subletting Rules Denied Entrance

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevailed Into Allowing Family Into Cooperative Unit Despite Cooperative’s Claim That Subletting Rules Denied Entrance

      A Murray Hill co-op board tried to block a son, daughter-in-law, and grandchild from moving back into their family home. When the movers came and the building staff was instructed not to let the family’s belongings into the elevator, the family called Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. The firm’s client had several generations living together in neighboring units of this Murray Hill Co-op so that the grandparents could help raise the children. When the son and his wife had a baby,...

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    • Fox New logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey Discusses Loan Forgiveness Deals on Fox News

      Fox News

      Adam Leitman Bailey Discusses Loan Forgiveness Deals on Fox News

      Fox News

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      How a Tactfully Aggressive Litigation Strategy Defeated a Succession Claim

      How a Tactfully Aggressive Litigation Strategy Defeated a Succession Claim

      In Lev Sehav Menahem Mendel S.F. Management LLC. v. Edward Faust, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. succeeded at trial in evicting a tenant who claimed inheritance rights (“succession”) to a rent-controlled apartment in Washington Heights. Legal Issue To establish succession, a deceased tenant’s close family member must prove that s/he lived in the apartment with the tenant for at least two years prior to the tenant’s death. Facts When the tenant of a rent-controlled apartment passed away, her...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Victory: W Downtown Ruling Could Be Last Word on ILSA Law in NY

      The Real Deal

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Victory: W Downtown Ruling Could Be Last Word on ILSA Law in NY

      The Real Deal

      By: David Jones August 24th, 2011 A U.S. District Court judge ruled against Joseph Moinian’s Moinian Group in a closely watched escrow dispute with buyers at the W New York Downtown Hotel and Residences, a decision that lawyers say further establishes the applicability of the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act in New York condominium sales. Judge Robert Patterson rejected a motion to dismiss the case by the Moinian Group, which developed the 217-unit hotel and condo at 123 Washington...

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    • September Super Lawyers logo

      Congratulations to the Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Who Were Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for 2011

      Congratulations to the Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Who Were Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for 2011

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    • For Sale sign with a SOLD sticker on top

      A Check on Housing Recovery

      CNBC

      A Check on Housing Recovery

      CNBC

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    • Building construction site

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Refunds for Buyers at Homeowners Association Development for Construction Delays

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Refunds for Buyers at Homeowners Association Development for Construction Delays

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. assisted a married couple who had contracted to purchase a residence at the Harbour Point at Arverne by the Sea development in Queens, which was beset by construction delays. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. contacted by the couple nearly one year after the home was supposed to be delivered under the sales contract, just after the developer, Benjamin-Beechwood Dunes, LLC, had sent the couple a proposed contract amendment that would have pushed the estimated delivery date back...

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    • Williamsburg apartment preview image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves Large Financial Settlement Allowing 16-Unit Brooklyn Condominium to Repair Faulty Newly Constructed Building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves Large Financial Settlement Allowing 16-Unit Brooklyn Condominium to Repair Faulty Newly Constructed Building

      Units were marketed as modern luxury condominium units in the heart of Williamsburg. Purchasers began closing on 15 of the 16 units in the two adjoining buildings beginning at the end of 2007. Shortly after closings began, unit owners began to realize that despite the fancy marketing, the building was rampant with construction defects. Unlike many other condominium sponsors facing this situation, this sponsor did return phone calls and did agree to repair the work. However, the board quickly learned...

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    • October

      Adam Leitman Bailey Featured On HSBC & NBC’s Panel Discussion On “Perspectives On Global Real Estate”

      Adam Leitman Bailey Featured On HSBC & NBC’s Panel Discussion On “Perspectives On Global Real Estate”

      On October 24th, 2011 Adam Leitman Bailey participated in a panel discussion on “Perspectives on Global Real Estate,” presented by HSBC and NBC at the SoHo House in New York City.  Other panelists were Michael Chen of Bond New York Properties, LLC, Brian Lewis of Halstead Property and Constance Mitchell Ford, head of the Global Real Estate and Property bureau of The Wall Street Journal.

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    • Board Collects Common Charges Without Judicial Intervention by Novel Agreement and Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure

      Board Collects Common Charges Without Judicial Intervention by Novel Agreement and Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure

      With the recent economic downturn, condominium boards have been plagued by unit owner common charge defaults. With fewer unit owners paying their common charges, boards are faced with the prospect of increasing common charges in order to collect the deficit from those unit owners in good standing– unless they can collect the unpaid common charges from the delinquent unit owners. Most boards who attempt to collect common charges from delinquent unit owners are faced with essentially three choices – enter...

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    • November Photo of the Great Debate at Avery Fisher Hall

      The Real Deal’s 7th Annual Forum: The Great Debate at Avery Fisher Hall

      The Real Deal’s 7th Annual Forum: The Great Debate at Avery Fisher Hall

      On November 16, 2011 Adam Leitman Bailey was a featured debater at The Real Deal’s 7th Annual Forum. Adam Leitman Bailey debated Stuart Saft of Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP on whether too much litigation is hurting real estate in New York City. Other debaters were William Macklowe of William Macklowe Company, John Catsimatidis of Red Apple Group, Lockhart Steele of Curbed Network and Frederick Peters of Warburg Realty Partnership. The debate was moderated by CNBC Anchor Bill Griffeth. The event...

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    • Massey Knakal Multifamily Summit

      Massey Knakal Multifamily Summit

      On November 16, 2011 Adam Leitman Bailey was one of six participants at the Owners Roundtable session at the Massey Knakal Multifamily Summit. The other participants were Daniel Benedict of Benedict Realty, John Gilbert of Rudin Management, Larry Gluck of Stellar Management, Robert Nelson of Nelson Management Group and Richard Parkoff of The Parkoff Organization. Over 600 participants gathered to learn about and discuss the acquisition, disposition, financing and management of NYC area multifamily properties in today’s changing market. The...

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    • December Air conditioning units outside brick building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevents Eviction of Tenant and Wins Damages and Attorney Fees using Federal Law Discrimination Statute

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevents Eviction of Tenant and Wins Damages and Attorney Fees using Federal Law Discrimination Statute

      The client installed a room air conditioning unit through a brick exterior wall, a violation of its condominium’s rules. No formal application was made to do so, although client spoke with a Board member about the possible use of such a unit. The clients were served with a Notice to Cure in 2006 and consulted Adam Leitman Bailey, PC. Rather than wait to fight an eviction, the firm moved to stay further enforcement proceedings and brought an action based on...

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    • Mitchell Llama buildings in Harlem

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins 26 out of 26 Eviction Cases in 2011 Involving Mitchell-Lama Occupants Brought Before the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins 26 out of 26 Eviction Cases in 2011 Involving Mitchell-Lama Occupants Brought Before the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development

      The board of directors of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, a Mitchell-Lama cooperative, consistently faces two overwhelming problems: they suspect either that the shareholders of record of certain units in the cooperative are not residing in the units as their primary residence, or that the shareholders of record of certain units have passed away or vacated the apartment and someone is living in the apartment who does not have the right to occupy it. However, given Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s...

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    • January headshot of Colin

      Colin Kaufman Receives Highest Rating From Martindale-Hubbell

      Colin Kaufman Receives Highest Rating From Martindale-Hubbell

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is proud to announce that Colin Kaufman has received an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the country’s preeminent lawyer rating service. An “AV” rating signifies an attorney that has “achieved the highest levels of professional skill and integrity.” Mr. Kaufman has now joined a very elite group of real estate litigation professionals. Colin Kaufman’s “AV” rating is based on peer reviews by members of the Bar and Judiciary. That means that the lawyers and judges with whom...

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    • Headshot of Jeffrey Metz

      Jeffrey Metz Receives Highest Rating from Martindale-Hubbell

      Jeffrey Metz Receives Highest Rating from Martindale-Hubbell

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is proud to announce that Jeffrey Metz has received an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the country’s preeminent lawyer rating service. An “AV” rating signifies an attorney that has “achieved the highest levels of professional skill and integrity.” Mr. Metz has now joined a very elite group of real estate litigation professionals. Jeffrey Metz’s “AV” rating is based on peer reviews by members of the Bar and Judiciary. That means that the lawyers and judges he works...

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    • February Photo of New York City buildings

      New York Observer: Power Broker, “He has built a remarkable law firm. I don’t think everyone understands that what he has done is a huge accomplishment”

      The New York Observer

      New York Observer: Power Broker, “He has built a remarkable law firm. I don’t think everyone understands that what he has done is a huge accomplishment”

      The New York Observer

      By Daniel Geiger February 21, 2012 Adam Leitman Bailey strode into the lobby of his lower Manhattan law firm dressed in a dark blue suit and blue shirt, his extended cuffs all but dangling from his jacket. No sartorial misstep, Mr. Bailey would explain. The cuffs protruded noticeably beyond his jacket sleeves for a reason. “It’s essential,” said Mr. Bailey, the attorney who last year garnered national attention as counselor for the Ground Zero mosque developer Sharif El-Gamal. “I’ve studied...

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    • Photo of New York City apartment building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Drafts Residential Lease Agreements for Blumberg Forms

      The Blumberg Excelsior

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Drafts Residential Lease Agreements for Blumberg Forms

      The Blumberg Excelsior

      BlumbergExcelsior Introduces Comprehensive New Leases for Multi-Unit Apartments BlumbergExcelsior Inc., a leading supplier of online law forms, has introduced new comprehensive lease forms drafted by prominent real estate attorneys Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Treiman of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. These documents include: Lease for a Regulated (Stabilized Apartment) (56) Lease for an Unregulated Apartment in New York City (57) Apartment House Rules, Nationwide (58) Apartment House Rules, New York (58) Apartment House Rules, New Jersey (58) Apartment House Rules,...

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    • Properties in Queens County, New York

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Claim of Adverse Possession for Title Company

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Claim of Adverse Possession for Title Company

      In McMillan v. Village Plaza Homes, Inc., et. al., Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. won a Decision and Order granting summary judgment in favor of the insureds, in defeating the plaintiff’s claim of title by adverse possession to an eleven-inch strip of land on the southerly boundary line of the insureds’ property in Queens County, New York. Despite the plaintiff’s claims that she planted flowers and vegetables along a fence on the insureds’ property for the requisite period of time to...

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    • March Photo of New York City building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes New Law in the Area of Housing Discrimination

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes New Law in the Area of Housing Discrimination

      Under New York State law, it is an unlawful discriminatory practice to refuse to sell or rent a housing accommodation to any person because of race, national origin or age. The law has generally been applied to people who sought to rent or buy a housing unit. But does the state law apply to sellers of a cooperative apartment when a cooperative board denies their sale to otherwise qualified purchasers (on a pretextual basis) because they are elderly? And, in...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves Winning Settlement on Behalf of Co-op Sellers in Landmark Housing Discrimination Case

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves Winning Settlement on Behalf of Co-op Sellers in Landmark Housing Discrimination Case

      In a case of first impression, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully represented the sellers of a cooperative apartment in a housing discrimination suit against their former co-op arising from the co-op’s failure to consent to a proposed sale of the apartment to elderly purchasers. When the co-op failed to approve the sale, despite the purchasers’ ample financial qualifications, the plaintiffs incurred damages because they were forced to find a new purchaser after the financial crisis struck and market conditions deteriorated....

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    • May Jury Reporting Preview image

      Landlord Wins Jury Trial Over Succession Claim and Then Judge Tosses Verdict; Appellate Term Comes to the Rescue and Affirms Jury Verdict and Eviction

      Landlord Wins Jury Trial Over Succession Claim and Then Judge Tosses Verdict; Appellate Term Comes to the Rescue and Affirms Jury Verdict and Eviction

      Tenant Succession Claim In 2010, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Landlord & Tenant Department defended a succession case tried before a jury. It was a hard fought victory because the claimed successor, the nephew of a deceased rent controlled tenant, had lived with his aunt in a rent-controlled apartment for over thirty years. And while the “emotional” component was present between the two, there was an absence of the “financial commitment and interdependence” that the rent-controlled-succession regulation requires. The Jury Decides...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Reaffirms That a Time of the Essence Letter Must Detail the Consequences of a Failing to Appear at the Closing

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Reaffirms That a Time of the Essence Letter Must Detail the Consequences of a Failing to Appear at the Closing

      Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, New York. Ben NEHMADI, appellant-respondent, v. E. William DAVIS, respondent-appellant. May 23, 2012. Background: Purchaser brought action for specific performance of contract for sale of real property. Vendor moved for judgment on counterclaim that purchaser was in default and that vendor was entitled to retain down payment and for summary judgment. The Supreme Court, Nassau County, McCarty III, J., denied purchaser’s motion for leave to amend the complaint, denied vendor’s motion for summary judgment,...

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    • June Chambers and Partners logo

      Chambers and Partners Selects Adam Leitman Bailey as a Leading Real Estate Lawyer for its Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2012

      Chambers and Partners Selects Adam Leitman Bailey as a Leading Real Estate Lawyer for its Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2012

      Chambers and Partners From the 142,499 lawyers practicing law in New York, Adam Leitman Bailey is only one of three real estate attorneys from firms with fewer than 26 attorneys to receive a Chambers ranking. In its review, Chambers USA 2012 praised Adam Leitman Bailey: Adam Leitman Bailey of Adam Leitman Bailey, PC is lauded for his hard work and responsiveness. He is an expert in real estate litigation. In previous years, Chambers has written: Adam Leitman Bailey is a...

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    • Photo of New York City building

      BlumbergExcelsior Introduces a Comprehensive New Sublease of a Cooperative Apartment in New York

      The Blumberg Excelsior

      BlumbergExcelsior Introduces a Comprehensive New Sublease of a Cooperative Apartment in New York

      The Blumberg Excelsior

      June 12th, 2012 BlumbergExcelsior Inc., a leading supplier of online law forms, has introduced a new comprehensive sublease of a cooperative apartment in New York. The prominent real estate attorneys Adam Leitman Bailey, Leonard Ritz and Dov Treiman of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. drafted the sublease. In announcing the new form, Bob Blumberg, President and CEO, said, “BlumbergExcelsior has sold millions of lease forms since we opened shop in 1887. Leases continually evolve and this new cooperative sublease may be...

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    • Finding the Uncommon Deal book

      Adam Leitman Bailey Wins NAREE ‘Best First Time Author’ Award

      Adam Leitman Bailey Wins NAREE ‘Best First Time Author’ Award

      NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER ‘FINDING THE UNCOMMON DEAL’ IMPRESSES IN PRESTIGIOUS JOURNALISM COMPETITION Adam Leitman Bailey, Esq., one of New York City’s most successful and prominent real estate attorneys, has been honored with the National Association of Real Estate Editors’ (NAREE) “Best First Time Author” award for his book, Finding The Uncommon Deal: A Top New York Lawyer Explains How to Buy a Home for the Lowest Possible Price. Readers have praised Finding the Uncommon Deal (Jon Wiley &...

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    • July Night Club Preview Image

      The Eviction of a Night Club: Using Aggressive Lawyering, Creative Legal Theories and Impressive Evidence Results in Lease Surrender, Money Judgment and Payment of Legal Fees

      The Eviction of a Night Club: Using Aggressive Lawyering, Creative Legal Theories and Impressive Evidence Results in Lease Surrender, Money Judgment and Payment of Legal Fees

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, a property owner, was plunged into a case involving a popular night club where two high profile murders occurred while the New York Giants were celebrating their Super Bowl victory and many professional basketball players celebrated the end of the basketball strike. The landlord hired Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to evict the tenant for violating the lease. The difficulty of the eviction case was that although the commercial lease banned the restaurant from running a...

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    • Photo of social media logos

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses Social Media to Prove that Tenant Was Not Using Apartment as Primary Residence

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses Social Media to Prove that Tenant Was Not Using Apartment as Primary Residence

      Entitlement to a governmentally regulated apartment is strictly governed by statute and a tenant of such an apartment is required to utilize it as his or her primary residence in order to continue to receive the benefit. Recently, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was called upon to investigate and demonstrate that a granddaughter—who had previously been granted succession rights to an apartment through her grandparents’ residency—was not maintaining the apartment as her primary residence, and therefore, permanently forfeited her “rights” to...

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    • August Real Estate Weekly logo

      Real Estate Weekly Compares Adam Leitman Bailey’s Real Estate Practice to Apple’s Business

      Real Estate Weekly

      Real Estate Weekly Compares Adam Leitman Bailey’s Real Estate Practice to Apple’s Business

      Real Estate Weekly

      By: Liana Grey August 1st, 2012 Adam Leitman Bailey is to real estate law what the iPod is to Apple Last month, the real estate lawyer Adam Leitman Bailey received an award from the National Association of Real Estate Editors for his best-selling book, Finding the Uncommon Deal: A Top Lawyer Explains How to Buy A Home for the Lowest Possible Price. Much of the how-to guide, which took Bailey six years to write and covers everything from short sales...

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    • Photo of someone holding a house and keys

      The 15 Most Fascinating New York Real Estate Cases of the 21st Century

      The Commercial Observer

      The 15 Most Fascinating New York Real Estate Cases of the 21st Century

      The Commercial Observer

      By: Daniel Geiger August 8th, 2012 The Case of the Loophole & The Greek Shipping Magnate Other than the J-51 lawsuit that upended Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, perhaps no other case demonstrates how the city’s real estate market can hinge so seismically on legal technicality. In 2008, the economy collapsed into a deep recession and the residential real estate market in the city came crashing down. The situation seemed especially dire and cruel for condo buyers who were under...

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    • Super Lawyers logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey is named a “Super Lawyer”

      Adam Leitman Bailey is named a “Super Lawyer”

      Super Lawyers magazine identified the top attorneys in the New York Metro area based on an independent survey of nearly 90,000 attorneys. Out of the 280 real estate attorneys named Super Lawyer only 25 come from firms with less than 30 attorneys, including Adam Leitman Bailey. Super Lawyers 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 selection process is multi-phased and includes independent...

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    • Photo of New York City street

      Adam Leitman Bailey Featured in “The Lawyers You Call 2012” Edition of The Commercial Observer

      The Commercial Observer

      Adam Leitman Bailey Featured in “The Lawyers You Call 2012” Edition of The Commercial Observer

      The Commercial Observer

      By: Daniel Edward Rosen & Daniel Geiger, August 8th, 2012 Every year, one of the most important real estate publications, The Commercial Observer, chooses from the best real estate attorneys in New York to profile. This year’s issue titled “The Lawyers You Call 2012,” features Adam Leitman Bailey and one of the firm’s landmark cases. The Case of the Loophole & The Greek Shipping Magnate Other than the J-51 lawsuit that upended Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, perhaps no...

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    • headshot of Adam Leitman Bailey

      Adam Leitman Bailey Receives Highest Rating From Martindale Hubbell

      Adam Leitman Bailey Receives Highest Rating From Martindale Hubbell

      Adam Leitman Bailey is proud to receive an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the country’s preeminent lawyer rating service. An “AV” rating signifies an attorney that has “achieved the highest levels of professional skill and integrity.” Adam Leitman Bailey has now joined a very elite group of real estate professionals. He is one of only two real estate lawyers in New York from a firm with less than 30 attorneys that has received an “AV” rating as well as recognition from...

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    • Self-service storage facility

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Snatches Victory From The Jaws Of Defeat

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Snatches Victory From The Jaws Of Defeat

      The firm’s client is the operator of popular self-service storage facilities in Manhattan. After the plaintiff fell into arrears in the payment of her monthly storage fees, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client conducted a sale of the personal property maintained in plaintiff’s storage locker, as authorized by the New York Lien Law. The plaintiff sued to challenge the sale. In proceedings handled by another law firm, the court ruled that the firm’s client had failed to properly notice the sale...

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    • September Super Lawyers logo

      Congratulations to the Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Who Were Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for 2012!

      Congratulations to the Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Who Were Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for 2012!

      Super Lawyers Five Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. attorneys became part of the 223 New York metro area real estate attorneys to receive Super Lawyer honors. Law & Politics magazine identified the top 5 percent of attorneys in the New York Metro area based on an independent survey of nearly 90,000 attorneys. Sixty-two percent of the lawyers selected are from firms with more than 75 attorneys. The list was published by the magazine and in a supplement in The New York...

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    • Bank of America logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Protects Bank of America in Common Charge Lien Foreclosure Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Protects Bank of America in Common Charge Lien Foreclosure Proceeding

      In The Board of Managers of House Beautiful Condominium I v. Hong, et. al., Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully protected Bank of America N.A.’s security interest in a premises in Queens, New York, in defeating the plaintiff’s claim that the insured, Bank of America, was not the first mortgagee of record as is defined in § 339-z of New York’s Real Property Law. Despite the plaintiff’s allegation that a prior mortgage still open of record, although previously satisfied, is the...

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    • October Crain's logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked One of New York City’s Best Places to Work 2012 by Crain’s Magazine

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked One of New York City’s Best Places to Work 2012 by Crain’s Magazine

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. has been ranked as one of New York City’s Best Places to Work 2012 by Crain’s Magazine. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is one of only three law firms to receive this recognition. This year was more competitive than ever with Crain’s receiving more qualified applicants than any previous year. Out of all the applicants in New York City only 50 were selected to this elite group. Rankings are calculated based on a weighting of employee surveys...

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    • November Administrative: Single Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defends Against Niece’s Succession Claim to Regulated Apartment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defends Against Niece’s Succession Claim to Regulated Apartment

      When an occupant of a governmentally-regulated apartment claims succession rights to the apartment, but does not fall into one of the statutorily defined “familial relationships” with the tenant of record, in addition to proving a minimum of two-year’s co-residency, the occupant is required to prove an emotional and financial commitment and interdependence with the tenant of record. Recently, a landlord called upon Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to investigate a succession claim asserted by the tenant-of-record’s niece. Since uncle-niece is not...

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    • December

      Manhattan Newly Constructed Condominium Takes Over Sponsor Controlled Board and Receives $450,000 + Apartment + Significant Construction Work Without Judicial Intervention

      Manhattan Newly Constructed Condominium Takes Over Sponsor Controlled Board and Receives $450,000 + Apartment + Significant Construction Work Without Judicial Intervention

      The unit owners of a 24-unit luxury new construction condominium in Manhattan hired Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. after the unit owners’ complaints and concerns about construction defects were ignored by the sponsor-controlled board, and demands by the unit owners to the sponsor that the sponsor turn over control of the board to the residents were denied. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. organized the unit owners, and despite the sponsor’s tactics to prevent its loss of power, the residents took control of...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Non-Primary Residence Case and Attorney Fees in Victory

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Non-Primary Residence Case and Attorney Fees in Victory

      When a tenant sought Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s help after his landlord commenced an eviction proceeding for non-primary residence, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. defended the tenant, prevailed in the case, and were awarded legal fees. This case demonstrates the pitfalls of an aggressive attorney pushing a weak position and getting punished for it. A tenant was sued for non-primary residence by a landlord who initiated the case based on a weak investigative report. The landlord was warned...

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    • Photo of 45 Tiemann Place

      FS 41-45 Tiemann Place LLC v. Estrella

      FS 41-45 Tiemann Place LLC v. Estrella

      FS 41-45 Tiemann Place LLC v Estrella 2012 NY Slip Op 22381 Decided on December 21, 2012 Appellate Term, First Department Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. This opinion is uncorrected and subject to revision before publication in the printed Miscellaneous Reports. Decided on December 21, 2012 SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, FIRST DEPARTMENT PRESENT: Lowe III, P.J., Shulman, Torres, JJ 570539/11. FS 41-45 Tiemann Place LLC, Petitioner-Landlord-Appellant, – – against Teresa Estrella...

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    • January Photo of New York City building

      Inadvertent Sending of a Letter Should Not Result in Dismissal of a Meritorious Non-Primary Residence Action

      Inadvertent Sending of a Letter Should Not Result in Dismissal of a Meritorious Non-Primary Residence Action

      In a case sadly reflective of certain decisions made by the judges of the housing court, the Appellate Term recently reinstated a non-primary residence proceeding that had been dismissed because the landlord sent a single letter to the daughter of the tenant of record acknowledging her recent move into her mother’s apartment. Based upon this letter, the lower court held that the daughter had somehow obtained the rights of a licensee and since the landlord did not send a notice...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      370 Columbus Realty LLC v. Liew

      370 Columbus Realty LLC v. Liew

      370 Columbus Realty LLLC v. Liew Slip Copy N.Y.Sup. 2013. Slip Copy, 2013 WL 399344, 2013 N.Y. Slip Op. 50131(U) This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports. 370 Columbus Realty LLC, Petitioner-Landlord- Appellant, v. Deborah Wan Liew, Respondent-Tenant- Respondent, – and – “John Doe” and “Jane Doe,” Respondents-Undertenants. 570446/12. Supreme Court, Appellate Term, First Department Decided on January 30, 2013 Digest-Index Classification:Landlord and Tenant- -Rent Regulation–Primary Residence–Tenant’s Occasional Use of Husband’s Nearby Studio...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey was a featured speaker at the New York State Bar Association’s 2013 Annual Meeting

      Adam Leitman Bailey was a featured speaker at the New York State Bar Association’s 2013 Annual Meeting

      Adam Leitman Bailey was a featured speaker for two events at the New York State Bar Association’s 2013 Annual Meeting held in New York City on Thursday January 24th, 2013. More than 5,000 members of the New York State Bar Association from around the state attended the week long Annual Meeting. In his first event Adam Leitman Bailey presented a lecture on ‘The State of Mortgage Foreclosure in 2012’. In his lecture Mr. Bailey discussed recent foreclosure cases, decisions and...

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    • Making New Law, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains a Victory for Homeowners Association

      Making New Law, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains a Victory for Homeowners Association

      In this case, certain objecting association members sought a preliminary injunction to prevent the association from expending funds to retain attorneys and engineers to investigate and prosecute construction defects litigation. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., defeated the motion. Siding with the firm’s argument, the Supreme Court in Queens County found that “the Board has plausibly argued that the applicability of [New York’s Condominium Act] should be extended to Homeowner’s Associations.” The court also sided with the firm’s argument that it would...

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    • OATH banner

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Assists Major Corporation to Settle Substantial ECB Violation Fine Arrears

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Assists Major Corporation to Settle Substantial ECB Violation Fine Arrears

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has assisted a major national corporation, with operations and locations throughout New York City, to settle a multimillion-dollar backlog of fines and violations issued by the New York City Environmental Control Board (ECB) for violations of the regulations of eight separate city departments. The settlements encompassed over 5,000 individual violations spanning more than five years and resulted in savings to the company in excess of one million dollars. To efficiently and cost-effectively examine the ECB violations...

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    • February Photo of New York State Supreme Court

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Rescues Major Publicly Traded Company From Eviction

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Rescues Major Publicly Traded Company From Eviction

      A major publicly traded company holding numerous New York properties came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. with a dilemma.  Its landlord at a building in a major up and coming neighborhood alleged that the company had been neglecting the rental property for decades.  As a result, the landlord was declaring forfeiture of the right to rent the property and putting potentially hundreds of employees in a position that they would have no desk to report to as the tenant company...

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    • J.P. Morgan Chase logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Protects Mortgage Security for JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Protects Mortgage Security for JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully protected JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.’s (“Chase”) security interest in a condominium unit on Lorimer Street in Brooklyn by tracking down the seemingly lost original mortgage, along with the original underlying deed and transfer documents, and successfully ensuring the expedited recordation of all. On December 21, 2011, the original documents were submitted to the city register by the abstract company for recording; however, the documents were still not of record more than one year later, and...

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    • March Photo of luxury penthouse apartment

      Bringing First Case Under New York State Disclosure Form for Buyer and Seller, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Records Creative and Favorable Settlement for Purchaser

      Bringing First Case Under New York State Disclosure Form for Buyer and Seller, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Records Creative and Favorable Settlement for Purchaser

      Before engaging Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., the client had entered into a contract to purchase a luxury penthouse condominium apartment for $13 million dollars. The client had not engaged a broker as his own “buyer’s agent” and had dealt only with the seller’s broker. New York State law requires all real estate brokers and sales agents to give both buyers and sellers an agency disclosure form (ADF), at the broker’s “first substantive contact” with either the seller or the buyer....

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    • April

      Mystery Solved: The Eviction of a Restaurant Without Anonymous Owner

      Mystery Solved: The Eviction of a Restaurant Without Anonymous Owner

      A restaurant and bar had not paid rent for over six months.  A previous eviction attempt by another law firm had been defeated in court by a tenant who had nothing to defend with other than a host of technical flaws in an earlier case. It was thus apparent that absolutely every detail down to the last comma was going to have to be perfect if the landlord was going to prevail. One of those details was the legal requirement...

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    • Drawing of piggy bank with dollar sign

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Borrower $23,000 in Mortgage Tax

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Borrower $23,000 in Mortgage Tax

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has recently begun representing a lender based out of Florida State for residential mortgage closings. The first refinance the firm closed with this new lender was for a $1.2 million dollar mortgage which at the time was held by the same lender. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. requested the firm close this mortgage with a Consolidation, Extension and Modification Agreement (CEMA). A CEMA would allow the borrower to avoid paying mortgage tax by modifying a mortgage note...

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    • May Photo of 100 Maiden Lane building

      Landlord prevails in NYC Court’s First Sandy-Related Commercial Lease Decision

      The Real Deal

      Landlord prevails in NYC Court’s First Sandy-Related Commercial Lease Decision

      The Real Deal

      By: Hiten Samtani May 1st, 2013 A New York City judge ruled Monday that the owner of 100 Maiden Lane is not liable for its tenant’s loss of electricity following Hurricane Sandy, in what is believed to be the city’s first decision on a commercial lease case related to storm losses. The tenant, a healthy restaurant chain called Just Salad, was not entitled to a rent abatement under the terms of its lease agreement with landlord Maiden Lane Properties, the...

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    • Chambers and Partners logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey Has Been Selected By Chambers & Partners as a Leading Real Estate Lawyer for “Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” for the Fifth Consecutive Year In 2013

      Adam Leitman Bailey Has Been Selected By Chambers & Partners as a Leading Real Estate Lawyer for “Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” for the Fifth Consecutive Year In 2013

      For the fifth consecutive year, Adam Leitman Bailey has been selected by Chambers & Partners to achieve ranking in “Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” and has been recognized as one of New York’s leading real estate lawyers. This is one of the highest honors a real estate attorney can achieve in his career. Out of 163, 798 lawyers practicing law in New York and hundreds of law firms listed in Chambers, only three firms with less than 30...

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    • Photo of cranes

      Panel Upholds Unsealing of Settlements in Crane Case

      New York Law Journal

      Panel Upholds Unsealing of Settlements in Crane Case

      New York Law Journal

      By: Jeff Storey May 10th, 2013 A unanimous panel of the Appellate Division, First Department, yesterday upheld a lower court’s decision to unseal settlement documents stemming from the 2008 collapse of a construction crane that killed seven people. The panel ruled in Squeri v. East 51st Street Development, 117452/08, that Manhattan Justice Carol Edmead properly exercised her discretion when she unsealed the documents even though one wrongful death action from the accident remained pending. The panel held that there had...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Case of First Impression As the First Landlord to be Awarded Attorney Fees Under the Tenant Anti-Harassment Act

      New York Law Journal

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Case of First Impression As the First Landlord to be Awarded Attorney Fees Under the Tenant Anti-Harassment Act

      New York Law Journal

      By: Scott E. Mollen May 15th, 2013 Landlord-Tenant—Tenant’s Harassment Claims Dismissed—Legal Fees Awarded to Landlord—Tenant Had Denied Landlord Access for Inspection and Repair The petitioner tenant had commenced a harassment proceeding against the landlord, alleging that the landlord “either used force, threatened the use of force or implied the use of force; repeatedly brought court cases against her for no good reason; and repeatedly caused or permitted acts or omissions that substantially interfered with or disturbed her comfort, peace or...

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    • Photo of a calculator, expenses and a house

      Reducing Refinancing Expenses

      The New York Times

      Reducing Refinancing Expenses

      The New York Times

      By: Lisa Prevost May 23rd, 2013 New York homeowners looking to refinance an existing mortgage don’t have to pay the state’s mortgage recording tax all over again. Yet they may end up doing so if their lenders don’t cooperate. The state charges a recording tax on new mortgage debt. The rate varies by county, with the minimum being 1.05 percent of the loan amount. The rate is highest in New York State, where borrowers pay 1.8 percent of the loan...

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    • September Super Lawyers logo

      Nine Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars in 2013

      Nine Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars in 2013

      Congratulations to the 8 Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. attorneys named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars in 2013. Founding partner Adam Leitman Bailey was announced as Super Lawyer for the sixth year, along with Colin E. Kaufman for the second year and John M. Desiderio and Jeffrey R. Metz for their first year. Mrs. Courtney Killelea Lerias and Carolyn Z. Rualo were announced as Super Lawyer Rising Star for the second year in a row and Jackie Halpern Weinstein for their...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Resolves Credit Report Mix Up at the Closing Table

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Resolves Credit Report Mix Up at the Closing Table

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. recently represented a lender on a residential mortgage refinance where the borrower had an extremely common first and last name. The borrower was 82 years old and desperately needed to refinance for a lower rate. On the day of closing a last minute condition was sent by an underwriter for the lender. The borrower’s daughter-in-law shared the same first and last name as the borrower and had previously resided at the borrower’s home. The borrower’s son...

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    • Chambers and Partners logo

      Chambers and Partners Selects Adam Leitman Bailey as a Leading Real Estate Lawyer for its Chambers USA; Only one of three New York Firms with Fewer Than 30 attorneys to receive this honor and only real estate litigation firm.

      Chambers and Partners Selects Adam Leitman Bailey as a Leading Real Estate Lawyer for its Chambers USA; Only one of three New York Firms with Fewer Than 30 attorneys to receive this honor and only real estate litigation firm.

      Adam Leitman Bailey has been selected by Chambers & Partners to achieve ranking in “Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” and has been recognized as one of New York’s leading real estate lawyers. This is one of the highest honors a real estate attorney can achieve in his career. Out of 163,798 lawyers practicing law in New York and hundreds of law firms listed in Chambers, only three firms with less than 30 attorneys in New York have been...

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    • November Photo of a home being remodeled

      Landlord Ordered to Make Major Repairs to Apartment

      The New York Post

      Landlord Ordered to Make Major Repairs to Apartment

      The New York Post

      [A] conversion has sparked several confrontations of the kind familiar when rent-stabilized apartments are vacated so they can be turned into luxury condos. [The current owner] bought the 1940 property at East 71st Street in 2011 with CIM Group and other partners in a deal valued at $360 million. Work has progressed rapidly, and exterior brick recently emerged from under a scaffold, gleaming and with new windows. [He] induced many tenants to move out with generous buyouts, including in some...

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    • December

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Jeffrey R. Metz Has More Real Estate Appellate Wins Than Any Other Practicing Attorney in New York

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Jeffrey R. Metz Has More Real Estate Appellate Wins Than Any Other Practicing Attorney in New York

      Jeffrey R. Metz has participated in many of the most important New York real estate decisions of this generation. Jeffrey R. Metz has prepared and argued over two hundred and fifty appeals, approximately one hundred and fifty of which have been officially reported. A review of twenty-five years of the Housing Court Reporter shows Bureau Chief Jeffrey R. Metz as one of the most frequently appearing and winning practitioners before New York’s appellate courts. In fact, an in-house study using...

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    • NYC crane collapse preview image

      Appeals Court OKs Lifting Seal on Turtle Bay Crane Collapse Wrongful Death Settlements

      The Real Deal

      Appeals Court OKs Lifting Seal on Turtle Bay Crane Collapse Wrongful Death Settlements

      The Real Deal

      By: Hiten Samtani May 10th, 2013 A New York state appeals court has upheld a lower court judge’s decision to unseal documents relating to multiple wrongful death settlements in a 2008 Turtle Bay crane collapse, The Real Deal has learned. The site is home to HFZ Capital Group’s Halcyon NY condominium development. The March 2008 crane accident at 303 East 51st Street, between First and Second avenues, killed seven people and damaged nearby buildings, including the site of restaurant Crave...

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    • Super Lawyers logo

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Has More Super Lawyers and Super Lawyer Rising Stars Than Any Other New York City Real Estate Law Firm With Under 30 Attorneys

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Has More Super Lawyers and Super Lawyer Rising Stars Than Any Other New York City Real Estate Law Firm With Under 30 Attorneys

      In 2013, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. received a greater number of Super Lawyers and Super Lawyer Rising Stars in New York City than any other real estate law firm with fewer than 30 attorneys. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is also the only real estate litigation law firm with under 30 attorneys that has also received recognition from Chambers and Partners, AV® Martindale-Hubbell rating, Super Lawyers honors, and selection into the Registry of Preeminent Lawyers as well as the American College...

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    • January Highest Rating From Martindale Hubbell Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Receives Highest Rating From Martindale Hubbell

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Receives Highest Rating From Martindale Hubbell

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is proud to receive an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the country’s preeminent lawyer rating service. An “AV” rating signifies a firm that has “achieved the highest levels of professional skill and integrity.” Six attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. have received this prestigious honor including Adam Leitman Bailey, John M. Desiderio, Colin Kaufman, Jeffrey Metz.. Less than 14% of attorneys throughout the entire United States are “AV” Rated. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is one of four...

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    • Jury Trial Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Jury Trial Evicting Tenant for Failing to Use the Premises as Primary Residence

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Jury Trial Evicting Tenant for Failing to Use the Premises as Primary Residence

      When a landlord sought Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s help after his tenant abused his privileges of maintaining his rent-stabilized apartment as his primary residence, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully defended the landlord and swiftly prevailed at trial. In April of 2011, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. issued a Combined nNotice of Non-Renewal of Lease and Intention to Commence Summary Proceedings based on non-primary residence. The tenant, however, claimed that he was, in fact, residing at...

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    • Fire Violations Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defends One of the Largest Telecommunications Companies Against Fire Violations and Assists in Obtaining Indemnification from Landlord

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defends One of the Largest Telecommunications Companies Against Fire Violations and Assists in Obtaining Indemnification from Landlord

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully defended one of the largest telecommunications companies, with operations and locations throughout New York City, against four (4) fire violations that were issued by the Nassau County Fire Marshal (“NCFM”), as a result of forty-seven (47) false alarms in the subject warehouse, which the client rented from the landlord. The false alarms were allegedly caused by pigeons that flew into the warehouse through the open loading docks. Apparently, the state-of-the-art fire alarm system that was...

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    • Invoking Extremely Rarely Used and Nearly Unheard of Procedures, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Secures a Judgment of Eviction Against a Condominium Unit Owner for Offensive and Disturbing Behavior

      Invoking Extremely Rarely Used and Nearly Unheard of Procedures, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Secures a Judgment of Eviction Against a Condominium Unit Owner for Offensive and Disturbing Behavior

      On behalf of a Queens County Condominium, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. brought a Supreme Court action for ejectment and nuisance against the owner of a particular condominium unit and the owner’s son who actually occupied the unit. Over a period in excess of two years, the owner’s son engaged in a pattern of behavior designed to shock, humiliate, intimidate, and terrorize the other residents of the condominium. Specifically, the occupant had, on more than one occasion, exposed himself to other...

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    • Photo of New York City skyline

      The Real Deal Credits Adam Leitman Bailey as First Lawyer in NYC to Use the ILSA Provision to Get Buyers Out of Contracts in Wake of The Financial Crisis

      The Real Deal

      The Real Deal Credits Adam Leitman Bailey as First Lawyer in NYC to Use the ILSA Provision to Get Buyers Out of Contracts in Wake of The Financial Crisis

      The Real Deal

      By: Hiten Samati September 27th, 2013 The U.S. House of Representatives handed condominium developers a significant victory Thursday, unanimously passing a bill that exempts condos from filing and registration requirements mandated by the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act, commonly referred to as ILSA. Under the bill, known as H.R. 2600, developers of new condos or time-shares with at least 99 units will no longer have to register their buildings with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Though...

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    • February Court Rulings Preview Image

      Court Rules Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Client’s Security Measures Were Appropriate Under Circumstances

      Court Rules Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Client’s Security Measures Were Appropriate Under Circumstances

      This case was based on the non-delegable duty of a building owner to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of residents and visitors to the premises. The plaintiff was a resident who had a fleeting sexual relationship with two women. The women saw a bag of white powder they concluded was cocaine (but was actually cassava flour) in the apartment. The two returned with three male accomplices who gained entry to the building utilizing what the plaintiff alleged was...

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    • GMAC Mortgage Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Priority Position for GMAC Mortgage, LLC

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Priority Position for GMAC Mortgage, LLC

      In GMAC Mortgage, LLC v. Guzman, et. al., Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. won a decision and order declaring that GMAC’s mortgage is secured by a first priority interest in a Brooklyn property, even though a different lender, who gave a mortgage one day prior, won the race to record. In 2007, when GMAC gave the mortgage, it appeared to be a first priority lien. Upon recording the mortgage, however, GMAC discovered that a different lender recorded a mortgage purportedly secured...

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    • Force Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Record-Breaking Sum in Settlement for Tenant Being Forced Out of Home

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Record-Breaking Sum in Settlement for Tenant Being Forced Out of Home

      Hired to stop the landlord from decreasing services and to arrange for a sale of a lease where Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client’s family would never have to worry about money again, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. plunged into immediate action. After a week of trial, conducted by Adam Leitman Bailey and Christopher Halligan, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. prevailed with the court ordering all repairs and setting the matter down for further proceedings to award the client attorney fees and determinations...

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    • Tenants Forced Out Preview Image

      Worst Nightmare of Tenant Forced Out for a Pittance

      Worst Nightmare of Tenant Forced Out for a Pittance

      Faced with an accurately self-described “your worst nightmare” of a tenant, a landlord retained Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to bring a nuisance proceeding to have the tenant evicted after she had chased out numerous decent tenants from the building and sexually assaulted the building superintendent’s wife. Amongst the tenant’s antics were abusive and obscene voicemails, threats of physical violence against building residents and staff, a YouTube posting of cruelty to a pet cat inside the tenant’s apartment, and Facebook postings...

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    • March Overcrowding Preview Image

      Squeezing Out Evidence of Apartment Overcrowding

      Real Estate Weekly

      Squeezing Out Evidence of Apartment Overcrowding

      Real Estate Weekly

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Treiman For middle class American society, the idea of the minimum amount of space one would want to live in is vastly larger than standards accepted as absolutely normal in other times, places, and cultures. Consider that a 64 square foot igloo is commonly said to comfortably house five adults. However, any New York landlord looking at five adults living in an 8 ft. x 8 ft. apartment would be on the phone with...

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    • Best Law Firm Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is Only One of Five New York Real Estate Law Firms with Under 30 Attorneys to be Selected as a 2014 “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News and World Report

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is Only One of Five New York Real Estate Law Firms with Under 30 Attorneys to be Selected as a 2014 “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News and World Report

      In 2014, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is one of five New York Real Estate Law Firms with under 30 attorneys to be selected as a “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News and World Report Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is also the only real estate litigation law firm with under 30 attorneys that has received recognition from Chambers and Partners, AV® Martindale-Hubbell rating, Super Lawyers honors, and selection into the Registry of Preeminent Lawyers as well as the American College of...

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    • Succession Laws Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses “Non-Traditional Family” Succession Laws to Prevail at Trial for Landlord After Original Firm Throws in Towel

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses “Non-Traditional Family” Succession Laws to Prevail at Trial for Landlord After Original Firm Throws in Towel

      In March of 2013, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., received an email from a prominent New York City landlord asking for help with a succession case. The occupant was attempting to succeed to a rent-controlled apartment after the recent death of the tenant of record. The occupant was in her early twenties. The monthly rent was less than $300. The potential long-term losses for the landlord were enormous. A licensee case had already been started by another respected law firm. Discovery...

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    • April Law Rules Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Use of Arcane and Recently Amended Loft Law Rules Results in Landlord Paying Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars and Awarding a Two-Year Rent Waiver for Apartment Lease

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Use of Arcane and Recently Amended Loft Law Rules Results in Landlord Paying Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars and Awarding a Two-Year Rent Waiver for Apartment Lease

      For decades, the tenant lived in a tiny Alphabet City apartment located in a commercial building. Three years ago the tenant learned that the building owner was selling the building to new investors who were planning to convert it to luxury condominium apartments. The owner began to shut off essential building and apartment services. The owner threatened to evict her and offered nothing more than moving expenses. When the building was sold, the new owner quickly brought an eviction case...

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    • Home Driveway Pursuant Preview Image

      Using an Unpublished Contractor Decision by Judge and Finite Details of General Business Law, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails at Trial

      Using an Unpublished Contractor Decision by Judge and Finite Details of General Business Law, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails at Trial

      The client, a Westchester County homeowner, was sued for a full repaving of a home driveway pursuant to a written contract. The work was done in what the plaintiff contractor asserted was a workmanlike manner; the client was dissatisfied because of defective installation work and collateral damage to the property. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. did not draft the pleadings and was substituted in as counsel only a few months pre-trial. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. prepared a two-pronged defense, based legally...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Case for Commercial Property Seller: Contract Disclaimers Are Enforceable

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Case for Commercial Property Seller: Contract Disclaimers Are Enforceable

      This case strongly reaffirms that with respect to real property transactions, the parties will be held to the terms of the agreement(s) they made. In this case, the plaintiff had entered into agreements with the seller to purchase a building in a piecemeal fashion. The purchaser first purchased a 7 % interest for two million dollars and agreed to purchase the remaining 93% for approximately another 16 million dollars by a date certain. The agreement contained a provision that in...

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    • May Commercial Tenants Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Eviction Allows Developer to Demolish on Time

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Eviction Allows Developer to Demolish on Time

      The property owner/developer needed the removal of all commercial tenants in order to begin demolition before end-of-year. Although the commercial tenants had no leases, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was given only two months to obtain possession. The tenant’s answer created several creative and some not so creative defenses to the eviction action. Taking a risk by moving for summary judgment on the cases instead of proceeding to a trial and praying that the judge would decide the case from the...

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    • Section 8 Preview Image

      Through Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Efforts, a Developmentally Disabled Adult Has His Section 8 Benefits Restored and Is Able to Retain His Apartment

      Through Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Efforts, a Developmentally Disabled Adult Has His Section 8 Benefits Restored and Is Able to Retain His Apartment

      Section 8 benefits provide a needed subsidy for the less fortunate and especially for those who are developmentally disabled. One such disabled adult came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. after his Section 8 benefits had been terminated by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (“HPD”). An investigator for HPD had claimed that the adult was not primarily residing in his apartment but rather in a cooperative apartment that he owned. At a hearing before HPD, the adult and his...

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    • Tenant Preview image

      Tenant Sues for Harassment, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins for Landlord and Obtains Attorney Fee Award

      Tenant Sues for Harassment, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins for Landlord and Obtains Attorney Fee Award

      When a landlord sought Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s help after his tenant commenced a harassment proceeding, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. defended the landlord, prevailed on the case, and were awarded legal fees. This case demonstrates the shortcomings of an overly aggressive attorney pushing a weak position and getting punished for it. A tenant alleged that her landlord used force, threatened the use of force or implied the use of force; repeatedly brought court cases against her for...

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    • June Top Women Attorneys Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has more attorneys named in the Top Women Attorneys in the New York Metro Area than any other firm

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has more attorneys named in the Top Women Attorneys in the New York Metro Area than any other firm

      NEW YORK, N.Y. – 22 % of the Top 50 Women Attorneys in New York metropolitan area in 2014 are from Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. The Top Women Attorneys in the New York Metro Area appeared in the March 12th, 2014 issue of The New York Times Magazine. The New York Times only featured 18 real estate attorneys – of which 22% were attorneys from Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.  The feature was sponsored by Super Lawyers. The Adam Leitman Bailey,P.C....

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    • Fire Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Succeeds in Brokering a Favorable Buyout for Residential Tenants Whose Apartment Was Substantially Damaged by a Fire

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Succeeds in Brokering a Favorable Buyout for Residential Tenants Whose Apartment Was Substantially Damaged by a Fire

      In this matter, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, famous American singer, songwriter and composer Lesley Gore (“It’s My Party” & “You Don’t Own Me”) and her longtime partner, were lessees of a residential unit, which was substantially destroyed as a result of a fire. The New York City Fire Department investigated the loss and opined that the fire was caused by a candle at the foot of the clients’ bed that lit the bedsheets on fire and spread to the...

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    • Commercial Tenant Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Rescues a Commercial Tenant From Eviction and a Nine Million Dollar Judgment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Rescues a Commercial Tenant From Eviction and a Nine Million Dollar Judgment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained as appellate counsel to prosecute an appeal for a commercial tenant who, as a result of making one late rent payment, had a judgment of possession entered against it as well as a subsequent money judgment for more than nine (9) million dollars for use and occupancy. The possessory judgment was granted on summary judgment. Needing a vehicle to reverse the judgment and get the tenant to trial, the firm was able to successfully...

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    • Emergency Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Visits Emergency Room to Get Loan Closed

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Visits Emergency Room to Get Loan Closed

      Snowy days will not slow down the transactional department at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. During a recent snowstorm Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represented a lender at a real property purchase closing in Westchester county. The purchasers were a lovely working couple purchasing their first home. Although the husband arrived early to the closing, his wife, who is a veterinarian, was called in for emergency surgery at the last moment and was not going to make it to the closing. It...

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    • Condominium Board NYC Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Mortgage Foreclosure, Protecting Interest of Condominium Board in Apartment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Mortgage Foreclosure, Protecting Interest of Condominium Board in Apartment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was hired to represent an Upper East Side condominium board in litigation involving a defaulting unit owner and her mortgage lender. The unit owner had stopped paying both her mortgage and her common charges, leading the lender to bring a mortgage foreclosure. Because New York law provides that a condominium’s charge lien is secondary to the mortgage on the unit, the foreclosure action prevented the condo from enforcing its lien for its charges. Had the condominium...

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    • Fraud Claims Preview Image

      Fraud Claims Against HPD Not Time-Barred

      New York Law Journal

      Fraud Claims Against HPD Not Time-Barred

      New York Law Journal

      By: Brendan Pierson June 30th, 2014 A Manhattan judge has ruled that claims accusing the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and developers of defrauding residents in a city-assisted co-op conversion in upper Manhattan can proceed. Supreme Court Justice Joan Madden’s (See Profile) decision in Peny & Co. v. 936-938 Cliffcrest Housing Development Fund Corp., 850011/13, declined to add claims against HPD immediately, but said that the residents will be able to renew their motion to add those claims after...

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    • July Harlem Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Devours World’s Largest Submarine Sandwich Franchise

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Devours World’s Largest Submarine Sandwich Franchise

      When a Harlem landlord needed to evict the largest national submarine franchise and its franchisee, who operated the subject space, from its building for failure to pay rent, it turned to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. for assistance. Prior to initiating this commercial nonpayment proceeding, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. had also filed a residential nonpayment proceeding against the franchisee’s principal, who resided in the same building, on behalf of the landlord. Immediately after Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. commenced the commercial eviction...

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    • August Eviction Completed Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Trial: Tenant’s Waiver and Oral Agreement Claims Dismissed; Eviction Completed Within Three Months.

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Trial: Tenant’s Waiver and Oral Agreement Claims Dismissed; Eviction Completed Within Three Months.

      When a landlord sought Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s help after his tenant exceeded the stay of his commercial lease, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. defended the landlord and swiftly prevailed on the case. In May of 2013, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. issued a 30-Day Notice of Termination to evict a tenant whose lease had expired in August of the previous year. The tenant, however, claimed that he made a verbal agreement with the landlord that...

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    • Fraud Defense Preview Image

      Sponsor Foreclosure of Super’s Unit Thwarted by Board’s Novel Fraud Defense

      Sponsor Foreclosure of Super’s Unit Thwarted by Board’s Novel Fraud Defense

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represents a board of a large Manhattan condominium that is in dispute with the condominium’s sponsor-developer over construction defects and misuse of condominium funds. Upon hiring the firm, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. performed a detailed review of all potential claims Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. may have against the condominium’s sponsor-developer. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. discovered that the previous sponsor-controlled board signed a mortgage and note with the sponsor with respect to conveyance of the superintendent’s apartment....

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    • East Village Walk Up Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Blocks Multimillion-Dollar Deal on an East Village Walk-Up Hours Before It Was Set to Close and Obtains Favorable Settlement for Client

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Blocks Multimillion-Dollar Deal on an East Village Walk-Up Hours Before It Was Set to Close and Obtains Favorable Settlement for Client

      After a respected Manhattan-based real estate investment firm discovered that its former vice president of acquisitions stole an investment opportunity to purchase an East Village walk-up that the employee was presented with during the scope of his employment, it turned to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. for assistance. Instead of presenting this business opportunity to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client first, as he had a duty to do, the former executive decided to acquire the property for his own pecuniary interest...

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    • September Condo Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Negotiates and Obtains One of the Largest Condominium Settlements for a Deficiently-Built, Newly Constructed Building in New York City History

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Negotiates and Obtains One of the Largest Condominium Settlements for a Deficiently-Built, Newly Constructed Building in New York City History

      The board of managers of a very large new-construction Manhattan condominium tried to compel the sponsor-developer of the condominium to remediate the multitude of construction defects and reimburse the board for expenses that were improperly incurred when the sponsor-developer controlled the board. The sponsor-developer is one of the city’s largest and most active developers, and the sponsor-developer refused to acknowledge the board’s concerns. After years of unsuccessfully trying to get the sponsor-developer to engage in settlement talks with another law...

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    • Supreme Court Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Victory at the Supreme Court, Appellate Division Vindicates Client’s Rights to Parents’ Property After Decades-Long Family Dispute

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Victory at the Supreme Court, Appellate Division Vindicates Client’s Rights to Parents’ Property After Decades-Long Family Dispute

      After a long and fiercely contested battle, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. recently prevailed at the Supreme Court Appellate Division, Second Department, resolving decades-old issues involving a family’s proportionate ownership interests in a two-family Brooklyn house. The court agreed with Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s arguments that the issues relating to the property were actually litigated or should have been raised years ago in the context of an estate proceeding in Florida and that the order of the Florida court should be...

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    • Upper East Side Campus Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Rescues Condominium From Combination With University

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Rescues Condominium From Combination With University

      Winning at the Governmental Agencies Retained to stop the Upper East Side campus expansion plans of the country’s largest private institution (the “University”) that involved the proposed construction of putting a hole in the side of our client’s building to create an above ground tunnel to connect its building, the landmarked Duke House, with a donated commercial space in Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client’s neighboring building – in the alley between the two structures on one of NYC’s most coveted...

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    • Upper West Side Condos Preview Image

      Saving a Condominium Building From Demolition

      Saving a Condominium Building From Demolition

      The plaintiff, the owner of two third-floor units at a residential condominium on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, brought suit against Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s clients, the condominium sponsor and its corporate affiliates. The plaintiff alleged that she had contracted with the sponsor to purchase the units during 2007 in reliance on the sponsor’s representations that a planned commercial community facility space the sponsor intended to develop – as yet, unconstructed – would not exceed two stories in height. When the...

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    • Photo of 1 East 78th Street

      NYU expansion at Sheldon Solow-donated space suffers setback

      The Real Deal

      NYU expansion at Sheldon Solow-donated space suffers setback

      The Real Deal

      By: Hiten Samtani June 3rd, 2014 New York University’s plans to connect its Upper East Side fine arts institute with a donated space in a neighboring building appear to have been quashed by that building’s condo board, which claims the university’s plans require the board’s consent. The institute operates from a 40,000-square-foot-space at 1 East 78th Street. NYU hoped to gain even more room by connecting the building to a neighboring, six-story, 13-unit building at 3 East 78th Street via...

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    • Alley Preview Image

      Seeking to Expand an Uptown Site, N.Y.U. Finds Itself in an Alley Fight

      The New York Times

      Seeking to Expand an Uptown Site, N.Y.U. Finds Itself in an Alley Fight

      The New York Times

      By: Matt A. V. Chaban June 2nd, 2014 “I am shocked and appalled at N.Y.U.,” Aldo Bozzi shouted during a community board meeting two weeks ago. “And this is just beginning. New York is going to decay if this is going to be permitted.” For the nation’s largest private university, this has become a familiar lament, but this time it comes from unfamiliar territory. Rather than the professors, radicals and bohemian celebrities in its native Greenwich Village who have assailed...

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    • Controlled Tenant Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves Remarkable $1.6 Million Buyout for Rent Controlled Tenant

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves Remarkable $1.6 Million Buyout for Rent Controlled Tenant

      Facts: In April 2014, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was contacted by a 75-year-old rent-controlled tenant after the new owner/landlord of her building asked her to move out of her apartment. The tenant/client had lived in the five-story walkup building—located on one of the trendiest blocks in Manhattan’s West Village—for over 52 years and was the building’s sole remaining occupant. In May 2013, the new landlord purchased the building with the intention of turning it into a single-family townhouse. Of course,...

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    • Brooklyn Properties Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Unveils Seller Lies and Saves Client-Investor From Losing Millions

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Unveils Seller Lies and Saves Client-Investor From Losing Millions

      A property investor client came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. for advice on whether it should purchase two Brooklyn properties. Their primary concern was rent stabilization and its impact, if any, on the buildings and future income. The day after Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. received the sales package, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. scheduled a visit to the seller’s management office and within moments began unveiling misrepresentations. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s due diligence team caught the seller in such a vast...

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    • Eviction Preview Image

      Winning an Overcharge Case Against Tenant Leads to Eviction: Using Detective Tactics Thousands in Rent Arrears Collected

      Winning an Overcharge Case Against Tenant Leads to Eviction: Using Detective Tactics Thousands in Rent Arrears Collected

      A residential tenant who accumulated over $25,000 in rent arrears vacated the apartment leaving the landlord with a substantial money judgment that was considered uncollectible until her whereabouts were uncovered after Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s victory in this overcharge case. The tenant commenced this overcharge case in 2011. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, the current owner, was almost willing to abandon enforcement of the judgment until the Division of Housing and Community Renewal resurrected this overcharge case after it had...

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    • United States Senate Preview Image

      Senate Votes to Strike Down ILSA Requirements for Condos

      The Real Deal

      Senate Votes to Strike Down ILSA Requirements for Condos

      The Real Deal

      By: Hiten Samtani September 19th, 2014 Condominium developers scored a major coup last night, as the United States Senate voted unanimously to pass a bill that exempts condos from filing and registration requirements mandated by the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act, commonly referred to as ILSA. Having now cleared both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the bill will move on to the White House to be signed into law. Once that happens, developers of new condos or...

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    • Photo of Stuyvesant town

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Is Given Largest “Due Diligence” Project Since Stuyvesant Town — This Time Representing the Lender

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Is Given Largest “Due Diligence” Project Since Stuyvesant Town — This Time Representing the Lender

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s due diligence team was given five business days to investigate a building portfolio of over 1,100 condominium units, educate the borrower on the process of deregulation and what pitfalls to expect, and determine whether the seller was withholding information about the buildings’ participation in the J-51 and 421a tax benefit programs. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. revealed that all the buildings, not just two of them, as was represented by the seller, at some point in time...

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    • Luxury Condominium Penthouse Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Halts the Illegal Sale of a Luxury Condominium Penthouse

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Halts the Illegal Sale of a Luxury Condominium Penthouse

      After the residents of a luxury condominium in Washington Heights learned that their building was riddled with severe water infiltration issues, mold and substantial structural problems resulting from shoddy construction work performed by the sponsor, they retained Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to bring a lawsuit against the sponsor. Ultimately, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was successful in the Supreme Court in obtaining a judgment against the sponsor in the underlying construction defect lawsuit. However, while the condominium’s case against the sponsor...

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    • RICO Claim Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses Fraud/ RICO Claim to Extend Statute of Limitations

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses Fraud/ RICO Claim to Extend Statute of Limitations

      By: Brendan Pierson June 30th, 2014 A Manhattan judge has ruled that claims accusing the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and developers of defrauding residents in a city-assisted co-op conversion in upper Manhattan can proceed. Supreme Court Justice Joan Madden’s (See Profile) decision in Peny & Co. v. 936-938 Cliffcrest Housing Development Fund Corp., 850011/13, declined to add claims against HPD immediately, but said that the residents will be able to renew their motion to add those claims after...

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    • October Construction Project Preview Image

      The Attempt to Stop a 154-Million Dollar Construction Project

      The Attempt to Stop a 154-Million Dollar Construction Project

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. received a call from a very large clients that an adversary was filing an emergency action the next day at State Supreme Court. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. had a guess as to the claim but no papers or threats in our hands to defend against. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. began defending what it thought would be the best case they could bring. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. did not want to show up in court without a...

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    • Soho Commercial Lease Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Client From Forfeiture of Its Valuable Commercial Lease in SoHo Just in the Nick of Time

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Client From Forfeiture of Its Valuable Commercial Lease in SoHo Just in the Nick of Time

      When one of the world’s largest oriental rug and home furnishings wholesalers came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. for help to defend it in an eviction proceeding instituted by its landlord that its prior counsel mishandled, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. had little time to spare. Over twenty years ago, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client entered into a long-term commercial lease with the landlord for retail space (the “Premises”) in a loft building in SoHo – New York City’s hottest retail...

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    • Foreclosed Condo Preview Image

      Owners of Foreclosed Condo Can’t Return, Judge Concludes

      New York Law Journal

      Owners of Foreclosed Condo Can’t Return, Judge Concludes

      New York Law Journal

      By Ben Bedell A claim by owners of a condominium that they were illegally locked out of their apartment was rejected by a Manhattan Housing Court judge who noted that the apartment was in foreclosure and their eviction was inevitable. Judge Jack Stoller (See Profile) said three factors “weighed heavily” in his decision not to restore possession to Lourdes Lejano and her family: the fact that none of the petitioners maintained the premises as their “actual home;” that the individual...

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    • Travel Preview Image

      Landlord-Tenant—Rent Stabilization—Jury Found Tenant Was Non-Primary Resident and Landlord Was Awarded Judgment of Possession—Tenant Claimed That He Traveled for Business and Analogized to Touring Entertainers

      New York Law Journal

      Landlord-Tenant—Rent Stabilization—Jury Found Tenant Was Non-Primary Resident and Landlord Was Awarded Judgment of Possession—Tenant Claimed That He Traveled for Business and Analogized to Touring Entertainers

      New York Law Journal

      By: Scott E. Mollen August 20th, 2014 A jury had rendered a verdict in favor of the landlord in a non-primary residence proceeding. The tenant thereafter moved, inter alia, for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The court denied the motion and awarded the landlord a final judgment of possession. The landlord contended that the tenant had spent 80 percent of his time in Argentina, living at a “2400 square foot house that he was redecorating for the better part of...

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    • Park Slope Brooklyn Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Tough Advocacy Results in Pre-Answer Settlement for Condominium Sponsor

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Tough Advocacy Results in Pre-Answer Settlement for Condominium Sponsor

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represented a prominent real estate investment fund known for developing and redeveloping real estate in densely populated, ethnically-diverse urban communities. In this case, the firm was engaged by the fund to represent the sponsor and principals of a mixed-use, 47-unit residential/two-unit commercial condominium in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. In 2011, the condominium’s board of managers commenced a lawsuit against the sponsor and principals, alleging construction and design deficiencies in the condominium building’s window-wall system...

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    • Reserve Fund Law Preview Image

      Sponsors Busted: Reserve Fund Law Plain Meaning Upheld

      Sponsors Busted: Reserve Fund Law Plain Meaning Upheld

      The board of managers of a conversion condominium hired Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to pursue the condominium’s sponsor for construction defects in the condominium. Because it was a conversion and not a new construction condominium, recourse for construction defects is limited. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. investigated and discovered that the statutorily required reserve fund was underfunded. The sponsor used insider discount sales prices as the prices it used to calculate the amount of the reserve fund, rather than the price...

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    • Super Lawyers Rising Stars Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Named Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2014

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Named Super Lawyers Rising Stars 2014

      Super Lawyers magazine identified the top attorneys in the New York Metro area based on an independent survey of nearly 90,000 attorneys. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is proud to say it has more Super Lawyers Rising Stars than any other real estate firm in the New York Metro area. Super Lawyers 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 selection process is multi-phased...

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    • November cooperative apartment preview image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Trial Protecting Shareholder Who Claimed Holder of Unsold Shares Status Against Cooperative Board’s Illegal Sublet Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Trial Protecting Shareholder Who Claimed Holder of Unsold Shares Status Against Cooperative Board’s Illegal Sublet Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was recently called upon to represent a shareholder against a cooperative board’s holdover proceeding brought on the grounds of an alleged illegal sublet of her apartment. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. prevailed after a three day trial. In 2008, when the client saw an advertisement for a cooperative apartment for sale in Brooklyn, she was excited to learn from the seller’s broker that the apartment was being sold directly by the sponsor. This meant that if she...

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    • Upper East Side town house preview image

      Lawsuit Avoided by Creative Lawyering to Allow Client to Build Without Moving Client’s Wall

      Lawsuit Avoided by Creative Lawyering to Allow Client to Build Without Moving Client’s Wall

      The wall of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s clients’ building encroached upon the neighbor’s Upper East Side town house property by 3-5 inches according to his lawyers. The neighbor’s attorneys provided a survey purportedly evidencing same. Instead of engaging in a multi-year and expensive lawsuit, Adam Leitman Bailey proposed getting the engineers and contractors together to come up with a solution. At the meeting, Adam Leitman Bailey used his summer of building homes in Tzfat Israel to show the neighbor how...

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    • Rent Regulated Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Finds Smoking Gun That Building Is Rent Regulated Despite Seller’s Representations

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Finds Smoking Gun That Building Is Rent Regulated Despite Seller’s Representations

      A sophisticated property owner hired Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to do the due diligence to purchase two multi-family buildings. Each building was only five units and hence marketed as having no rent-regulated tenancies in either building. By the end of our search of the Department of Buildings, the Division of Housing and Community Renewal, and the Supreme and housing Courts,  Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. located a Division of Housing and Community Renewal decision that declared both buildings to have enough...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Legal Battle for a Holocaust Survivor, Finding Him a New Home

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Legal Battle for a Holocaust Survivor, Finding Him a New Home

      Chaim Indig, an 83-year-old Auschwitz survivor from Boro Park, is now able to live out of his days peacefully and comfortably in a handicapped-accessible luxury apartment in Midwood, known as the Premier House thanks to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Read more about this case below:

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    • Photo of Manhattan co-op

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves a Piece of History

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves a Piece of History

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, a shareholder in a land-marked, prestigious cooperative apartment building faced a unique challenge:the cooperative was responsible for maintaining the windows in his unit that were installed in mid-century and pivoted in and out. However, the cooperative failed to maintain the windows and a leaking condition ensued. When the shareholder sought to have the leaks and windows repaired, a cooperative obligation under the proprietary lease, the cooperative sought to replace the unique windows and replace them...

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    • Willis Report Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey Appears on The Willis Report to Discuss Drop In Mortgage Rates

      Fox News

      Adam Leitman Bailey Appears on The Willis Report to Discuss Drop In Mortgage Rates

      Fox News

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    • BCHS Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Client Honors Christopher Halligan at the Brooklyn Community Housing & Services Gala 2014

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Client Honors Christopher Halligan at the Brooklyn Community Housing & Services Gala 2014

      April 30, 2014 – Brooklyn Community Housing and Services(BCHS) proudly honors Christopher Halligan,Esq.for providing expert legal services to BCHS; and for always demostrating thoughtfulness and compassion when handling sensitive matters for BCHS and its formerly homeless tenants. Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. is honored to be able to assist our client, BCHS & Jeff Nemetsky with the wonderful work they do. BCHS is committed to ending homelessness in Brooklyn. Each year, they provide safe and clean supportive housing for more than 1,000...

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    • December Road Block Nyc Preview Image

      Defeated Negative Amortization Recordation Roadblock

      Defeated Negative Amortization Recordation Roadblock

      Reason for retaining Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.: The insured could not record a mortgage and a Consolidation, Extension, and Modification Agreement (“CEMA”), thereby leaving the insured open to potential claims by lienors with liens actually inferior to the insured’s. Result: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. determined that the mortgage and CEMA reflected a negative amortization in Section 4 of the adjustable rate rider, and that the Suffolk County Clerk refused to accept them for recordation because the numeric amounts written on...

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    • Division Of Housing Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Appeal: Family Can Keep Apartment Despite Error, Panel Finds

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Appeal: Family Can Keep Apartment Despite Error, Panel Finds

      By: Brendan Pierson April 15th, 2014 New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development cannot reconsider its decision to give a four-bedroom subsidized co-op to a family of five, against its normal rules, because the other family challenging the decision has no standing to sue, a state appeals court recently found. The unanimous Appellate Division, First Department panel ruled in Echevarria v. Wambua, 103396/12, that there was no grounds for a remand, even though the housing agency said it...

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    • Construction Defects Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defends Condominium Board’s Claims for Construction Defects Against a Motion to Dismiss by the Sponsor and Architect

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defends Condominium Board’s Claims for Construction Defects Against a Motion to Dismiss by the Sponsor and Architect

      A recent decision from the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Kings upheld claims alleged by the board of managers of a Brooklyn condominium against its sponsor and architect for construction defects. In this action, the board of managers, represented by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., sought to recover damages for various construction defects, including lack of fire stopping and significant water infiltration into the building and units. The sponsor and the architect both moved to dismiss...

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    • Office Space Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Creative Lawyering Allows Major Company to Fend Off Bankruptcy, Acquire Six Months to Vacate Office Space and Waiver of Back Rent

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Creative Lawyering Allows Major Company to Fend Off Bankruptcy, Acquire Six Months to Vacate Office Space and Waiver of Back Rent

      A large company with over a thousand employees needed to downsize as a result of consumer’s use of the internet for shopping. The company owed over a hundred thousand dollars in back rent and needed time to find a subtenant for the commercial office space and time to make a deal with the landlord before being evicted. The commercial tenant gave the firm its mission–they needed Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to keep them in possession for three months. The landlord...

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    • Sprinkler Preview Image

      New Sprinkler-Notification Law Could Require Reissuing Proprietary Leases

      New Sprinkler-Notification Law Could Require Reissuing Proprietary Leases

      By Frank Lovece Dec. 26, 2014 — A New York State law that went into effect Dec. 3, requiring all residential leases to contain a notice about the building’s sprinkler system, appears to mandate that even co-op proprietary leases must be amended to reflect the language change. The new law also impacts leases offered by condominium homeowners renting their apartments as well as subleases offered by rental tenants and by co-op shareholders. The addition to the Section 231 of the...

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    • Little Italy Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Performs Extensive Due Diligence and Utilizes Spoliation of Evidence Doctrine in Swift Defeat of Landlord’s Non-Primary Residence Case Against Television Producer

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Performs Extensive Due Diligence and Utilizes Spoliation of Evidence Doctrine in Swift Defeat of Landlord’s Non-Primary Residence Case Against Television Producer

      When a Manhattan television producer – the longtime tenant of a rent-stabilized apartment in Little Italy – was served with a notice of lease termination from his landlord because the subject apartment was allegedly not his primary home, he turned to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to represent him. The landlord believed that because the client owned a second residential property in Long Island, he was spending an extended time away from his apartment and therefore, the apartment was not his...

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    • Tribeca Loft Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses Innovative Lawyering to Win Trial, Thereby Saving Tenant’s Large Tribeca Loft

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses Innovative Lawyering to Win Trial, Thereby Saving Tenant’s Large Tribeca Loft

      When the tenant – a Manhattan real estate broker – was served with a notice of petition and holdover petition seeking her eviction from her large Tribeca loft by her roommate because she allegedly illegally sublet her unit through Airbnb, she hired Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to represent her. The client originally entered into an oral month-to-month lease for her large Tribeca loft with her roommate’s mother, who represented to the client that she was the original tenant of record...

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    • Photo of New York City building

      Defining the Limits Of Liquidated Damages Clauses

      New York Law Journal

      Defining the Limits Of Liquidated Damages Clauses

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Treiman Real estate leases are, by their nature, bets the parties are placing on what the future may hold. Both landlord interests and tenant interests try to hedge their bets by inserting clauses to produce certain results in the event of an uncertain future. Chief among these mechanisms are liquidated damages clauses that seek to give to the event of breach of the contract at an unpredictable time with unpredictable consequences, certain quantification. The...

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    • January Photo of Manhattan co-op

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves a Piece of History

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves a Piece of History

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, a shareholder in a land-marked, prestigious cooperative apartment building faced a unique challenge:the cooperative was responsible for maintaining the windows in his unit that were installed in mid-century and pivoted in and out. However, the cooperative failed to maintain the windows and a leaking condition ensued. When the shareholder sought to have the leaks and windows repaired, a cooperative obligation under the proprietary lease, the cooperative sought to replace the unique windows and replace them...

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    • Photo of a fire sprinkler system

      New Law Requires Sprinkler System Clauses in Leases

      New York Law Journal

      New Law Requires Sprinkler System Clauses in Leases

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Treiman Effective Dec. 3, 2014, all residential leases in New York State require a notice to the tenant about the presence or absence of sprinkler systems in the “leased premises.” The new law, while defining what a sprinkler system is, does not define what a “lease” is or what “premises” are. The law is effective through the entire state of New York and appears to cover both main leases and subleases as well as...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Breaks New Legal Ground With Appellate Victory For Attorneys’ Fees On A Stipulation

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Breaks New Legal Ground With Appellate Victory For Attorneys’ Fees On A Stipulation

      Luxury penthouse apartment suffering from various deficiencies sued for damages Issue on appeal was whether attorneys awarded per contract to the prevailing party constituted one party surrendering the minute the first witness was called to the stand. The developer argued that since it provided unit owner 100 percent of the amounts owner would have possibly won after litigation before the trial started, the owner should not be able to collect attorney fees under a provision in the contract allowing the...

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    • Photo of elderly couple walking

      After a Domestic Partner Dies

      The New York Times

      After a Domestic Partner Dies

      The New York Times

      By: Ronda Kaysen January 17, 2015 Until his recent death, my uncle lived in a rent-controlled apartment for more than 40 years. His life partner had lived with him there for most of those years, but the lease was only in my uncle’s name. My uncle’s life partner would like to stay put, but I am not sure whether he has any right to stay in the apartment under the same rent-controlled status. Upper West Side, Manhattan Your uncle’s partner...

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    • Logo for Habitat Magazine

      How to Revise Governing Documents

      Habitat Magazine

      How to Revise Governing Documents

      Habitat Magazine

      By Adam Leitman Bailey The board had decided to revise its bylaws and proprietary lease. Now what? It is a familiar story: the co-op corporation’s bylaws and proprietary lease were antiquated. Both documents were poorly drafted, rife with internal inconsistencies and conflicts with current law. There were no longer relevant provisions regarding the original sponsor, and they were not adequately meeting the current needs of the co-op. The time to update had clearly come, and the board asked its attorneys...

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    • Photo of Uppear EastSide Buildings

      Tenant Association Defeats Landlord’s Major Capital Improvement Request With 99% Reduction in Amount Claimed; New Record Achieved

      Tenant Association Defeats Landlord’s Major Capital Improvement Request With 99% Reduction in Amount Claimed; New Record Achieved

      When owners make improvements or installations to a building subject to the rent-stabilization or rent-control laws, they can apply to the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) for approval to raise the rents of the rent regulated tenants based on the actual, verified cost of the major capital improvement (MCI). For rent-stabilized apartments there is a permanent prospective increase, and a temporary retroactive increase in the rent. For rent-controlled apartments, there is only a prospective increase. The rent increase...

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    • Photo of driveway lights

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails at the Appellate Division in Adverse Possession Case of First Impression

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails at the Appellate Division in Adverse Possession Case of First Impression

      In a case of first impression in the Second Department involving the law of adverse possession, the Appellate Division has ruled that pursuant to the amendment to Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law §543, de minimus non-structural encroachments are, as a matter of law, deemed permissive and non-adverse and cannot support a claim for adverse possession. In Hartman v. Goldman, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully represented the Goldman family before the Supreme Court and the Appellate Division. The plaintiffs, adjacent...

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    • Photo of New York Post on New York City skyline

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Against Trump Soho on Fraud Claims; Settlement Provides Millions of Dollars to Clients

      The New York Post

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Against Trump Soho on Fraud Claims; Settlement Provides Millions of Dollars to Clients

      The New York Post

      “They cried “fraud!” — and now, a bunch of well-heeled apartment hunters will get a staggering 90 percent of their deposits back on posh pads they intended to buy at the troubled Trump SoHo condo-hotel because they relied on the developers’ “deceptive” sales figures.  In a federal lawsuit settled yesterday, woulda-been buyers of 10 condos — including former French soccer star Olivier Dacourt — will get back 90 percent of $3.16 million (Not part of settlement total number is $5.197)...

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    • Photo looking up at New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Has Been at the Forefront of Some of the Most Monumental Real Estate Victories of the 21st Century

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Has Been at the Forefront of Some of the Most Monumental Real Estate Victories of the 21st Century

      As one of New York’s premier real estate litigation firms, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has participated and prevailed in many of the most important New York real estate cases of the new millennium, as reflected in numerous published and unpublished decisions on novel legal issues. The firm’s attorneys have won over a thousand cases in the courts of New York state, including State Supreme, Housing, Civil and Federal courts in addition to over 250 appellate court cases, many at New...

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    • Brooklyn Building preview image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Forces Sponsor to Donate an Additonal $21 Million to Repair and Renovate Building as Well as Obtaining Landlord’s Consent to Have Homeowner Association Board Members

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Forces Sponsor to Donate an Additonal $21 Million to Repair and Renovate Building as Well as Obtaining Landlord’s Consent to Have Homeowner Association Board Members

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. took on a Brooklyn-based developer after residents were forced to move into a building that lacked basic housing requirements and certainly failed to look and act like the multimillion-dollar apartment dwellings as listed in the marketing materials. The developer failed to complete the common elements, roof and other amenities. After Adam Leitman Bailey was hired to file notices and after meetings with the developer, the sponsor gave the building an additional 21 million dollars to complete...

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    • Photo of New York City apartment buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes New Law, Evicting Long-Term Nuisance Tenant

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes New Law, Evicting Long-Term Nuisance Tenant

      In Cabrini Terrace Joint Venture v. O’Brien, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. evicted a forty-year tenant who had been creating a nuisance for his neighbors through his disgusting housekeeping practices. Located in upper Manhattan, Charles O’Brien’s apartment was atrocious, the site of piles of clothing and other debris, and host to hundreds of vermin- some of whom escaped to invade neighbors’ apartments as well. The smell erupting from the apartment was immediately apparent and nauseating as one stepped off the elevator. But,...

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    • Photo of Sky View Parc Condominium

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Lands Largest Condominium Settlement in New York History

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Lands Largest Condominium Settlement in New York History

      Sky View Parc Condominum, Queens In what has been hailed as “the city’s largest condo refund ever” (Curbed NY) and “a settlement likely to send shivers through the ranks of the city’s condo developers” (the New York Post), clients of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., have recovered 75 percent of $5 million in down payments on $50 million worth of luxury apartments. The agreement, which has recouped $3.69 million plus interest for 118 buyers at the massive Sky View Parc complex...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails in Title Litigation Involving An Interpretation of the New York Recording Statute

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails in Title Litigation Involving An Interpretation of the New York Recording Statute

      Rivas v. McDonnell Supreme Court of the State of New York; Appellate Division: Second Judicial Department My Story: The Importance of Title Insurance I got the panicked call at about 7 PM one evening from Earl, a friend and fellow real estate attorney. “Adam, I really, really screwed up, man,” he said, sounding out of breath. “I need help big time. I’m desperate.” Earl went on to explain that he represented a buyer named Pura Rivas who was purchasing a...

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    • Bird's eye view of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Helps Shareholders Regain Control of Their Building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Helps Shareholders Regain Control of Their Building

      In a recent matter, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. counseled a group of concerned shareholders in removing an incumbent board of directors of a prestigious Manhattan cooperative. A group of concerned shareholders of a prestigious Manhattan cooperative were challenged and frustrated by an incumbent board. The board’s lack of truthfulness and transparency, unilateral decision-making, and failure to involve shareholders in critical decisions affecting the shareholders’ daily lives, the aesthetics of the building, and shareholder value, had become intolerable. After further research,...

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    • February Photo of a commercial complex in Queens

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Vacates 32 Commercial Spaces on a Commercial Campus

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Vacates 32 Commercial Spaces on a Commercial Campus

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.s represented a Queens-based landlord, who had property in his family for decades. The landlord entered into short term leases with 32 commercial spaces, however the landlord required the spaces to be vacated sooner than he had initially expected or governmental funding deadlines would expire. If the premises were not vacated by a certain deadline, the landlord would be forced to give up his plans for redeveloping the complex. By drafting papers within 24 hours after receiving...

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    • Photo of building that underwent condo conversion

      Fair-Market Tenants and Condominium Conversions

      New York Law Journal

      Fair-Market Tenants and Condominium Conversions

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and Jeffrey R. Metz A recent newspaper article reports that between 2009 and 2012, a total of 117 rental buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn were converted to cooperative or condominium ownership.1 Many of the units contained therein were deregulated. This article explores what rights tenants of these units have vis-à-vis rent-regulated tenants when a building is being converted, if and how fair-market tenants can obtain benefits similar to those enjoyed by rent-regulated tenants upon a conversion, and...

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    • Photo of a person holding an eviction notice

      Fending off Landlord Retaliation

      The New York Times

      Fending off Landlord Retaliation

      The New York Times

      By: Ronda Kaysen January 24, 2015 Fending off Landlord Retaliation Can a landlord retaliate against a market-rent tenant or a rent-stabilized tenant for joining a tenants association in a mainly rent-stabilized building? The possible retaliation would be to raise the rent drastically or not renew the lease for the market-rate tenant, or to fail to retain a preferential rent in the case of the rent-stabilized tenant who currently benefits from one. Washington Heights, Manhattan Market-rate tenants have few protections. A...

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    • Caution wet floor signs

      Slip and Fall

      Habitat Magazine

      Slip and Fall

      Habitat Magazine

      By: Frank Lovece In 2010, the board of the St. Tropez condominium at 340 East 64th Street in Manhattan held its annual meeting in an unfinished space. It may have saved on renting a hall, but it wasn’t the best choice the board made that year. The condo was later sued by a resident who had tripped over an unseen hole in the paper-covered bumpy floor. “A lot of annual meetings are held in gyms,” says attorney Adam Leitman Bailey,...

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    • Photo of Manhattan's Upper West Side

      Representing a Potential Buyer, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Its Investor-Client From Losing Millions of Dollars by Relying on Seller (Mis)Representations

      Representing a Potential Buyer, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves Its Investor-Client From Losing Millions of Dollars by Relying on Seller (Mis)Representations

      Adam Leitman Bailey’s due diligence team was hired to investigate whether it, as a future owner, could demolish an Upper West Side Single Room Occupancy (“SRO”) building. The asking price was remarkably low compared to similar buildings in the area but with that bargain price came certain representations by the seller. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. uncovered the seller’s secrets. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. found that the building was operated and managed by a court-appointed 7A Administrator because the seller abandoned...

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    • Photo of 266 West 115th Street

      Finding Individual Liability for Sponsor’s Principals And Sponsor’s Waiver of The Notice Requirement Under The Offering Plan

      Real Estate Weekly

      Finding Individual Liability for Sponsor’s Principals And Sponsor’s Waiver of The Notice Requirement Under The Offering Plan

      Real Estate Weekly

      By Massimo F. D’Angelo Recently, in The Board of Managers of 266 West 115th Street Condominium v. 266 West 115thStreet, LLC, et al., 2014 NY Slip Op 33047 (Sup. Ct. 2014) – a precedent-setting decision on two separate issues – the New York State Supreme Court held that: (i) the principal of a Sponsor can be found to be personally liable for construction defect claims under a veil piercing or alter ego theory; and (ii) a Sponsor risks waiving an...

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    • March Save Harlem Preview Image

      Land Use Litigation Victory: Using Victory in Court, Proposing Legislation, Conducting Rallies, and Mobilizing Political Support and Media Attention, Save Harlem Association Obtains Winning & Avoids Settlement

      Land Use Litigation Victory: Using Victory in Court, Proposing Legislation, Conducting Rallies, and Mobilizing Political Support and Media Attention, Save Harlem Association Obtains Winning & Avoids Settlement

      One of the largest real estate developers in the United States, Kimco Realty, sent termination and demolition notices to the business owners who worked in Harlem’s longest building. All of the commercial tenant’s leases either had expired or had demolition clauses allowing the developer to evict the commercial tenants. The building in question was one block west of the cultural epicenter of Harlem on world famous 125th Street, home of numerous institutions key to African American culture, notably the Apollo...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      A Lender’s Duty To Investigate Its Borrower

      Mortgage Banking Magazine

      A Lender’s Duty To Investigate Its Borrower

      Mortgage Banking Magazine

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio ……………….. Until recently, a mortgage lender preparing to give a loan needed only to conduct a basic search of the title and records of the subject property. A lender was not required to search into the background and financial status of a borrower to ensure that the borrower was legitimate and would be able to repay the loan. As long as the borrower had recorded title and there were no senior recorded...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Amendments to UCC Law and How it Affects Major Lender’s in Cooperative Lending

      Amendments to UCC Law and How it Affects Major Lender’s in Cooperative Lending

      By Rosemary Liuzzo Mohamed Important amendments to the New York Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) were enacted as of December 17, 2014. The amendments specifically amended Articles 1, 7 and 9. As attorneys for major lenders we are particularly concerned with amendments made to Article 9 §9-503 (a)(4), “Sufficiency of debtor’s name.” The new law, which is applied to all UCC’s filed on or after December 17, 2014, reads as follows, “If the debtor is an individual to whom NY State...

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    • photo of building

      Principal Of A Sponsor May Be Held Separately Liable Where It Executes The Certification

      New York Law Journal

      Principal Of A Sponsor May Be Held Separately Liable Where It Executes The Certification

      New York Law Journal

      By Scott E. Mollen   Condominiums—Alleged Construction Defects -Since Sponsor Made Repeated Repairs, There Was A Triable Issue of Fact As to Whether and to What Extent Sponsor Waived the Offering Plan’s Written Notice Requirement A CONDOMINIUM Board of Managers (board) commenced an action against a sponsor-developer (sponsor) of a residential building and other defendants (“A”), whom the board alleged were “alter egos of the sponsor.” The defendants had moved to dismiss the complaint, pursuant to CPLR 3211(a) (7). The...

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    • April

      Adam Leitman Bailey Named One of New York’s Most Powerful Real Estate Attorneys by the Commercial Observer

      The Commercial Observer

      Adam Leitman Bailey Named One of New York’s Most Powerful Real Estate Attorneys by the Commercial Observer

      The Commercial Observer

        Attorneys are behind the scenes of any real estate transaction. They counsel their clients on land use, zoning and a labyrinth of abstruse regulations. Commercial Observer felt that any of these attorneys could have found his or her way onto our Power 100 list, but we’ve chosen to showcase them here, since they, too, deserve to be acknowledged for their contributions to New York’s real estate ecosystem.   Adam Leitman Bailey Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Adam Leitman Bailey, the loquacious head...

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    • Party Wall preview image

      A Practitioner’s Guide to Litigating Party Walls

      New York Law Journal

      A Practitioner’s Guide to Litigating Party Walls

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Treiman A Practitioner’s Guide to Litigating Party Walls One developer-client once told us, “horse racing is not the sport of kings—litigation is.” During the greatest high end real estate market in the history of our country, the ultra wealthy or the corporate kings have battled in our courts for every inch of land. Because only the wealthiest own townhouses in Manhattan and Brooklyn, these plots­—built 50 feet by 50 feet—during the time of author...

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    • Photo of person signing a document

      Legal Ace Adam Bailey Breaking The Rules To Make New Ones

      Real Estate Weekly

      Legal Ace Adam Bailey Breaking The Rules To Make New Ones

      Real Estate Weekly

      By Dan Orlando Adam Leitman Bailey’s birth certificate indicates that he is barely middle aged. His physical stamina indicates that he is barely 25. His accomplishments and legal expertise indicate that he is a man 30 years his senior. Now one of the most respected commercial real estate attorneys in not only New York City, but arguably the country, Bailey’s current value to the business world is the result of two muses from his youth that eventually became intertwined. “So,...

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    • Financial Services Litigation Preview Image

      On Appeal, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Tenant Right of First Refusal of Rent Stabilized Apartment

      On Appeal, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Tenant Right of First Refusal of Rent Stabilized Apartment

        Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. won a four-year battle on behalf of a 63-year old rent-stabilized tenant against one of New York City’s most disreputable landlords at the First Department Appellate Division, where the Court unanimously reversed the lower Court’s decision, granting her summary judgment on all causes of action, including attorneys’ fees. The landlord, who is currently under investigation by the Attorney General’s office for allegedly using ruthless tactics against rent-stabilized tenants, was under an undisputed contractual duty to provide...

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    • Photo of a hallway

      When a Co-op Neighbor Breaks the Law

      The New York Times

      When a Co-op Neighbor Breaks the Law

      The New York Times

      April 25, 2015 By Ronda Kaysen A Shareholder Commits a Crime We recently learned that one of our shareholders pleaded guilty last year to defrauding the government of more than $165,000 in a 9/11 scheme. It’s particularly ugly to many of us because of what he took when others lost so much. Do we have any grounds to get this guy out of the co-op? Hastings-on-Hudson, New York Your neighbor might have committed a crime, but that fact alone does...

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    • Photo of a bank

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ensures Delinquent Corporate Debtor Repays Substantial Debt to Manhattan-Based Bank

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ensures Delinquent Corporate Debtor Repays Substantial Debt to Manhattan-Based Bank

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was contacted by a bank based out of Manhattan to aggressively pursue a delinquent corporate borrower and its guarantor of a commercial loan. Attorneys at the firm conceived and executed a strategy to ensure that the debt would be paid without expensive and protracted litigation. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. filed a motion for summary judgment in lieu of filing a complaint. This strategy had two substantial benefits for Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client. First, it saved...

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    • May Photo of U.S. Supreme Court building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Petitions U.S. Supreme Court to Protect Homeowners From Municipal Planning Board’s Disregard of Construction Set-Back Restrictions

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Petitions U.S. Supreme Court to Protect Homeowners From Municipal Planning Board’s Disregard of Construction Set-Back Restrictions

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court to prohibit a Municipal Planning Commission from violating the Contract Clause of the U.S. Constitution by modifying deed restrictions adopted by the commission in a way that would disrupt the neighborhood of the long-time homeowners that the firm represents. When the neighborhood had been laid out in the 1960s, the local planning commission had adopted a subdivision plan which set forth carefully...

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    • Chambers and Partners logo

      Chambers and Partners Recognizes Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. as a Leading Law Firm 2015

      Chambers and Partners Recognizes Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. as a Leading Law Firm 2015

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is pleased to announce that the firm has been noted by Chambers and Partners as one of the leading Real Estate law firms in New York. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is one of four Real Estate law firms with less than 30 attorneys to make the list and the only Real Estate litigation firm to receive this honor. “We may not be the most deserving to receive the award but we are certainly the most grateful,” explained Adam Leitman...

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    • Notice of foreclosure

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Borrower’s Motion to Vacate a Judgement of Foreclosure and Sale for Title Company

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Borrower’s Motion to Vacate a Judgement of Foreclosure and Sale for Title Company

      In Boxwood Funding, LLC v. Fimag Realty Corp., et al., Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully defeated Defendant Fimag’s motion to vacate the Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale that was previously entered in this foreclosure action, under which judgment Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client took title to the premises after the foreclosure sale.    Defendant Fimag brought a motion to vacate a Judgment of Foreclosure sale arguing that the sale is defective and should be vacated, as it allegedly took place...

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    • June Photo of a person signing a document

      Exceptions to the Due on Sale Clause

      Exceptions to the Due on Sale Clause

      The Due on Sale Clause can be found in most mortgages and simply states that a loan is due in full upon the sale or transfer of ownership of the secured property. There are, however, several exceptions to this clause, most involving written notice to the lender in advance. The Garn St. Germain Act at 12 USC Section 1701J-3 provides the following exceptions which should not trigger the Due on Sale Clause with respect to a real property loan secured...

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    • Photo of New York City apartments

      Application of the Adverse Possession Amendments

      New York Law Journal

      Application of the Adverse Possession Amendments

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio In 2008, the New York Legislature enacted sweeping changes to Article 5 of the Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (RPAPL) that governs the circumstances under which title to real property may be acquired by adverse possession. The legislation was intended to overturn the Court of Appeals decision in Walling v. Prysbylo,1 in which the court had reaffirmed the ancient rule that an adverse possessor’s knowledge of the true owner would not...

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    • Photo of a bed bug

      How To Deal With Bed Bugs, Noisy Neighbors and Other NYC Apartment Problems

      Time Out New York Magazine

      How To Deal With Bed Bugs, Noisy Neighbors and Other NYC Apartment Problems

      Time Out New York Magazine

      By Leah Faye Cooper June 5, 2015 Ten common apartment problems fixed—because you moved here to follow your dreams, not breathe in the mold behind the wallpaper Mold. Crazy roommates. Bed bugs. Neighbors who may or may not be harboring a fugitive. The list of gripes with NYC apartments is endless. Throw in complicated, vague housing laws and a lack of cooperation from your real estate agent, and it can be nearly impossible to understand your rights as a tenant (or know whom to...

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    • July Street view of buildings

      Setting the Law Straight on Terminating Easements

      New York Law Journal

      Setting the Law Straight on Terminating Easements

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey At the present time, finding real estate property to buy has been compared to finding the Loch Ness Monster or Bigfoot. Buyers of land have become more creative and aggressive than ever before in trying to develop property for an anxious public. This search has resulted in a demand to discover options to remove restrictions on property—including easements. This article examines the different means to extinguish an easement. An easement is “an interest in land in...

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    • August Photo of a cheesesteak

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Winning Settlement For New York City’s Best Cheesesteak Maker

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Winning Settlement For New York City’s Best Cheesesteak Maker

      Following the construction of its Financial District outpost, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client –a cheesesteak maker who has been hailed as the best in New York City – general contractor filed two separate Mechanic’s Lien for allegedly unpaid construction work that was performed at the subject premises. As in most commercial leases, the client’s lease with its landlord contained a provision whereby if a lien against the client resulting from construction work, or some other encumbrance was filed on the...

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    • Photo of Coney Island

      49-Year-Old Brooklyn Ground Lease Gets Signed

      49-Year-Old Brooklyn Ground Lease Gets Signed

      Transaction began when clients asked what to do with their vacant dirt lot in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Knowing how the ocean area properties are undergoing a rebirth after Hurricane Sandy, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. partner Jack Erdos suggested to the clients to market it as a development site or to consider a ground lease for long-term income stream while keeping the equity for future generations. They considered the advice and a local real estate broker submitted an offer for a...

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    • Photo of two people shaking hands over a contract

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Protects Mortgage for Lender Defeating Fraud Allegations

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Protects Mortgage for Lender Defeating Fraud Allegations

      In Salm v. Champion Mortgage, et al., Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. conceived, negotiated, and orchestrated a pre-trial settlement, in which Champion Mortgage’s reverse mortgage up to the maximum principal amount of $825,000 was declared a valid interest secured by a property in Staten Island, New York, despite the borrower alleging that he was fraudulently tricked into executing the reverse mortgage.     The elderly and ill borrower commenced this action seeking to invalidate the mortgage as against the premises, claiming...

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    • For rent signs

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Takes Over Rent-Control Succession Case Mid-Trial; Obtains Judgment of Possession for Landlord

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Takes Over Rent-Control Succession Case Mid-Trial; Obtains Judgment of Possession for Landlord

      In New York, through a doctrine called succession, a rent-controlled apartment can be passed down from generation to generation or to certain family members, if, with certain exceptions, (i) the tenant of record and succession claimant share a sufficient level of consanguinity and (ii) the tenant of record and succession claimant lived in the apartment together for at least two years immediately before the tenant of record’s death or permanent vacatur from the apartment. Each succession can result in an...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule and How it Will Benefit Borrowers

      TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule and How it Will Benefit Borrowers

      Beginning October 3, 2015 the new TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule will be implemented changing the way we have been conducting bank closings over the last several years. The new rule will replace the current Initial Good Faith Estimate as well as the HUD Settlement Statement and Truth In Lending Disclosure, both of which are received just before or at closing, with two new forms called the loan estimate and the closing disclosure. The loan estimate and the closing disclosure have...

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    • September Photo of Michael Shannon and Adam Leitman Bailey

      Top real estate lawyer makes silver-screen consulting debut with “99 Homes”

      The Real Deal

      Top real estate lawyer makes silver-screen consulting debut with “99 Homes”

      The Real Deal

      September 18, 2015 By Mark Maurer   Move over, John Grisham. Hollywood’s got a new go-to legal beagle. Real estate attorney Adam Leitman Bailey made his silver-screen consulting debut Thursday night with the premiere of “99 Homes,” the new foreclosure-crisis film starring Michael Shannon and Andrew Garfield. In the movie, Shannon even spouts Bailey’s stock phrase: “Don’t get emotional about real estate.”  The movie follows a foreclosure victim (Garfield) in 2008-era Orlando, Fla., who goes to work for a real...

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    • October Sprinkler Preview Image

      New Sprinkler-Notification Law Could Require Reissuing Proprietary Leases

      New Sprinkler-Notification Law Could Require Reissuing Proprietary Leases

      By Frank Lovece Dec. 26, 2014 — A New York State law that went into effect Dec. 3, requiring all residential leases to contain a notice about the building’s sprinkler system, appears to mandate that even co-op proprietary leases must be amended to reflect the language change. The new law also impacts leases offered by condominium homeowners renting their apartments as well as subleases offered by rental tenants and by co-op shareholders. The addition to the Section 231 of the...

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    • November Photo of New York City buildings

      Landlord-Tenant—Summary Holdover Proceeding—Apartment Was Not Subject To Rent-Stabilization—Tenant’s Use Of Commercial Space Did Not Make the Space a “Lawful Housing Accommodation”

      New York Law Journal

      Landlord-Tenant—Summary Holdover Proceeding—Apartment Was Not Subject To Rent-Stabilization—Tenant’s Use Of Commercial Space Did Not Make the Space a “Lawful Housing Accommodation”

      New York Law Journal

      September 16, 2015 By Scott E. Mollen   A landlord had commenced a summary holdover proceeding, claiming that the subject tenancy was unregulated and had been terminated by a 30-day notice. The tenant countered that “there were, in the recent past, six apartments in the subject building, and that she is therefore a rent stabilized tenant entitled to a renewal lease.” The court explained: In order to be subject to rent stabilization, an apartment must, among other things, be located...

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    • January Photo of Brooklyn Bridge

      Despite Tenant’s Ownership of a Home and Taxes Filed at a Different Address, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevailed In Establishing Primary Residence

      Despite Tenant’s Ownership of a Home and Taxes Filed at a Different Address, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevailed In Establishing Primary Residence

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully defended a Manhattan rent-stabilized tenant in a non-primary residence proceeding. After a contested trial, the court dismissed the landlord’s petition. The court held that the landlord failed to meet its burden of proof to demonstrate that the tenant did not primarily reside in the subject premises (i.e. maintain an “ongoing, substantial, physical nexus with the controlled premises for actual living purposes”). Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client moved into the subject apartment almost twenty years ago...

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    • February Photo of Upper East Side townhouse with a fence

      Millionaire Loses In Feud With Neighbors Over Fence

      The New York Post

      Millionaire Loses In Feud With Neighbors Over Fence

      The New York Post

      By Julia Marsh February , 2016   A Manhattan judge told an Upper East Side millionaire that he can’t stop his town-house neighbors from putting up a new fence on a foot of property he has occupied for more than 20 years. The deed and even a visual inspection show that the iron fence around Philippe Delouvrier’s 92nd Street property encroaches 12 inches into the property line of neighbors Ravi and Suzanne Yadav. Delouvrier had claimed “squatter’s rights” because he...

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    • Photo of luxury Manhattan commercial buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Closes Multimillion-Dollar Commercial Building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Closes Multimillion-Dollar Commercial Building

      Attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represented the seller of a multimillion-dollar commercial building on Third Avenue in Manhattan. The property, which contains both commercial and residential tenants, was in high demand given its location in one of Manhattan’s most exclusive and desirable neighborhoods. Despite numerous obstacles faced by our team during the course of the transaction, which included ongoing litigation with several rent-stabilized tenants living in the building, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. attorneys carefully tailored the contract to protect...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Appeal of an Illegal Subletting Holdover Proceeding Utilizing the Novel Argument That Protracted Negotiations Extended the Cure Period

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Appeal of an Illegal Subletting Holdover Proceeding Utilizing the Novel Argument That Protracted Negotiations Extended the Cure Period

      In 2008, the client saw an advertisement for a cooperative apartment for sale in Brooklyn. She learned from the seller’s broker that the apartment was being sold directly by the sponsor. This meant that if she purchased it for investment purposes, she would be permitted to rent out the apartment without the need to seek board approval and with no obligation to pay sublet fees to the board. The client represented to the seller’s broker that the purchase was an...

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    • April

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Named Best Law Firm in New York 2016

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Named Best Law Firm in New York 2016

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been ranked in the 2016 U.S. News  & World Report “Best Law Firms.” Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is one of only six New York Real Estate Law Firms with under 30 attorneys to be selected as a “Best Law Firm” by U.S. News and World Report. The U.S.News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys...

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    • May

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Delivers Near Million Dollar Settlement For Pizza Restaurant Despite Client’s Lacking Legal Right to Possession in Foreclosed Building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Delivers Near Million Dollar Settlement For Pizza Restaurant Despite Client’s Lacking Legal Right to Possession in Foreclosed Building

      Facts Client-pizzeria entered into a ten-year commercial lease with the individual/owner for the ground floor space of a building in Williamsburg, to operate a pizzeria restaurant. During the time that the client’s pizzeria was booming, the building in which the restaurant was located began to lean out of plumb by no fewer than ten inches. Such leaning out of plumb, which the client believed was caused by the owner’s negligence in maintaining the building.  Subsequently, with four years left on...

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    • June Chambers 2016 Award Preview Image

      Chambers USA 2016 Recognizes Adam Leitman Bailey as a Leading Real Estate Lawyer

      Chambers USA 2016 Recognizes Adam Leitman Bailey as a Leading Real Estate Lawyer

      Adam Leitman Bailey has been selected by Chambers and Partners to achieve ranking in “Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” and has been recognized as one of New York’s leading real estate lawyers for 2016. This is one of the highest honors a real estate attorney can achieve in his career. Adam Leitman Bailey is one of only two attorneys to receive this honor with less than 30 attorneys in their firm. Chambers and Partners hailed Adam Leitman Bailey as...

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    • condominium preview image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains First-of-Its-Kind Appellate Ruling Enabling Condominium to Defend Its Ownership of Unit

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains First-of-Its-Kind Appellate Ruling Enabling Condominium to Defend Its Ownership of Unit

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. obtained a first-of-its-kind Appellate Division, First Department decision allowing a Manhattan condominium to defeat a first mortgage foreclosure and protect its interest in a condominium unit. Because New York law provides that first mortgage lenders have priority over condominium charge liens, where a unit owner stops paying both her mortgage and her condominium charges, condominiums must often wait years without payment and then receive nothing while a mortgage foreclosure slowly winds its way through the courts....

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    • The New York Law Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Lands Largest Settlement in New York History for a Restaurant Opened Less Than Seven Months

      New York Law Journal

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Lands Largest Settlement in New York History for a Restaurant Opened Less Than Seven Months

      New York Law Journal

      Restaurant Negotiates Deals Of $2.5M in Crane Collapse By Jeff Storey June 29, 2016 Owners of a recently opened restaurant shut down when the collapse of construction crane heavily damaged its building have won almost $2.5 million in settlements. The incident occurred on March 15, 2008 at 303 East 51st St. where a condominium was being built. Along with property damage, seven people were killed, and more than a dozen injured. No one was injured at the Crave Ceviche Bar...

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    • September Photo of Adam Leitman Bailey holding Crain's 2016 Best Places to Work poster

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Only Real Estate Law Firm Awarded Best Places to Work 2016

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Only Real Estate Law Firm Awarded Best Places to Work 2016

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. has been ranked as one of New York City’s Best Places to Work 2016 by Crain’s Magazine. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is one of only six law firms to receive ranking within Crain’s reputable Top 100 List. This year was more competitive than ever with Crain’s receiving a record number of applications representing various industries throughout New York City. Results are complied by an independent research partner and then published by Crain’s New York Business. This is the third year Adam...

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    • November

      Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” Awards More Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Women Real Estate Attorneys Than Any Other Law Firm in New York

      Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” Awards More Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Women Real Estate Attorneys Than Any Other Law Firm in New York

      Each year, The New York Times includes Super Lawyer’s annual list of the “Top Women” attorneys. This year, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s named more “Rising Stars” female attorneys than any other law firm in New York. Our top female attorneys included: Jackie Halpern Weinstein, Partner, Foreclosures and Title Insurance Rosemary Liuzzo Mohamed, Partner, Lender Representation Jamie Schare Friedland, Landlord-Tenant Law and Courtney J. Lerias, Real Estate Litigation. Every year, Super Lawyers evaluates lawyers across the country for its annual list of top...

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    • headshot of Adam Leitman Bailey

      Super Lawyers Name Adam Leitman Bailey as Top 100 Attorney in New York

      Super Lawyers Name Adam Leitman Bailey as Top 100 Attorney in New York

      Super Lawyers names Adam Leitman Bailey as one of the Top 100 attorneys in New York for 2016. Out of the Top 100, Adam Leitman Bailey is one of only seven attorneys from a Real Estate Law Firm.  

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    • December

      Judge Gerald Lebovits and Jeffrey Metz Team Up to Author NY Residential Landlord-Tenant Law and Procedure

      NYSBA

      Judge Gerald Lebovits and Jeffrey Metz Team Up to Author NY Residential Landlord-Tenant Law and Procedure

      NYSBA

      December 2016 NY Residential Landlord-Tenant Law 2016-2017 Otto L. Walter Distinguished Writing Award      Authors include Hon. Gerald Lebovits and Jeffrey R. Metz, Esq.. Key Benefits: • Understand the statutory framework for landlord-tenant summary proceedings. • Enhance your skills dealing with landlord-tenant disputes. Product Description: New York residential landlord-tenant law is daunting to newcomers and the experienced alike, given its divergent statutory framework, discordant case law, and emotion-laden disputes involving homes, money, and the charged landlord-tenant relationship. This practice...

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    • Photo of a person signing a document

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Secures an Order Dismissing a Meritless Action Brought Against a Condominium Board of Managers by a Unit Owner

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Secures an Order Dismissing a Meritless Action Brought Against a Condominium Board of Managers by a Unit Owner

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. defended a Kings County Condominium in an action brought against it by a unit owner, relating to her allegedly defective private elevator. Specifically, the unit owner claimed that the board breached the Condominium’s Offering Plan and engaged in fraud by failing to provide the unit owner with an elevator in accordance with the terms of the Offering Plan. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. moved to dismiss the case on the grounds that the plaintiff had failed to...

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    • Photo of a low-income housing co-op

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Does the Unthinkable to Provide Safety for Fellow Residents in Co-op and Rightfully Evicts Dangerous Illegal Occupant

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Does the Unthinkable to Provide Safety for Fellow Residents in Co-op and Rightfully Evicts Dangerous Illegal Occupant

      When a low-income housing cooperative sought Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s help after a tenant illegally sublet their unit, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully, and creatively, defended the cooperative and obtained an eviction, thus clearing the premises from further harmful activity. The managing agent received numerous complaints of animal cruelty and repugnant smells originating from the unit. The tenant, a resident of a subsidized apartment, clearly did not reside there and was lying about the presence of an...

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    • Photo of mixed-use buildings in Brooklyn

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Summarily Evicts ‘Game the System,’ Squatter, Paving the Way for the Client’s Development of Its Mixed-Use Building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Summarily Evicts ‘Game the System,’ Squatter, Paving the Way for the Client’s Development of Its Mixed-Use Building

      After several other prior law firms retained by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client – one of the country’s largest and leading title insurance companies – were persistently rebuffed at restoring its insured to possession of its mixed-use Brooklyn building by a long-time squatter that was a professional at ‘gaming the system,’ which derailed the insured’s development plans, it turned to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., New York City’s premiere real estate litigation firm. Facts Upon being hired, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C....

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    • January Photo of New York City office buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Navigates Tax Liens and Forces Closing

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Navigates Tax Liens and Forces Closing

      Attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represented the buyer of a professional office space in a luxury building on the Upper East Side of Manhattan whose contract of sale was in jeopardy after a lien and judgment search revealed federal and New York State tax liens that the seller was unable to fully satisfy out of the proceeds from the sale of the unit. Immediately upon learning of the tax liens encumbering the unit, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. called the...

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    • Photo of Brooklyn Park Slope residence

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defends Challenge to Landmarks Preservation Commission’s Determination To Permit Expansion

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defends Challenge to Landmarks Preservation Commission’s Determination To Permit Expansion

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. prevailed for its client against a legal challenge to the determination of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (“Landmarks”) to approve the client’s expansion plans. The client, a Brooklyn-based developer, acquired a historic Park Slope mansion in 2015 for $9.5 million. The client proposed to dramatically expand the building and convert it from a single-family home into eight residential units. The plans included adding a new floor to the top of the building that would...

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    • Photo of Mississippi River

      Analyzing Easement Laws and Cases in the States East of the Mississippi River

      Probate & PropertyChambers and Partners

      Analyzing Easement Laws and Cases in the States East of the Mississippi River

      Probate & PropertyChambers and Partners

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and Israel Katz   This article analyzes the laws of easements in the 26 states that lie east of the Mississippi River, including the various methods for their creation, their nature, and scope. In researching and writing this article, the authors limited their research to appellate cases in each of these 26 states using a Westlaw search dating back to 1874. An easement is an interest in land in the possession of another which (a) entitles...

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    • Photo of a residential building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., Brings Owner’s Own Use Proceeding and Obtains Judgment of Possession of Rent-Stabilized Apartment for Landlord

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., Brings Owner’s Own Use Proceeding and Obtains Judgment of Possession of Rent-Stabilized Apartment for Landlord

      In New York, if certain conditions are present, the owner of a rent-stabilized apartment may choose not to renew a tenant’s lease and to seek possession of the apartment if the owner intends to occupy the apartment personally or if the apartment will be occupied by a member of the owner’s family. While a powerful tool in a landlord’s arsenal, every step, from planning to trial, must be executed flawlessly to be successful. Recently, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was called...

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    • February Photo of New York City skyline

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Corrects MERS Error and Records a Rescission of an Erroneously Filed Satisfaction Without a Court Order

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Corrects MERS Error and Records a Rescission of an Erroneously Filed Satisfaction Without a Court Order

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s lender client held a mortgage secured by a commercial property in Manhattan in the principal amount of nine million five hundred thousand dollars. In connection with the borrower’s refinance, the lender was asked for an assignment of the mortgage, however, a satisfaction of the mortgage was already erroneously recorded into the chain of title by MERS. Less than one week before the refinance closing date, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained to vacate the previously recorded...

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    • Photo of Brooklyn Bridge

      Mixed-Use Brooklyn Building Declared Not Subject to Rent-Regulation After Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Demonstrates at Trial That Building Contained Fewer Than Six Residential Units

      Mixed-Use Brooklyn Building Declared Not Subject to Rent-Regulation After Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Demonstrates at Trial That Building Contained Fewer Than Six Residential Units

      For a landlord, the difference in collectible rents, building value, and other rights between a non rent-regulated residential building and a building subject to rent-regulation can be enormous. In New York, with certain exceptions, buildings that contain six or more residential units may be subject to rent-stabilization, while buildings that contain fewer than six residential units may be exempt from rent-stabilization. A landlord recently purchased a three-story building in Brooklyn believing that the building—and its residential units—was not rent-regulated because...

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    • Photo of person signing a document

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defends Against Multimillion-Dollar Lawsuit Complaining That Owner Unreasonably Withheld Its Consent To A Sublease, While Simultaneously Orchestrating $14.5 Million Sale of Subject Property

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defends Against Multimillion-Dollar Lawsuit Complaining That Owner Unreasonably Withheld Its Consent To A Sublease, While Simultaneously Orchestrating $14.5 Million Sale of Subject Property

      Factual And Procedural Background When the net lessee/tenant of a lucrative commercial net lease sued the net lessor/owner of the subject property – two substantial parcels of commercial property directly in the heart of Astoria – for, among other things, $7 million in lost profits from a proposed sublease to which the owner allegedly unreasonably withheld its consent, the owner retained Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to defend its interests. Concurrently with the lawsuit, the tenant filed a lis pendens –...

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    • March Construction Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., Prevails in RPAPL § 881 Proceeding; Client Gains Access to Neighboring Property for Construction

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., Prevails in RPAPL § 881 Proceeding; Client Gains Access to Neighboring Property for Construction

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., prevailed for its client in a contested proceeding to obtain a license to enter upon a neighbor’s property to install protective measures necessary to allow the client’s construction project to proceed safely as required by the New York City Building Code. The client, a Brooklyn-based developer, acquired a historic Park Slope mansion in 2015 for $9.5 million. The client proposed to dramatically expand the building and convert it from a single-family home into eight residential units. ...

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    • Photo of a pitbull

      When a Neighbor Brings Home a Pit Bull

      The New York Times

      When a Neighbor Brings Home a Pit Bull

      The New York Times

      January 2017 Ask Real Estate By Ronda Kaysen Q. I am the president of the board of a co-op in East Harlem, Manhattan, that permits dogs of any size or breed. But after a rental tenant got a pit bull, the board received several complaints from residents who say the dog whines and pounds the floor. One is terrified of the breed and complains almost daily, calling for the dog to be removed. What am I supposed to do? I...

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    • April Person calculating numbers

      A Practitioner’s Guide to Understanding Interest

      New York Law Journal

      A Practitioner’s Guide to Understanding Interest

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey, Dov Treiman, and Carly Clinton While prohibited in some religious traditions,1 interest is one of the most pervasive concepts in the American economy. Seemingly simple on its surface, it presents a bewildering amount of complexity as soon as one digs into its legal implications. Real Estate practitioners must know the rules of interest when negotiating a mortgage or charging rent to knowing the full monetary stakes of litigation. When Interest Attaches In New York litigation, there...

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    • Photo of gavel and plaque saying "LEASE AGREEMENT"

      Seven Secrets to Drafting An Effective Commercial Lease Default Clause

      The Huffington Post

      Seven Secrets to Drafting An Effective Commercial Lease Default Clause

      The Huffington Post

      By Adam Leitman Bailey An effective commercial lease will dictate the future relationship between landlord and tenant. The more clauses forcing the commercial tenant to comply with its obligations, the better chance the landlord will have in not only have a successful relationship but also ensuring that the rent is paid and the tenant behaves. Below are some of the lesser known, creative, clauses used to ensure either payment of rent and compliance or a swift eviction of the commercial...

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    • Photo of The Real Deal logo next to buildings

      Fortis not responsible for $2M in defects caused by prior developer, Judge says in ruling against 20 Bayard Street residents

      The Real Deal

      Fortis not responsible for $2M in defects caused by prior developer, Judge says in ruling against 20 Bayard Street residents

      The Real Deal

      By Will Parker April 26, 2017 The company bought the condo building’s unsold units in 2011 after Isaac Hager took the project into bankruptcy. UPDATED, April 26, 4:00 p.m.: A court decision in Brooklyn last week will let Fortis Property Group  get away with selling allegedly faulty condominiums in Williamsburg, for the simple reason that Fortis wasn’t the one that built them in the first place. When developer Isaac Hager’s company went into bankruptcy at the 62-unit Bayard Views Condominium at 20 Bayard Street on...

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    • June Photo of a New York City condominium building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes New Law, Defeating Successor Sponsor Construction Defect Claim Against Developer Who Bought Units From Bankrupt Sponsor

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes New Law, Defeating Successor Sponsor Construction Defect Claim Against Developer Who Bought Units From Bankrupt Sponsor

      In a decision of first impression, the Brooklyn Supreme Court held that a successor condominium sponsor is not liable for building defects caused by the original sponsor’s construction of the condominium. Justice Lawrence Knipel threw out a condominium board’s claim seeking to impose construction defect liability on a developer who purchased the interest of the condominium’s bankrupt original sponsor under a Chapter 11 Plan. The Bayard Views Condominium, a 62-unit luxury building overlooking McCarren Park in Brooklyn, was completed just...

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    • Photo of disabled volume icon

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Turns Down the Noise in Epic Battle to Do Justice for Family

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Turns Down the Noise in Epic Battle to Do Justice for Family

      When a young family of four sought Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s help after suffering from unbearable noise and sound vibration, and a condominium board unresponsive to their complaints, on the brink of trial, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully spearheaded a joint settlement agreement with the board and the owners of the apartment above the family to make substantial structural and design modifications to the floors and ceilings of the respective apartments in order to mitigate the noise and sound vibrations...

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    • Photo of a building in Soho's Cast Iron Historic District

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Recaptures Multimillion Dollar SoHo Loft From Longtime Tenant-Artist by Establishing That the Unit Was Illegal for Human Occupancy

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Recaptures Multimillion Dollar SoHo Loft From Longtime Tenant-Artist by Establishing That the Unit Was Illegal for Human Occupancy

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, a well-known landlord developer, purchased a five-story, twelve-unit prewar building in the heart of SoHo’s Cast Iron Historic District. Following its acquisition, it asked Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to perform a review of all of the building’s apartment dimensions for purposes of determining whether the subject apartments were in compliance with local zoning regulations and applicable ordinances. Upon its initial review of the building’s plans and specifications, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. immediately discovered that one...

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    • Photo of New York City co-ops

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Retroactive Application of Anti- SLAPP Action After Victory on Defamation and Malicious Prosecution Claims for Cooperative

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Retroactive Application of Anti- SLAPP Action After Victory on Defamation and Malicious Prosecution Claims for Cooperative

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a Cooperative to pursue a defamation claim brought against a former Board member and a shareholder for posting and disseminating libelous and defamatory remarks against the Cooperative Board of Directors. The Defendants counterclaimed alleging “lack of probable cause” and “intimidation” and seeking unspecified damages. The Cooperative filed a motion for partial summary judgment, seeking dismissal of certain of the affirmative defenses and the counterclaims, to the extent they allege malicious prosecution or abuse...

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    • July Chambers 2017 badge

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Recognized as Leading New York Law Firm in Chambers USA 2017 Rankings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Recognized as Leading New York Law Firm in Chambers USA 2017 Rankings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is one of only three real estate law firms with fewer than 30 attorneys to have its firm ranked by the prestigious Chambers and Partners. Chambers also awarded the firm’s founder and managing partner, Adam Leitman Bailey, commending his excellence in condominium law and real estate litigation. Since 1990, Chambers has published the leading directories of the legal profession. Clients trust them to find exactly the right lawyer or law-firm. Chambers and Partners is a highly...

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    • August New York County Supreme Courthouse

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., Successfully Defends Condominium Board and Managing Agent Against Serial Litigant

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., Successfully Defends Condominium Board and Managing Agent Against Serial Litigant

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., successfully defended its clients – a condominium board of managers, individual residential members of the board, and the condominium’s managing agent – against a serial litigant seeking millions of dollars of damages for alleged breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. A recent decision by the Supreme Court in New York County, which granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss, is the latest victory for Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s clients in litigation stretching back ten years....

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    • Image of a checklist

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Title Closer’s Checklist, Adopted by New York Land Title Association

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Title Closer’s Checklist, Adopted by New York Land Title Association

      To prevent fraud and to decrease mistakes made at the closing table, the New York Land Title Association voted to adopt the “Title Closer’s Checklist” drafted by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Checklist for Title Closers Has identification been reviewed for all parties signing documents to be insured? Do you have a copy of the ID’s for the file? Are they valid and government issued? If not, call company counsel to make sure acceptable forms of ID are reviewed.Did you complete...

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    • Photo of various email applications on a desktop

      When Email Exchanges Become Binding Contracts

      New York Law Journal

      When Email Exchanges Become Binding Contracts

      New York Law Journal

      August 8, 2017 by Adam Leitman Bailey and John Desiderio In Stonehill Capital Management v. Bank of the West, 28 NY3d 439 (2016), the New York Court of Appeals held that an agreement to sell a distressed loan, in the auction loan trading market, was enforceable without the execution of a formal written contract. While Stonehill may simply reflect the court’s pragmatic acknowledgement of the trading practices that prevail in fast-paced loan trading, there has been concern expressed by some...

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    • Photo of a condominium building on Madison Avenue

      Condo Board’s Long Legal Nightmare Is Over

      Habitat Magazine

      Condo Board’s Long Legal Nightmare Is Over

      Habitat Magazine

      August 10, 2017 By Bill Norris Aug. 10, 2017 — Courts rule that sponsor is responsible for faulty construction. Construction defects can have a long shelf life. As the condominium board at 50 Madison Avenue has learned, the legal ramifications of faulty construction can live on for a decade, or more. But based on a new court ruling, this board has reason to hope that its long legal nightmare is finally over. In a 2009 decision, an appellate court ruled...

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    • Photo of a truck in New York City

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., Saves Family Business by Uncovering and Demonstrating That Previously Misinterpreted Century-Old Easement Prevented Business’ Trucking Route From Being Closed Off by Adjacent Development

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., Saves Family Business by Uncovering and Demonstrating That Previously Misinterpreted Century-Old Easement Prevented Business’ Trucking Route From Being Closed Off by Adjacent Development

      A training facility for a professional sports team was being built in Brooklyn, New York. During the building process, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s clients who ran a business making plastics for garbage bags received an eviction notice. In existence for over 70 years, the owners were told that their trucks could no longer access their property to service the factory. They were also told that their trucks and materials needed to be moved, and combined with the lack of access,...

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    • September Photo of the New York City High Line

      Battle Over Chelsea Townhouse Reflects War Being Waged in New York City’s Historic Districts

      The Wall Street Journal

      Battle Over Chelsea Townhouse Reflects War Being Waged in New York City’s Historic Districts

      The Wall Street Journal

      By Josh Barbanel September 12, 2016 A stately townhouse in Chelsea that dates to the 1830s has become the latest flashpoint in a dispute over how best to preserve homes in New York City’s recognized historic districts. Many neighbors want to keep homes in these quiet, leafy neighborhoods exactly as they are. And many architects and developers want to restore them by building upward and backward into rear gardens to add more space. The most recent conflict: plans by [firm],...

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    • October Photo of Adam Leitman Bailey on the Bill O'Reilly show

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s“Watershed Case” Changes Condominium Development

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s“Watershed Case” Changes Condominium Development

      “I don’t think I’d ever received a letter like it,” read the Trump Soho memo that tripped up a criminal investigation. According to The Real Deal on October 04, 2017, the Trump Soho saga has become a “watershed case” in the world of condo litigation. As part of an investigation by TRD last year, condominium attorneys said that developers are now far more reluctant to disclose sales information to buyers’ attorneys, for fear of legal repercussions if they turn out...

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    • Congratulations to the Top Rated Litigators in The American Lawyer

      Congratulations to the Top Rated Litigators in The American Lawyer

      Four Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. attorneys been selected as 2017 Top Rated Litigators in The American Lawyer. Our 2017 top rated litigators include: Adam Leitman Bailey: Actively at the helm of the law firm he built from scratch, Adam Leitman Bailey practices residential and commercial real estate law John M. Desiderio: Partner and head of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Real Estate Litigation Practice Group Colin E. Kaufman: Partner and General Counsel to the firm Jeffrey Metz: Partner and head of...

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    • November Photo of rolls of $100 bills

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Maximizes and Collects Surplus Money Funds for Condominium Board After Bank Foreclosure Sale of Condominium Unit

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Maximizes and Collects Surplus Money Funds for Condominium Board After Bank Foreclosure Sale of Condominium Unit

      After a years-long battle, including a bank’s foreclosure proceeding against a condominium unit and several bankruptcy filings by the unit owners, a frustrated board of managers of a New York City condominium turned to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., for help. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. then enforced the condominium’s lien for unpaid common charges against the unit and obtained 100% of the post-foreclosure sale surplus monies for the condominium. Following years of delays, the condominium board—which was owed hundreds of thousands...

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    • December Photo of judge banging gavel

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins $1.2 Million Judgment on Behalf of Small Brokerage Firm, Wins on Appeal, and Gets the Judgment Paid in Full Within Months

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins $1.2 Million Judgment on Behalf of Small Brokerage Firm, Wins on Appeal, and Gets the Judgment Paid in Full Within Months

      Abraham Lincoln once said, “Capital is only the fruit of labor, and never could have existed if labor has not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.” In this case, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully fought on behalf of a small business that performed all of the labor in procuring the purchase of a large commercial building at a prime location in Manhattan, while some very wealthy and powerful defendants attempted to deny...

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    • Foreclosure Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Assists With Drafting the Foreclosure Motion Templates Promulgated for Use by Administrative Order 356/17

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Assists With Drafting the Foreclosure Motion Templates Promulgated for Use by Administrative Order 356/17

      Jackie Halpern Weinstein, Esq. assisted in drafting the Foreclosure Motion Templates promulgated by Administrative Order 356/17 of the Chief Administrative Judge of the Courts, effective January 1, 2018, for use in residential mortgage foreclosure proceedings in Supreme Court in cases where a homeowner defendant has defaulted. The templates are an applauded result, in part, of great efforts by the members of the New York City Bar Mortgage Foreclosure Task Force to improve the foreclosure process in the state of New...

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    • January Photo of a New York City condominum building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Condo Deposit Refunds for Two Clients Totaling Over $10 Million, Including Interest

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Condo Deposit Refunds for Two Clients Totaling Over $10 Million, Including Interest

      In 2017, in matters relating to two different clients, and separate condominiums offered to the public by two different sponsors, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. showed how reading the fine print in a condominium offering plan can assist in helping a purchaser terminate a contract to purchase units that were not yet constructed when the contract was signed — and not incur any penalty for doing so. In each case, the client came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C....

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    • Photo looking up at New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Judgment for Small NY Brokerage After Years-Long Court Battle

      Leaders in the Law

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Judgment for Small NY Brokerage After Years-Long Court Battle

      Leaders in the Law

      January 28, 2018 In November 2017, lawyers from Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. (Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.) secured a $1.2 million judgment on behalf of a real estate brokerage firm that was defrauded of its commission by commercial property buyers in a scheme dating back nearly a decade. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Real Estate Litigation Practice Group Partner and Chair John M. Desiderio and a Litigation Group trial lawyer represented the plaintiff, which was marketing a large commercial building in midtown...

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    • February Photo of the inside of a furniture business

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Unanimous Verdict Awarding Clients Money Judgment for Their Damages

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Unanimous Verdict Awarding Clients Money Judgment for Their Damages

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s clients invested their life’s savings to become partners in an established furniture business. When it became apparent that the owner of the business was dealing in counterfeit merchandise, was self-dealing and “cooking the books,” they withdrew. The owner refused to return their money. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. sued and the owner countersued for money he said the clients owed him under their contract. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s clients had made substantial payments in cash and the...

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    • Photo of a person signing a document

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Works Hard to Correct Previous Agent’s Application Errors and Help Business Keep Hundreds of Thousands in Tax Benefits

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Works Hard to Correct Previous Agent’s Application Errors and Help Business Keep Hundreds of Thousands in Tax Benefits

      On December 6, 2016, Mayor de Blasio, the Department of Finance and Housing Preservation and Development issued suspension notices to owners of more than 3,000 multiple dwellings that failed to comply with 421a tax benefit requirements. The notices gave owners one year, until January 5, 2018, to correct their mistakes and omissions or suffer suspension of tax benefits – or worse, pay back the tax benefits previously reaped. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, the owner of one of the targeted...

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    • March Photo of a building construction site

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Using Pictures Proving a Substantial Rehabilitation Avoiding Rent Regulation

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Using Pictures Proving a Substantial Rehabilitation Avoiding Rent Regulation

      A client came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. looking to evict a troublesome tenant whose lease had expired in a building that had been gut renovated. Under the law, such buildings are free from rent regulation if certain criteria are met—that the building is in dilapidated condition and that the landlord replaced at least 75% of the building systems, including, at the very least, all walls, floors, and ceilings. However, proving those criteria entails providing a good number of mind-numbing...

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    • Photo of Adam Leitman Bailey in a courtroom

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Litigators Win More Jury Trial Cases Than Any Other Real Estate Law Firm

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Litigators Win More Jury Trial Cases Than Any Other Real Estate Law Firm

      Many law firms call themselves litigators but have never won a single trial or jury trial. The trial attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. have won eight jury trials in the last decade and beyond—more than any other real estate law firm.

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    • Photo of book New York Residential Landlord-Tenant Law and Procedure

      State Supreme Court Judge Gerald Lebovits and Dov Treiman Team Up to Author New York Residential Landlord-Tenant Law and Procedure

      NYSBA

      State Supreme Court Judge Gerald Lebovits and Dov Treiman Team Up to Author New York Residential Landlord-Tenant Law and Procedure

      NYSBA

      December 2017 New York Residential Landlord-Tenant Law 2017-2018 Otto L. Walter Distinguished Writing Award  NEW YORK RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD – TENANT LAW – 2017-2018 Authors include Hon. Gerald Lebovits and Dov Treiman, Esq.. Key Benefits: • Understand the statutory framework for landlord-tenant summary proceedings. • Enhance your skills dealing with landlord-tenant disputes. Product Description: New York residential landlord-tenant law is daunting to newcomers and the experienced alike, given its divergent statutory framework, discordant case law, and emotion-laden disputes involving homes, money, and...

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    • Photo of gavel with a stack of law books in the background

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Shuts Down Prior Partners’ Suit For Lost Profits in Record Time

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Shuts Down Prior Partners’ Suit For Lost Profits in Record Time

      Under New York law, a notice of pendency is a powerful provisional remedy afforded to plaintiffs claiming an interest in real property. Once a notice of pendency is filed against a property, it makes it virtually impossible for the owners of that property to sell it or obtain a mortgage. The enormous leverage wielded by plaintiffs who file a notice of pendency cannot be understated. However, this power is not without limits.  As a recent case handled by Adam Leitman...

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    • Photo of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. attorneys in the office

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Case of First Impression: Cooperatives Required to Do Repairs Despite Shareholder’s Alleged Responsibility in Corporate Documents

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Case of First Impression: Cooperatives Required to Do Repairs Despite Shareholder’s Alleged Responsibility in Corporate Documents

      Adam Leitman Bailey represented a cooperative owner complaining of repairs needed to her apartment. The cooperative building argued that since these repairs based on the corporate documents are the unit owner’s responsibility, the cooperative is not liable to do the repairs. Both the trial court and Appellate Court agreed, declaring: The cooperative, as statutory owner, is obligated in the first instance to remove Housing Code violations (see, McMunn v Steppingstone Mgt. Corp., 131 Misc 2d 340, 500 N.Y.S.2d 219 [1986])....

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    • Photo of landlord-tenant law book

      Court Finds Building Not Subject to Rent Stabilization Based on Photographic Evidence Showing Substantial Renovations Had Been Performed

      New York Law Journal

      Court Finds Building Not Subject to Rent Stabilization Based on Photographic Evidence Showing Substantial Renovations Had Been Performed

      New York Law Journal

      March 27, 2018 by Scott E. Mollen This discusses “884 Madison Street LLC v. Aurello and Tsivicos,” where the court found the subject premises were not subject to rent stabilization because the petitioner established by a preponderance of the evidence that a substantial rehabilitation of the building had been performed, and “Matter of O’Connor and Sons Home Improvement v. Acevedo,” where a Zoning Board of Appeals’ denial of variances was annulled. Landlord-Tenant—Holdover Proceeding—Vacant Building Was in Hazardous Condition—“Substantial” Renovation Done...

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    • April Photo of person holding a lit cigarette

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prepares Forms for New Disclosure Law and Smoking Policy

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prepares Forms for New Disclosure Law and Smoking Policy

      By Rachel Sigmund McGinley Effective January 1, 2018, Section 727 of the Business Corporation Law (BCL) requires all New York condominium and co-op boards to disseminate to all unit owners/shareholders, at least once annually, a written report of any contracts entered into by the board during the reporting year wherein a particular director/board member was “interested” per the terms of BCL Section 713. New Annual Reporting Requirement for Co-Op & Condo Boards: BCL Section 727 Rachel Sigmund of Adam Leitman...

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    • May Program for The Mann Charitable Foundation’s 2nd Annual Leading Ladies event

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Rosemary Liuzzo Mohamed Named One of Mann Charitable Foundation’s Leading Ladies of 2018

      Mann Publications

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Rosemary Liuzzo Mohamed Named One of Mann Charitable Foundation’s Leading Ladies of 2018

      Mann Publications

      One of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s leading ladies has been recognized by The Mann Charitable Foundation’s 2nd Annual Leading Ladies event, which credits women for pushing boundaries in the apparel, real estate, hedge fund, and banking industries. Rosemary Liuzzo Mohamed heads the firm’s Mortgage Finance Group and has been ranked as a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2014 through 2018. Her main focus is on the representation of leading banks in lending transactions, in which she uses her extensive experience...

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    • Photo of New York City street

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Cures a Title Defect, Allowing Condo Owners to Close

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Cures a Title Defect, Allowing Condo Owners to Close

      Pulling out all the stops, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully cures a title defect to allow condominium unit owners to be “ready, willing and able” on time to close their deal. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s clients, the unit owners, went to contract to sell their Tribeca condo, which included a storage unit they acquired originally from the sponsor in 2010. The condo purchaser changed his mind about the purchase and began digging for ways out of the contract. The purchaser...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Decisive Dismissal Victory for Upper West Side Co-op in a Construction Contract Dispute

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Decisive Dismissal Victory for Upper West Side Co-op in a Construction Contract Dispute

      An Upper West Side co-op thought the nightmare with its construction contractor ended in 2011 when he left the jobsite. But 5 ½ years after leaving the jobsite, in October 2016, the contractor filed suit against the co-op trying to recover outrageous “penalties” and trumped-up fees under the contract, demanding a six-figure payday. The co-op and its president turned to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to finally end the dispute once and for all. After studying all the evidence and correspondence,...

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    • Wooden judges gavel

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves a Mortgage from the Statute of Limitations by Using Innovative Acceleration Argument

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves a Mortgage from the Statute of Limitations by Using Innovative Acceleration Argument

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s mortgage servicing client commenced a second foreclosure action in 2017 after its first 2008 action failed. When the borrowers claimed that the mortgage had been accelerated by the 2008 action and could not be enforced under the six-year statute of limitations, the servicer turned to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to save the mortgage loan. The borrowers made a pre-answer motion to dismiss under the statute of limitations. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. opposed the borrowers’ motion on...

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    • 70 Percent of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Attorneys Have Been Named to the 2018 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists

      70 Percent of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Attorneys Have Been Named to the 2018 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists

      Over two-thirds of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. attorneys have been named to the New York Metro area Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists for 2018, making the New York real estate firm the only one of its size – under 30 attorneys – to achieve such an impressive accomplishment. Seventeen of the firm’s attorneys are honored to be a part of this select group of lawyers. Each year, Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers recognizes the top attorneys in a state or region...

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    • August Vanbarton’s Richard Coles and 990 Sixth Avenue (Credit: Google Maps)

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses Non-residential Tenant Harassment Law to Save Client from Eviction by Landlord Attempting to Push Out Tenants through Unnecessary Construction and Damages 

      The Real Deal

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Uses Non-residential Tenant Harassment Law to Save Client from Eviction by Landlord Attempting to Push Out Tenants through Unnecessary Construction and Damages 

      The Real Deal

      August 09, 2018 By Christian Bautista Tenant at 990 Sixth Dodges Eviction in Test Case for Commercial Tenant Harassment Law A tenant at Vanbarton Group’s 990 Sixth Avenue was able to stave off eviction in a test case for the city’s new commercial tenant harassment law. Law firm Schulman, Blitz & Williamson was granted an injunction to continue its tenancy at the 25-story residential and office tower, also known as the Vogue Building. The firm sued its landlord in June, claiming that...

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    • Image of award for 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America

      Adam Leitman Bailey Is Awarded Best Lawyer Ranking and Is the Only Real Estate Law Firm with Under 30 Attorneys to Achieve this Honor

      Adam Leitman Bailey Is Awarded Best Lawyer Ranking and Is the Only Real Estate Law Firm with Under 30 Attorneys to Achieve this Honor

      Adam Leitman Bailey has been ranked in the 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for outstanding work in Real Estate Law. No other attorney at a New York real estate firm with under 30 attorneys has received this honor. Best Lawyers® is known as one of the leading guides on the U.S. legal profession. Recognition by Best Lawyers® is based entirely on peer review, and tens of thousands of top attorneys submit surveys designed to gather a consensus...

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    • Photo of Best Lawyers award

      Adam Leitman Bailey is One of Two Attorneys from a Firm with under 30 Attorneys in the New York Metro Area to Be Recognized As a “Best Lawyer” in Real Estate Law

      Adam Leitman Bailey is One of Two Attorneys from a Firm with under 30 Attorneys in the New York Metro Area to Be Recognized As a “Best Lawyer” in Real Estate Law

      Adam Leitman Bailey is one of two attorneys from a firm of under 30 attorneys in the New York Metro Area to be included in the 25th edition of Best Lawyers in America. Recognition by Best Lawyers is designed to capture the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.  

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    • November

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is One of Thirteen Firms in the New York Metro Area with Under 30 Attorneys to be Selected as “Best Law Firm” in Real Estate Law

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is One of Thirteen Firms in the New York Metro Area with Under 30 Attorneys to be Selected as “Best Law Firm” in Real Estate Law

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is one of thirteen firms in the New York Metro Area with under 30 attorneys to be selected as “Best Law Firm” in Real Estate Law. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been ranked in the 2018 edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms.” The U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in...

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    • Photo of New York City construction site

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Landmark Decision Denying Developer of a License in Order to Preserve the Safety and Interests of Adjacent Condominium Owners

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Landmark Decision Denying Developer of a License in Order to Preserve the Safety and Interests of Adjacent Condominium Owners

      In a landmark decision for New York real estate developers and owners, on August 2, 2018, a New York State Supreme Court Justice issued the first decision in New York history denying a temporary, limited license sought by a developer pursuant to Real Property Actions and Proceedings and Law (“RPAPL”) Section 881. “[T]he Court is in agreement with the respondents in this matters. The Court is going to dismiss the petition for a license as it has been indicated that,...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes 2018 Crain’s Best Places to Work in NYC as the Only Real Estate Law Firm on the List

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes 2018 Crain’s Best Places to Work in NYC as the Only Real Estate Law Firm on the List

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been named as one of the Crain’s 2018 100 Best Places to Work in New York City. The Crain’s program awards various industries throughout New York’s five boroughs. The rankings aim to identify and recognize the city’s best employers, and are based on employee surveys as well as an assessment of employer policies, practices, and demographics. An outside independent research company, Best Companies Group, conducts the research and compiles the results, which are then published...

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    • Photo of person signing a document

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Eviction of Rent Controlled Tenant Claiming Puerto Rican Sojourn for Dental Treatment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Eviction of Rent Controlled Tenant Claiming Puerto Rican Sojourn for Dental Treatment

      If a tenant subject to the Rent Control Law does not maintain the subject premises as a primary residence, the landlord may sue for possession of the premises. However, the landlord must establish that the tenant does not maintain an ongoing, substantial, physical nexus with the subject premises for actual living purposes. The team at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. commenced a holdover proceeding to recover possession of the premises from the tenant. Through investigations and vigorously analyzing the tenant’s testimony,...

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    • Photo of curtain

      Avoiding Litigation, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Persuade Seller-Sponsor to Make Corrections and Repairs to Recently Purchased Manhattan Penthouse

      Avoiding Litigation, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Persuade Seller-Sponsor to Make Corrections and Repairs to Recently Purchased Manhattan Penthouse

      In the fall of 2016, a well-known celebrity purchased a remodeled penthouse apartment in a building recently converted to condominium ownership. The offering plan and contract under which the celebrity purchased the penthouse from the sponsor specified (a) that the apartment was being sold “as is” in the condition in which it was at the time the purchase agreement was signed, subject to ordinary wear and tear, and (b) that the sponsor made “no representations or warranties other than as...

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    • December Photo of keys in a door

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Establishes Multiple Allegations Unmeritorious, Successfully Protecting the Interests of Its Client

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Establishes Multiple Allegations Unmeritorious, Successfully Protecting the Interests of Its Client

      In the following residential mortgage foreclosure actions, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully protected the interests of the foreclosing plaintiffs by defeating allegations of, inter alia, fraud, lack of personal jurisdiction, expiry of the statute of limitations, and failure to comply with mandatory conditions precedent. All of these allegations, if not established unmeritorious by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., would have resulted in the dismissal of the foreclosure actions and, in some cases, the mortgage debt being deemed time-barred.”

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    • Game-Changing Settlement Creates New Case Law While Winning Attorney Fees and Allowing Client to Make Building Repairs

      Game-Changing Settlement Creates New Case Law While Winning Attorney Fees and Allowing Client to Make Building Repairs

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, a Board of Managers of an Upper West Side condominium, came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. for help with the damages caused by building defects in their newly built condominium. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. commenced a Supreme Court litigation against the sponsor developer entities and the individual principals of the entities to recover damages for the building defects, which resulted from the grossly negligent construction by the sponsor developer entities. The biggest issue was a...

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    • Crain’s Names Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. One of New York City’s Top Ten Best Places to Work in 2018

      Crain’s Names Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. One of New York City’s Top Ten Best Places to Work in 2018

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been named one of Crain’s 2018 100 Best Places to Work in New York City, the only real estate firm to have won five times since 2010. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. placed #7 in the small business category. The Crain’s program awards various industries throughout New York’s five boroughs, home to over 220,000 businesses. The rankings aim to identify and recognize the city’s best employers, and this year were based on more than 23,000 employee...

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    • January Photo of Bird's Eye View of New York City

      The New Rules of Seeking a Buyout of a Rent-Regulated Tenant

      New York Law Journal

      The New Rules of Seeking a Buyout of a Rent-Regulated Tenant

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Treiman In their Rent Regulation column, Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Treiman discuss how recent changes to the New York City Administrative Code along with a recent decision in the Appellate Term, First Department, have made landowners who seek to buy out the rights of tenants in occupancy face a minefield of requirements and restrictions. One of the most fascinating parts of being a real estate lawyer is negotiating the selling of rights to...

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    • February Photo of a paintbrush

      Major League Baseball Player Wins Apartment Dispute

      Major League Baseball Player Wins Apartment Dispute

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. prevailed for its client in an apartment dispute with the client’s former landlord. Our client, a major league baseball player, was traded to another team and moved out of his luxury condominium unit in Manhattan. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained to defend his interests. Litigation was an option, but Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. felt that this could be resolved before filing a complaint that could bring the player publicity of a kind he wished not...

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    • Photo of document with text saying "LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT"

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Non-Traditional Family Succession Trial for Landlord

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Non-Traditional Family Succession Trial for Landlord

      Representing the landlord in a multi-day trial, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. prevailed in a non-traditional family succession holdover proceeding. Finding that the occupant was more of a roommate than a family member to the deceased tenant of record, the court awarded final judgment of possession against the occupant and in favor of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client. When a tenant of record in New York City dies or permanently vacates a rent-regulated apartment, the law allows certain individuals to succeed...

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    • Photo of the Real Deal's Future City Leadership Summit

      Adam Leitman Bailey Speaks as a Thought Leader at The Real Deal’s Future City

      Adam Leitman Bailey Speaks as a Thought Leader at The Real Deal’s Future City

      Adam Leitman Bailey joined a group of real estate experts in the Bahamas on January 28th, 2019 for The Real Deal’s Future City real estate summit. Mr. Leitman Bailey was the thought leader for a session discussing policies that are impacting developers and landlords.

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    • March Photo of real estate panel

      “The system is broken.” Real Estate World Clashes With NYC Politicians at Rent Regulation Panel

      The Real Deal

      “The system is broken.” Real Estate World Clashes With NYC Politicians at Rent Regulation Panel

      The Real Deal

      Panelists included attorney Adam Leitman Bailey and City Councilman Mark Levine By Eddie Small March 21, 2019 In the next two weeks, state lawmakers are expected to pass the most sweeping rent regulation reform package in decades. It has the city’s real estate industry pining for the slightly older days, when Michael Bloomberg held court at City Hall and the knives weren’t out for multifamily landlords. At a Thursday morning rent regulation panel discussion between industry players and local politicians, Council member...

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    • April Photo of Mortgage Application Form

      On Behalf of Deutsche Bank and Title Company, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Fraudulent Signature Claim

      On Behalf of Deutsche Bank and Title Company, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Fraudulent Signature Claim

      Sacks v Deutsche Bank United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York In 2006, Deutsche Bank National Trust’s (“DBNTC”) predecessor in interest lent over $800,000 to Lois Sacks secured by a mortgage on a property in Sag Harbor, NY, a wealthy community in New York’s storied Hamptons. The mortgage and note were signed under a power of attorney by Robert Sacks, the borrower’s son. After default on the mortgage, a foreclosure proceeding was brought by another law...

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    • September Photo of New York City buidlings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Victory for Title Company in a 100-Year-Old Easement Action

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Victory for Title Company in a 100-Year-Old Easement Action

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was recently retained by a Title Company in an action in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Queens, where the plaintiff alleged that the title company failed to disclose the existence of a 100-year-old easement which severely depressed the value of his property. Instead of informing the title company, the plaintiff sold the property for a reduced value based upon the existence of the easement. The plaintiff then brought an action...

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    • Photo of Queens Supreme Court

      CHARLES A. KRIEGER v. FIRST AMERICAN TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY

      CHARLES A. KRIEGER v. FIRST AMERICAN TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY

      SHORT FORM ORDERNEW YORK STATE SUPREME COURT – QUEENS COUNTYPresent: Honorable Leonard Livote IAS TERM, PART 33Acting Supreme Court Justice Charles A. Krieger, Index No: 719028/18Plaintiff,— against — Motion Date: 5/14/19First American Title Seq. No: 1Insurance Company,Defendants. The following papers numbered 1 to 10 read on this motion by defendant for an Order: dismissing the complaint, pursuant to CPLR §3211 (a)(1), on the grounds that a defense is founded upon documentary evidence, to wit, the title policy, and/or (ii) dismissing...

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    • Photo of commercial buildings

      Mission Accomplished: Evicting Over Two Dozen Commercial Tenants by a Date Certain or Pay a Massive Amount of Money

      Mission Accomplished: Evicting Over Two Dozen Commercial Tenants by a Date Certain or Pay a Massive Amount of Money

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, a Fortune 500 company, net-leased or leased an entire building from its landlord. The tenant’s lease was expiring on April 30th. The tenant had leases with over two dozen sub-tenants and many of them, despite having leases end before April 30th, had no intention to move out when the lease ended. The tenant was in a quandary because if it did not evict all of the tenants by April 30th, it would have to pay...

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    • Photo of the inside of a bakery

      A Queens Story: Uncovering a Fraud, Fixing a Building, and Making the Client Whole for Its Losses

      A Queens Story: Uncovering a Fraud, Fixing a Building, and Making the Client Whole for Its Losses

      A well-known bakery producing some of the finest breads and pastries in New York was blocked from using most of its property to bake bread and desserts. During the first meeting with the client while going over the government’s objections to the use of the building as a bakery, logic defied the explanations for the denials. The bakery resided in a district that allowed its users to make its products without any special permits. The building complied with all standard...

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    • October Photo of person signing a document

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Drafts Multiple Leases for BlumbergExcelsior

      The Blumberg Excelsior

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Drafts Multiple Leases for BlumbergExcelsior

      The Blumberg Excelsior

      Famous for their landlord and tenant representation in New York City, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been recognized numerous times in the past decade by publications and journals for the leases, agreements, and forms our attorneys have created for BlumbergExcelsior. Thomson Reuters noted that “Blumberg legal forms include more than one hundred landlord-tenant and real estate forms, many of them authored by such prominent authorities as… attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C..” New Rental Lease Eliminated Loopholes for Late Paying...

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    • November

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is Selected as a 2019 “Best Law Firm” in Real Estate Law

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is Selected as a 2019 “Best Law Firm” in Real Estate Law

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been ranked Tier 3 in the 2019 edition of U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms.” The firm is one of only ten firms in the New York Metro Area with under 30 attorneys to be selected as a “Best Law Firm” in Real Estate Law. The U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review...

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    • January

      How Adam Leitman Bailey Became New York’s Top Real Estate Lawyer

      Kivo Daily

      How Adam Leitman Bailey Became New York’s Top Real Estate Lawyer

      Kivo Daily

      Adam Leitman Bailey is an award-winning lawyer and entrepreneur in New York City. He is the founding partner of the eponymous law firm — Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. — which he has grown into the foremost provider of real estate-centric legal counsel in the city.   Both Adam Leitman Bailey and the firm have received accolades for their exceptional work:  The Commercial Observer named Bailey one of New York’s Most Powerful Real Estate Attorneys. Bailey is one of two attorneys from a law firm...

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    • March Photo of Appellate Division Courthouse of New York

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Wins Appeal in First Department Affirming Its Trial Victory Representing a Landlord in a Succession Claim Holdover Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Wins Appeal in First Department Affirming Its Trial Victory Representing a Landlord in a Succession Claim Holdover Proceeding

      In a February 2020 decision, the Appellate Term, First Department, affirmed the housing court’s February 2019 order after trial, which awarded possessory judgment to the landlord in a non-traditional family member succession proceeding concerning a rent stabilized apartment. The Appellate Term Held in a unanimous decision: A fair interpretation of the evidence supports the trial court’s finding that respondent . . . failed to meet her affirmative obligation to prove “emotional and financial commitment, and interdependence between [herself] and the...

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    • 206 West 80th Street Preview Image

      206 West 80th Street LLC v. Julianna Morgan

      206 West 80th Street LLC v. Julianna Morgan

      Decided on February 21, 2020SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE TERM, FIRST DEPARTMENTPRESENT: Shulman, P.J., Cooper, Edmead, JJ.570199/19 206 West 80th Street LLC, Petitioner-Landlord-Respondent, against Julianna Morgan, Respondent-Licensee-Appellant.   Respondent Julianna Morgan appeals from a final judgment of the Civil Court of the City of New York, New York County (Anne Katz, J.), entered February 6, 2019, after a nonjury trial, which awarded possession to landlord in a holdover summary proceeding. Per Curiam. Final judgment (Anne Katz, J.), entered on February 6, 2019,...

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    • Photo of pen resting at buyer's signature line

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Equitable Lien and Equitable Subrogation in Foreclosure Action After Borrower Disputes Validity of Signature on Mortgage

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Equitable Lien and Equitable Subrogation in Foreclosure Action After Borrower Disputes Validity of Signature on Mortgage

      The owner of the property secured a mortgage loan from the client’s predecessor-in-interest and made payments on the mortgage for a number of years before abruptly ceasing all payments and defaulting on the loan. Through predecessor counsel, the client filed a single count complaint seeking foreclosure on the loan.  The borrower challenged foreclosure, asserting that the signature on the mortgage “appeared not to be” his own. In light of this challenge to the validity of the mortgage, Adam Leitman Bailey,...

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    • April Buildings Preview Image

      Adverse Possession Win Despite Forgetting Property for 13 Years

      Adverse Possession Win Despite Forgetting Property for 13 Years

      The case felt like a John Grisham movie. The seller of an investment property sold it to two different people within a month of each other. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represented the first buyer, who although was convicted for property fraud many years earlier, had innocently purchased this property and forgot about it thirteen years before the case was started. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was against two of the largest law firms in the world. An executive from another big...

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    • May New York County Supreme Courthouse

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Another Matter Under Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (“RPAPL”) Section 881 – Essential Construction Granted During Pandemic

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Another Matter Under Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (“RPAPL”) Section 881 – Essential Construction Granted During Pandemic

      A large real estate owner (“Petitioner”) in New York City retained Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to file an action under Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law (“RPAPL”) Section 881 to obtain an order for access to the adjoining property owner’s (“Respondent”) building in order to install the temporary protections required under the New York Department of Buildings Code. In January 2020, Petitioner had attempted in good faith to negotiate a license agreement with Respondent for the installation of temporary protections...

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    • July Photo of New York County Courthouse

      LEX RETAIL LLC v. 71ST STREET-LEXINGTON CORPORATION

      LEX RETAIL LLC v. 71ST STREET-LEXINGTON CORPORATION

      SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKNEW YORK COUNTYPRESENT: HON. JOHN J. KELLEY PART IAS MOTION 56EFMJustice———————————————————————————X INDEX NO. 151392/2020MOTION DATE 02/07/2020MOTION SEQ. NO. 001DECISION + ORDER ONMOTIONLEX RETAIL, LLC,Plaintiff, v – 71ST STREET-LEXINGTON CORPORATION,Defendant. The following e-filed documents, listed by NYSCEF document number (Motion 001) 2, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27,28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, and 43were read on this motion to/for JUDGMENT – PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION Pursuant to a...

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    • Photo of buildings in Manhattan

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes New Law and Secures Yellowstone Injunction Victory Saving Ground Lease Tenancy

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Makes New Law and Secures Yellowstone Injunction Victory Saving Ground Lease Tenancy

      In a stunning upset victory, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. attorneys recently made new law, thereby securing a Yellowstone Injunction on behalf of a tenant facing the imminent loss of its valuable ground lease tenancy after being accused by its landlord, a housing cooperative, of failing to carry the requisite property insurance, as required under the lease. The co-op landlord claimed it discovered the insurance default after it was denied coverage by the tenant’s insurance carrier. A personal injury action had...

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    • Photo of buildings in New York from above

      Knowledge of Finer Intricacies of Complicated J-51 Overcharge Laws and Formulas Result in Massive Savings for Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Landlord-Client

      Knowledge of Finer Intricacies of Complicated J-51 Overcharge Laws and Formulas Result in Massive Savings for Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Landlord-Client

      New York City owners who participated in the J-51 tax exemption and abatement program have faced a surge of class action cases over the last five years that nonprofit tenant advocacy groups have brought. The crux of these class actions’ claims was that owners should suffer a rollback of rent to the rates charged years ago and return supposedly overpaid rent to the tenants. Underlying this was the claim that owners did not return apartments to rent stabilization following the...

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    • October Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtain Residential Eviction During COVID and Permission to Use Self-Help

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtain Residential Eviction During COVID and Permission to Use Self-Help

      The team at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. continued to find creative ways to assist landlord clients in the wake of the nonfunctional New York Housing Courts. In a recent case, a landlord-client learned that his tenant, in violation of the lease and New York law, had been illegally subletting his apartment through Airbnb to subtenants. One subtenant, emboldened by the fact that at the time evictions were nearly impossible to achieve in New York Housing Court, changed the locks, switched...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Awarded Number One Firm for October, November, and December

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Awarded Number One Firm for October, November, and December

        Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was awarded the Number One law firm for October, November, and December by the home-lending division of one of the top five largest banks. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. had the largest number of closings with the fewest errors per closing and the highest scores. Last year, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. finished in second place in 2020 and was determined to work harder to become number one. Unfortunately, no statistics were kept for the year except...

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    • November

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Order Staying the Settlement of Judgment Discharging Lender’s Mortgage

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Order Staying the Settlement of Judgment Discharging Lender’s Mortgage

      The New York Legislature’s intent in passing foreclosure-related laws are generally in order to protect homeowners. However, a sophisticated investor can manipulate these laws to game the system all to the detriment of lenders. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was recently retained by a lender who faced such a situation. Lender had given a mortgage that was over a half million dollars to a borrower in August of 2008. By October of that same year, borrower stopped making payments on the...

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    • December sherry netherland preview image

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Wins Co-op’s Right to Retain Multimillion Dollar Security Deposit Post-HSTPA

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Wins Co-op’s Right to Retain Multimillion Dollar Security Deposit Post-HSTPA

      In one of the first tests of the 2019 Rent Law’s provisions restricting security deposits and prepaid rent, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. won for an extreme upscale cooperative in Manhattan, the right to keep the multimillion-dollar, multi-year prepaid maintenance it had negotiated from a foreign national with an unsavory international reputation. Arguing that the prepaid maintenance was not subject to the 2019 law, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. preserved the cooperative’s ability to secure itself against its shareholder’s possible defaults.  This...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Appellate Victory: Successor Sponsors No Longer Responsible for Repairing Building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Appellate Victory: Successor Sponsors No Longer Responsible for Repairing Building

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully defended purchasers of units in a condominium following the original sponsor’s  bankruptcy against claims of individual units’ owners for breach of contract. The original sponsor of a condominium conversion declared bankruptcy after it was sued by individual unit owners for design and construction defects. In the bankruptcy proceeding, the firm’s client purchased almost 40 unsold units and unsold parking spaces  “free and clear” of the defective pre-bankruptcy design and construction defects of the original sponsor....

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    • court rules preview image

      On Appeal, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Gets Lower Court Order Vacated in The Interest of Justice

      On Appeal, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Gets Lower Court Order Vacated in The Interest of Justice

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a lender to revive a foreclosure action that was dismissed after a traverse hearing based upon the failure to serve the defendant. Prior to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. being retained in the action, prior counsel filed a motion for an Order of Reference which Defendant opposed by cross-motion arguing that he was not served. In response, the Court scheduled a traverse hearing.    Prior to the traverse hearing taking place, Plaintiff filed a...

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    • Condominium Injunction Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats a Tenant’s Order to Show Cause Seeking a Preliminary Injunction and Upholds a Commercial Landlord’s Rights to Self Help

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats a Tenant’s Order to Show Cause Seeking a Preliminary Injunction and Upholds a Commercial Landlord’s Rights to Self Help

      It is a longstanding and well-settled principle of law in New York that, when the right to re-enter is expressly reserved in a commercial lease, the landlord may re-enter the leased premises upon a tenant’s default in the payment of rent, a breach of other lease terms, or upon the termination of the lease. This principle was recently tested in a Nassau County Supreme Court action preliminary injunction application, where a commercial tenant (in severe breach of multiple covenants of...

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    • Photo of Kings County Supreme Court

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Protects a Commercial Landlord From a Tenant’s Attempt to Expand a Dangerous HVAC and Gas Line Project

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Protects a Commercial Landlord From a Tenant’s Attempt to Expand a Dangerous HVAC and Gas Line Project

      Representing a commercial landlord in a Kings County, Supreme Court action, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. defeated a tenant’s application for a preliminary injunction, brought by order to show cause, in which the tenant sought broad permission to expand its dangerous and unlawful HVAC and gas line operations. In companion commercial eviction proceedings, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. obtained judgments of possession against the Brooklyn supermarket tenant based on the tenant’s breaches of a commercial lease. The tenant appealed and obtained a...

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    • Photo of buildings in New York City

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves and Secures Life-Saving Facility While Stopping Work on Development Project: When the Building That Holds the 911 Center is in Danger of Collapsing, Who You Gonna Call? Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saves and Secures Life-Saving Facility While Stopping Work on Development Project: When the Building That Holds the 911 Center is in Danger of Collapsing, Who You Gonna Call? Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.

      In New York City, some buildings are sacrosanct. They may not be good-looking or special from the outside but what they do on the inside helps save lives. When Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. attorneys received the emergency call and ran to this building, upon arriving they were shuffled into an office and briefed on the importance of their mission. The attorneys had to secure and eventually save the building, which cannot be named due to the secrecy of the assignment,...

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    • Image of building in Brooklyn

      Buyouts, Evictions, Negotiations, and Detective Work Lead to the Ground Work to Build a Large Condominium

      Buyouts, Evictions, Negotiations, and Detective Work Lead to the Ground Work to Build a Large Condominium

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Landlord-Tenant Practice Facilitates the Development of New Construction on The Upper East Side. Here is an Example:   Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. spent almost a year and a half buying-out tenants and evicting tenants who had violated their lease agreement for a large rent-regulated building site in Brooklyn. These tenants’ violations included illegally subletting, not using their premises as their primary residences, or chronically paying their rent late. The property owner’s goal was to demolish the...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails at Making New Law as Appellate Division Finds Second Sponsor Not Liable For Condominium Building Defects

      The Real Deal

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails at Making New Law as Appellate Division Finds Second Sponsor Not Liable For Condominium Building Defects

      The Real Deal

      Court lets Fortis off hook for Williamsburg condo defects Developer wins argument that shoddy workmanship is board’s problem now Since purchasing 37 condo units from bankruptcy nearly a decade ago, a Brooklyn developer has denied that it also acquired responsibility for fixing defects in the building. Now, a court has let the developer off the hook. A panel of Appellate Division judges found that Fortis Property Group isn’t liable for damages or defects that existed at Bayard Views Condominium in Williamsburg before the previous...

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    • Photo of older builing in New York City

      Unprecedented Negotiation of License Agreement with Large Developer Improves Structural Stability and Increases Value and Longevity of Adjacent Building

      Unprecedented Negotiation of License Agreement with Large Developer Improves Structural Stability and Increases Value and Longevity of Adjacent Building

      A prominent real estate holding company needed to negotiate an extraordinarily complicated license agreement for protections relating to a prominent university’s massive construction project adjacent to the building.  The university’s project included demolition work, support of excavation work, foundation work, and the construction of a new building. In particular, the real estate holding company was extremely concerned that the university’s project could have dire consequences on its building due to the fragility and age of the building. The real estate...

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      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Is Named One of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Is Named One of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is pleased to be ranked as one of the nation’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in 2019 by Best and Brightest. Out of thousands of nominations and over 500 selected winners, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was one of only three law firms in the nation to be recognized and the only real estate law firm to be recognized. We are proud to be acknowledged for our dedication and commitment toward creating a happy, healthy,...

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    • January

      Adam Leitman Bailey Selected as a Global Leader in Real Estate 2020 by Who’sWhoLegal

      Adam Leitman Bailey Selected as a Global Leader in Real Estate 2020 by Who’sWhoLegal

      Who’s Who Legal has identified the foremost legal practitioners and consulting experts in business law based upon comprehensive and independent research. This year Adam Leitman Bailey was selected as Who’s Who Legal Global Leaders in Real Estate 2020. Who’s Who Legal stated “Adam Leitman Bailey is an “intelligent and diligent” lawyer remark sources, who note he is “extremely knowledgeable of the law” and commend his “excellent strategic thinking”. Read Adam Leitman Bailey’s full Who’s Who Legal profile here: https://whoswholegal.com/adam-leitman-bailey

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    • March Screenshot of Video Decision

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Revives a Time-Barred Mortgage Loan on Appeal

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Revives a Time-Barred Mortgage Loan on Appeal

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by the note owner to salvage a 2007 foreclosure action that was dismissed pursuant to CPLR § 3216 for the Plaintiff’s prior counsel’s alleged failure to prosecute.  By virtue of the CPLR § 3216 dismissal, foreclosure of the loan was then time-barred by the statute of limitations, and the Plaintiff was unable to use the six month grace period afforded by CPLR § 205 needed to timely commence a new action.  Accordingly, Adam Leitman...

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    • Top view photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Post Foreclosure Writ of Assistance; Defeats Prior Owner’s Motion to Vacate Default

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Post Foreclosure Writ of Assistance; Defeats Prior Owner’s Motion to Vacate Default

      Representing the buyer of a commercial property after a foreclosure sale in Suffolk County, New York, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. won a motion for a writ of assistance under New York Real Property Law § 221 to evict the prior owner church and to put the firm’s client into possession of the property. Simultaneously, partnering with the foreclosing bank’s counsel, the firm opposed and defeated the prior owner’s motion to vacate its default in the underlying foreclosure action. In September...

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    • May

      Landlord-Tenant—Airbnb Occupant Overstayed Reservation—Went from Being Illegal Subtenant to Trespasser After He Surrendered the Apartment—Court Enjoined Occupant from Using the Premises

      New York Law Journal

      Landlord-Tenant—Airbnb Occupant Overstayed Reservation—Went from Being Illegal Subtenant to Trespasser After He Surrendered the Apartment—Court Enjoined Occupant from Using the Premises

      New York Law Journal

      This decision involved a rent stabilized apartment which had a legal rent of $2,765 per month. The tenant violated the lease by renting the apartment through Airbnb to the defendant occupant (occupant). The occupant apparently “overstayed his booking.” The landlord moved to exclude the occupant from the apartment and to set past use and occupancy. Although no opposition had been submitted on the motion, the court conducted a conference call. The occupant “represented that he wanted to depart the premises...

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    • Appellate Division Sustains Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Foreclosure Sale Objections Involving Accounting and Breach of Fiduciary Duty

      Appellate Division Sustains Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Foreclosure Sale Objections Involving Accounting and Breach of Fiduciary Duty

         When a bank acts as a trustee for an estate, it is held to a higher standard of care. In a longstanding matter before the Surrogate’s Court,  Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was called in, in the middle of trial, to represent brothers whose interests in inherited  real property had been adversely affected by the bank’s acts and failure to act. The Surrogate sustained the objections relating to the foreclosure sale.  Among other things, the bank claimed that releases that...

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    • Landlord-Tenant—Airbnb Occupant Overstayed Reservation—Went from Being Illegal Subtenant to Trespasser After He Surrendered the Apartment—Court Enjoined Occupant from Using the Premises

      New York Law Journal

      Landlord-Tenant—Airbnb Occupant Overstayed Reservation—Went from Being Illegal Subtenant to Trespasser After He Surrendered the Apartment—Court Enjoined Occupant from Using the Premises

      New York Law Journal

      This decision involved a rent stabilized apartment which had a legal rent of $2,765 per month. The tenant violated the lease by renting the apartment through Airbnb to the defendant occupant (occupant). The occupant apparently “overstayed his booking.” The landlord moved to exclude the occupant from the apartment and to set past use and occupancy. Although no opposition had been submitted on the motion, the court conducted a conference call. The occupant “represented that he wanted to depart the premises...

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    • Chambers & Partners Ranks Adam Leitman Bailey as One of New York’s Top Real Estate Litigators in 2021

      Chambers & Partners Ranks Adam Leitman Bailey as One of New York’s Top Real Estate Litigators in 2021

      Chambers & Partners Ranks Adam Leitman Bailey as One of New York’s Top Real Estate Litigators in 2021 Chambers remarked that Adam Leitman Bailey “is a noted real estate litigator with substantial expertise handling high-stakes disputes.” Chambers also remarked that “he is a creative and innovative lawyer who thinks outside the box.” Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is the only firm listed that also practices Cooperative & Condominium Law and Title Insurance Law. About Chambers & Partners: One of the most renowned...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey Honored in Millennium, a Marquis Who’s Who Magazine

      Adam Leitman Bailey Honored in Millennium, a Marquis Who’s Who Magazine

        Marquis Who’s Who Millennium Magazine has nominated Adam Leitman Bailey to be featured in their Seventh Edition, in the section “Law and Law Enforcement.” Millennium magazine features leaders from around the globe; it is a more recent addition to their various biographical data features. For over a century (since 1899), Marquis Who’s Who has proudly supported the library and research communities with the most trusted biographical information of its kind. Nearly every public and academic library in the United...

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    • June

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Shareholder-Clients Prevail on Appeal as Court Finds Cooperative Negligent and Determines Cooperative Must Maintain Roof in Good Repair Among other Damages Awarded to Clients

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Shareholder-Clients Prevail on Appeal as Court Finds Cooperative Negligent and Determines Cooperative Must Maintain Roof in Good Repair Among other Damages Awarded to Clients

      The law generally provides that when a party asserts a claim for breach of contract and for negligence based upon the same operative events, the negligence claim will be dismissed as being duplicative of the breach of contract cause of action. This is the issue Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. faced when taking over a case brought by shareholders of two penthouse units in a small cooperative building. Due to extensive leaking from numerous areas of the roof, the units suffered...

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    • 240W35, LLC v 243 West 34th Street LLC: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Obtaining Court Order/License to Do Remediation and Repairs on Client’s Property and Ability to Access Adversary’s Property to Finish Work

      240W35, LLC v 243 West 34th Street LLC: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Obtaining Court Order/License to Do Remediation and Repairs on Client’s Property and Ability to Access Adversary’s Property to Finish Work

      Against one of the largest land owners in the world, our client, a real estate company needed access on our adversary’s property to do repairs to our client’s buildings.  Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law section 881 permits an owner of real property to petition the court for a license to enter an adjoining owner’s property when the adjoining owner refuses to enter into a license agreement to grant access. The court should fashion a remedy as justice requires. Adam...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Halts Airbnb Abuses by Unit Owner

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Halts Airbnb Abuses by Unit Owner

      The Board of a Condominium engaged Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. after one of its units owners repeatedly listed his apartment on Airbnb, and other transient use websites, for short-term rentals, in violation of New York law and the governing documents of the building. Specifically, § 27-2004.a.8(a) of the Housing Maintenance Code, expressly prohibits transient, short-term rentals of Class A multiple dwellings. At the time that the Board engaged Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., the New York Department of Buildings had already...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Shareholder-Clients Prevail on Appeal as Court Finds Cooperative Negligent and Determines Cooperative Must Maintain Roof in Good Repair Among other Damages Awarded to Clients

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Shareholder-Clients Prevail on Appeal as Court Finds Cooperative Negligent and Determines Cooperative Must Maintain Roof in Good Repair Among other Damages Awarded to Clients

      The law generally provides that when a party asserts a claim for breach of contract and for negligence based upon the same operative events, the negligence claim will be dismissed as being duplicative of the breach of contract cause of action. This is the issue Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. faced when taking over a case brought by shareholders of two penthouse units in a small cooperative building. Due to extensive leaking from numerous areas of the roof, the units suffered...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Claim Against Title Company

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Claim Against Title Company

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a title company in connection with a claim that the search performed by the title company was negligent.  The title company was retained by the purchaser of the property in connection with the sale of a property that was inherited after the death of seller’s father.  Seller represented that he was the sole heir of the decedent and executed an heirship affidavit indicating he was the sole heir. The property was transferred to...

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    • 240W35, LLC v 243 West 34th Street LLC: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Obtaining Court Order/License to Do Remediation and Repairs on Client’s Property and Ability to Access Adversary’s Property to Finish Work

      240W35, LLC v 243 West 34th Street LLC: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Obtaining Court Order/License to Do Remediation and Repairs on Client’s Property and Ability to Access Adversary’s Property to Finish Work

      Against one of the largest land owners in the world, our client, a real estate company needed access on our adversary’s property to do repairs to our client’s buildings.  Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law section 881 permits an owner of real property to petition the court for a license to enter an adjoining owner’s property when the adjoining owner refuses to enter into a license agreement to grant access. The court should fashion a remedy as justice requires. Adam...

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    • Another Hard Fought Victory by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. for a Townhouse Developer under RPAPL § 881: By Digging In and Investigating and Uncovering an Insurmountable Amount of Evidence, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Gave the Court Only One Path To Follow

      Another Hard Fought Victory by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. for a Townhouse Developer under RPAPL § 881: By Digging In and Investigating and Uncovering an Insurmountable Amount of Evidence, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Gave the Court Only One Path To Follow

      In RLM TH LLC v. 162 East 70th Street Trust LLC, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. succeeded in a Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law  (“RPAPL”) § 881 proceeding commenced against a neighboring homeowner, after Respondent refused to negotiate in good faith with Petitioner concerning, inter alia, construction on a shared party wall between Petitioner’s and Respondent’s townhouses on the Upper East Side.   Petitioner purchased the townhouse with the purposes of performing a gut renovation and adding a vertical addition to...

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    • Chambers Associate Ranks Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. in 5 Categories Nationwide in the 2021 Associate Satisfaction Survey

      Chambers Associate Ranks Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. in 5 Categories Nationwide in the 2021 Associate Satisfaction Survey

      In the 2021 USA Guide, Chambers Associate has awarded Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Associate rankings in 5 nationwide categories.  These rankings include one category as a Top 10 Firm and 4 other categories as a Top 25 Firm in the United States of America. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was ranked as a Top 10 Firm for: Quality of Life Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. also ranked as a Top 25 Firm for: Associate Retention Associate Satisfaction Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Career...

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    • Expertise 2021

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked in Expertise’s 2021 Top 38 Real Estate Law Firms in New York

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked in Expertise’s 2021 Top 38 Real Estate Law Firms in New York

      Every year, Expertise.com decides on the most prominent local experts in a variety of fields with the goal of connecting the public with the best. This year, after researching over 4000 real estate law firms, Expertise.com ranked Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. as one of the top 38 real estate law firms in New York. They scored real estate lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to create a hand-picked list of the best real...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Featured in Chambers Associate’s 2021 Guide

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Featured in Chambers Associate’s 2021 Guide

      New York and real estate go together like Big Apple pie and a hefty scoop of ice cream – and no one knows that better than the folks at Adam Leitman Bailey. A relative youngster in the New York market, Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. turned 21 in January 2021. If it were a person, it would now be able to legally drink or adopt a child or, well, gamble if it were that way inclined. But gambling is not something that’s on...

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    • August

      Adam Leitman Bailey Named to ‘Best Lawyers in America’ List 2021

      Adam Leitman Bailey Named to ‘Best Lawyers in America’ List 2021

      Adam Leitman Bailey has reached a seven-year milestone after being named to Best Lawyers in America list. This year’s selection process consisted of more than 10 million peer evaluations; only 5% of practicing attorneys in the United States were honored.   Best Lawyers met the need for efficient legal recommendations in a time long before accessibility to the internet and search engines. What began as a small directory of names has grown into an internationally recognized brand. Known for a carefully curated list...

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    • 7 Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in 2022 Editions

      7 Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in 2022 Editions

        Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has once again proven its excellence with its performance in the 2022 Editions of The Best Lawyers and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.   The team at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. would like to congratulate Adam Leitman Bailey on his naming to the The Best Lawyers in America list; this recognition marks a seven-year milestone for Mr. Bailey.   Further, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. would like to congratulate the following attorneys on being named to the 2022 Best Lawyers: Ones to...

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    • September Photo of Manhattan Supreme Court

      Han Dynasty Bronx, LLC et al. v. Albert Alkerson

      Han Dynasty Bronx, LLC et al. v. Albert Alkerson

          Decision and Order_9.1.21_(901696_19 and 900078_20)

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    • Nationwide Large Buildings Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains a Preliminary Injunction and an Order of Contempt Against Holdover Licensees Illegally Using a New York City Apartment as a Single Room Occupancy Dwelling and for Short-Term Occupancy

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains a Preliminary Injunction and an Order of Contempt Against Holdover Licensees Illegally Using a New York City Apartment as a Single Room Occupancy Dwelling and for Short-Term Occupancy

      In a New York County Supreme Court ejectment action, Adam Leitman Bailey P.C., prevailed on a motion for a temporary restraining order, then obtained an order of contempt against the non-complying occupants based on their illegal and dangerous use of a Class A apartment as a de facto single room occupancy dwelling and short-term rental enterprise.  The rent stabilized tenant of record of the apartment recently died, leaving behind multiple unauthorized occupants. Seeking to recover possession of the apartment, Adam...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Banking Department Ensures Client Success Despite Hurricane Complications

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Banking Department Ensures Client Success Despite Hurricane Complications

      On September 1, 2021, Hurricane Ida made landfall in New York, heavily impacting the Tri-State area with devastating winds and rain. With up to 3.1 inches of rain in Central Park within just one hour, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency in New York City for the first time. Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of the emergency stating that New York City was “enduring a historic weather event” and urged New Yorkers to stay indoors....

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Declaratory Judgment, Permanent Injunction, and Judgment of Possession Against Nuisance Apartment Occupant Despite Ban on Evictions

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Declaratory Judgment, Permanent Injunction, and Judgment of Possession Against Nuisance Apartment Occupant Despite Ban on Evictions

      Representing a residential landlord in a Supreme Court ejectment action, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was tasked with securing possession of an apartment; second, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was charged with protecting the safety and quiet enjoyment of the apartments of neighboring residents against an unauthorized nuisance occupant left over when the tenant of record vacated the apartment, but failed to remove the occupant.  The tenant of record of the free market apartment installed an occupant who (according to neighbors and building staff) terrorized the...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Historic Westchester County Real Estate Settlement Following Motion to Enforce

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Historic Westchester County Real Estate Settlement Following Motion to Enforce

      Background:  Earlier this year, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. secured an absolute victory with an unprecedented multi- million-dollar settlement of multiple lawsuits. These lawsuits were brought by owners of a neighboring property to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client in which they alleged an adverse possession claim against the client’s property, the last remaining vacant plot in a Westchester County multi-parcel subdivision.  Despite submitting multiple notices to the neighbors, without objection, at key stages of development, the neighbors claimed that they owned a portion of Adam...

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    • Financial Services Litigation Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Trial; Vacating Mechanics Lien Foreclosure Sale Denied

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Trial; Vacating Mechanics Lien Foreclosure Sale Denied

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained to represent the purchaser in a mechanic’s lien foreclosure of a commercial building in upper Manhattan which had proceeded to auction and sale. The client was the high bidder. After Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client paid just over a million dollars and was deeded the property, the prior owner moved to vacate the sale on the grounds that it did not receive proper notice of the auction and that the sale price was unconscionable. ...

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    • Appellate Litigation Preview Image

      Overcoming Extremely Difficult Odds, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Agency Governing Rent Deregulation, DHCR, Protecting Default Order of High-Income High-Rent Deregulation, Deregulating Apartment

      Overcoming Extremely Difficult Odds, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Agency Governing Rent Deregulation, DHCR, Protecting Default Order of High-Income High-Rent Deregulation, Deregulating Apartment

      This case highlights the mantra of never-ever giving up, believing in the case, and continuing to fight for our client’s rights to deregulate a rent stabilized apartment despite five years of delays and obstacles in multiple courts and agency proceedings. Finally, at the State Supreme Court, justice prevailed for our landlord-client who never stopped believing in Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. After a five-year battle in multiple courts and at the Division of Housing & Community Renewal (DHCR), Adam Leitman Bailey,...

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    • Best Lawyers® Announces 2021 Business Edition: The Litigation Issue

      Best Lawyers® Announces 2021 Business Edition: The Litigation Issue

      Best Lawyers® Announces 2021 Business Edition: The Litigation Issue AUGUSTA, Ga., September 3, 2021 — Best Lawyers®, the oldest and most respected guide to the legal profession, is pleased to announce the release of the 2021 Best Lawyers Business Edition: Litigation Issue. Using information excerpted from the recently released 2022 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, this publication features more than 20,000 lawyers recognized for their top legal talent in litigation-related...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Persuades Sponsor of Condominium to Fix Building Issues

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Persuades Sponsor of Condominium to Fix Building Issues

      In 2018, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a group of unit owners at a prominent new construction condominium in lower Manhattan. There were numerous defects in the construction of their 150-unit building. The sponsor still controlled the board of managers and had only been performing band-aid repairs. The issues ranged from missing firestopping, façade defects, and ventilation issues to poor quality window and hardwood floor installations.  Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. jumped into action to assist the group of...

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    • Notice of foreclosure

      In Erie County Action, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Holds Foreclosure Auction and Closes to Third-Party High Bidder

      In Erie County Action, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Holds Foreclosure Auction and Closes to Third-Party High Bidder

      With the continuing COVID-19 legislation staying foreclosures during the pandemic, lenders are stalled in prosecuting its actions and are having even more difficulty completing an auction.   In this Erie County post-judgment of foreclosure and sale action, immediately upon the issuance of the COVID-19 conference requirements, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. requested that the required conference be set and then diligently followed up with the Court to get it scheduled and held.   Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. participated in the conference and achieved Court approval to move forward with...

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    • Shady Business Dealings, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Favorable Settlement For Its Client

      Shady Business Dealings, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Favorable Settlement For Its Client

      In a case where an investor was swindled by his business partner, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was able to quickly secure a settlement saving its client’s investment. The investor purchased a property with the intent of developing and constructing a residential property to sell.  In order to develop this new residential property, the investor entered in a joint development agreement with a builder.   The builder ended up taking out multiple mortgages on the property all to the detriment of...

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    • Photo of landlord-tenant lease agreement with key

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Updates the Most Comprehensive New York State Free Market Lease Form Ever Written

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Updates the Most Comprehensive New York State Free Market Lease Form Ever Written

      Blumberg announced the publication of the most comprehensive New York State free market lease form ever written. The revised Blumberg form is entitled. No. 57, Apartment Lease for an Unregulated Apartment, with Guarantee, 8-21. Attorneys Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Tremain of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., have updated the previous version to: Make it easier to navigate with all fill-in items on the first and last pages Deal with rent concessions Vastly strengthen the language protecting landlords against short term...

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    • October Construction Litigation Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Advocates on Behalf of Client, Ensuring Protective Measures For Historic Building and Tenants

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Advocates on Behalf of Client, Ensuring Protective Measures For Historic Building and Tenants

      The board of a condominium on the Upper East Side approached Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. searching for assistance in negotiating a license agreement with a large-scale real estate developer; they hoped to install protective measures concerning a massive adjacent demolition and construction project for a new commercial building that services the entertainment and music industry. In addition to ensuring the protection of the historic building and its unit owners, the board was concerned about the strong potential for disruptive noise...

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    • November Succession Laws Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Injunction Against Serial Illegal Short-Term Rental Operators

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Injunction Against Serial Illegal Short-Term Rental Operators

      Representing a New York landlord, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. obtained an injunction in a Supreme Court ejectment action against a group of illegal short-term rental operators who commandeered multiple apartments in our client’s building. Several months ago, a group of straw tenants, led by their ringleader, submitted a series of fraudulent apartment applications, and obtained leases for four apartments in the building. The plot quickly unraveled when none of the named tenants moved in. Instead, they furnished the apartments and...

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    • NY foreclosure ban does not apply to shell companies, judge rules

      The Real Deal

      NY foreclosure ban does not apply to shell companies, judge rules

      The Real Deal

      As the pandemic drags on, New York’s foreclosure moratorium is starting to crack. On Nov. 12, an Orange County judge ruled that Wilmington Savings Fund could foreclose on and sell the home at 6 Turtle Knoll in Monroe. The ruling came as a surprise, given that its owner had filed a hardship declaration, which is supposed to keep people in their homes even if they fail to make their mortgage payments. But in this case, the borrower wasn’t a person:...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey Named Top 100 Litigator

      Adam Leitman Bailey Named Top 100 Litigator

      ADAM LEITMAN BAILEY NAMED AS AMERICA’S TOP 100 BET-THE-COMPANY LITIGATORS®   Announcing the selection of Adam Leitman Bailey among America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators® for 2021.  Selection to America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators® is by invitation only and is reserved to identify the nation’s most exceptional trial attorneys in High Stakes Business Litigation matters.   To be considered for selection, an attorney must have litigated (for either plaintiff or defendant) a matter with the fate of a business worth at least $2,000,000 at...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Is One of the Top Law Firms on the Globe

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Is One of the Top Law Firms on the Globe

        Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is thrilled to share its achievement of top rankings for The Lawyers Global 2021 awards. The firm’s results-driven mindset, augmented by aggressive litigation and client-centric practices, has led to great success in the New York State real estate law environment. The Lawyers Global awards tout the firm’s latest examples of success.   Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has achieved the following recognitions:   Outstanding Law Firm: Global – Ranked #39  Outstanding Law Firm: Continent – Ranked #6  Outstanding Law Firm; Sub-Region: North America – Ranked #6 ...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves 2022 “Best Law Firms” Recognition

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves 2022 “Best Law Firms” Recognition

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked in 2022 “Best Law Firms” Manhattan, NY, United States, November 4, 2022 — U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers®  announce the “Best Law Firms” rankings. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been ranked in the 2022 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list nationally in 1 practice areas and regionally in 1 practice areas. Firms included in the 2022 “Best Law Firms” list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from...

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    • December

      Foreclosures—Since Subject Property Involved Investment Property Owned by an LLC, CEEFPA Is Inapplicable—Hardship Declaration Cannot Stop Foreclosure

      New York Law Journal

      Foreclosures—Since Subject Property Involved Investment Property Owned by an LLC, CEEFPA Is Inapplicable—Hardship Declaration Cannot Stop Foreclosure

      New York Law Journal

      This decision involved an action to foreclose a mortgage. The plaintiff had previously moved for summary judgment of foreclosure. That motion was granted upon the defendants’ default. The defendants thereafter moved to vacate their default. That motion was denied as “wholly without merit.” The plaintiff then moved for a judgment of foreclosure and sale. A defendant, as “purported mortgagor of the subject premises” (premises) filed a “hardship declaration” pursuant to the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction & Foreclosure Prevention Act, as amended...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Bulk Purchase of 22 Units in New Luxury Condominium Building for Client, Deeming Client “Successor Sponsor”

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Bulk Purchase of 22 Units in New Luxury Condominium Building for Client, Deeming Client “Successor Sponsor”

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represented a real estate developer/investor in its bulk purchase of 22 units in a new luxury condo in Midtown Manhattan with a total offering of over $500 million. Our client’s bulk purchase of 22 units was in excess of $80 million. The process presented our attorneys with an intricate series of obstacles which they masterfully navigated and secured an ideal outcome for our client.   Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. guided our client through tense negotiations of the complex purchase and sale agreement, while...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Vacates Covid-19 Hardship Declaration Filing Stay in a Case of First Impression

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Vacates Covid-19 Hardship Declaration Filing Stay in a Case of First Impression

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a lender to commence foreclosure proceedings against a borrower LLC on a residential property.  Notably, the LLC’s member specifically represented at origination that the mortgaged premises would be an investment property and executed an occupancy affidavit to that effect. Lender was granted summary judgment and an Order of Reference in the action, the Referee reported the Amount Due, and the Lender then moved for a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale.  Before the motion...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Resolves an Intricate Easement Dispute, Enabling Client to Pursue Construction Project

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Resolves an Intricate Easement Dispute, Enabling Client to Pursue Construction Project

      In the midst of a complicated easement dispute, a real estate developer and holding company enlisted the expertise of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., who ultimately rescued their development project by clearing out all underlying litigation conflicts.  A real estate developer had recently purchased a property on which they planned to develop affordable housing, a project that would undoubtedly stimulate the surrounding community. The developer was seeking to sell part of the land they purchased, but in order to do so,...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Restraining Order to Lock Out Violent Illegal Short-Term Rental Operators with New York Police Department Assistance

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Restraining Order to Lock Out Violent Illegal Short-Term Rental Operators with New York Police Department Assistance

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. secured an emergency temporary restraining order for its landlord client before Christmas, obtaining permission from a Supreme Court Judge to change the locks and seal the doors to three apartments with New York Police Department (NYPD) assistance to keep out violent illegal short-term rental operators. First,  Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. secured a temporary restraining order enjoining a criminal enterprise operating a multiple-apartment illegal short-term rental scheme in our client’s Manhattan building. This order prohibited the tenants from advertising...

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    • Foreclosures—Since Subject Property Involved Investment Property Owned by an LLC, CEEFPA Is Inapplicable—Hardship Declaration Cannot Stop Foreclosure

      New York Law Journal

      Foreclosures—Since Subject Property Involved Investment Property Owned by an LLC, CEEFPA Is Inapplicable—Hardship Declaration Cannot Stop Foreclosure

      New York Law Journal

      This decision involved an action to foreclose a mortgage. The plaintiff had previously moved for summary judgment of foreclosure. That motion was granted upon the defendants’ default. The defendants thereafter moved to vacate their default. That motion was denied as “wholly without merit.” The plaintiff then moved for a judgment of foreclosure and sale. A defendant, as “purported mortgagor of the subject premises” (premises) filed a “hardship declaration” pursuant to the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction & Foreclosure Prevention Act, as amended...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked as New York’s Best and Brightest Company to Work For; Ranked Among Only 79 Nationwide

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked as New York’s Best and Brightest Company to Work For; Ranked Among Only 79 Nationwide

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is thrilled to share that we have been selected as one of New York’s Best and Brightest Company’s to Work For!   The winning companies of the 2021 new regional program were assessed by an independent research firm, which reviewed several key measures relative to other nationally recognized winners. The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® winners are not ranked. This year, the Best and Brightest program honored only 79 organizations from Charlotte, Denver, Miami, Nashville, New York, Portland, and...

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    • January

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Bulk Purchase of 22 Units in New Luxury Condominium Building for Client, Deeming Client “Successor Sponsor”

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Bulk Purchase of 22 Units in New Luxury Condominium Building for Client, Deeming Client “Successor Sponsor”

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represented a real estate developer/investor in its bulk purchase of 22 units in a new luxury condo in Midtown Manhattan with a total offering of over $500 million. Our client’s bulk purchase of 22 units was in excess of $80 million. The process presented our attorneys with an intricate series of obstacles which they masterfully navigated and secured an ideal outcome for our client.   Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. guided our client through tense negotiations of the complex purchase and sale agreement, while...

      Read More
    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Vacates Covid-19 Hardship Declaration Filing Stay in a Case of First Impression

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Vacates Covid-19 Hardship Declaration Filing Stay in a Case of First Impression

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a lender to commence foreclosure proceedings against a borrower LLC on a residential property.  Notably, the LLC’s member specifically represented at origination that the mortgaged premises would be an investment property and executed an occupancy affidavit to that effect. Lender was granted summary judgment and an Order of Reference in the action, the Referee reported the Amount Due, and the Lender then moved for a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale.  Before the motion...

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    • Appellate Litigation Preview Image

      Overcoming Extremely Difficult Odds, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Agency Governing Rent Deregulation, DHCR, Protecting Default Order of High-Income High-Rent Deregulation, Deregulating Apartment

      Overcoming Extremely Difficult Odds, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Agency Governing Rent Deregulation, DHCR, Protecting Default Order of High-Income High-Rent Deregulation, Deregulating Apartment

      This case highlights the mantra of never-ever giving up, believing in the case, and continuing to fight for our client’s rights to deregulate a rent stabilized apartment despite five years of delays and obstacles in multiple courts and agency proceedings. Finally, at the State Supreme Court, justice prevailed for our landlord-client who never stopped believing in Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. After a five-year battle in multiple courts and at the Division of Housing & Community Renewal (DHCR), Adam Leitman Bailey,...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Negotiates Almost Complete Relief for a Landlord Seeking Arrears From Rent-Stabilized Tenant

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Negotiates Almost Complete Relief for a Landlord Seeking Arrears From Rent-Stabilized Tenant

      COVID-19 has disrupted the ordinary course of dealings in both the residential leasing and sales sectors, with renters and buyers using COVID-related excuses and delays in attempt to avoid paying rent and close on sales in a fluctuating market. However, using a distinct combination of deep institutional knowledge about the Real Estate market, aggressive litigation tactics, and a familiarity with the Courts and practices across New York, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has consistently helped its clients avoid such losses and...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Resolves an Intricate Easement Dispute, Enabling Client to Pursue Construction Project

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Resolves an Intricate Easement Dispute, Enabling Client to Pursue Construction Project

      In the midst of a complicated easement dispute, a real estate developer and holding company enlisted the expertise of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., who ultimately rescued their development project by clearing out all underlying litigation conflicts.  A real estate developer had recently purchased a property on which they planned to develop affordable housing, a project that would undoubtedly stimulate the surrounding community. The developer was seeking to sell part of the land they purchased, but in order to do so,...

      Read More
    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Helps Landlords and Sellers Navigate the Pandemic Against Defaulting Renters and Purchasers

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Helps Landlords and Sellers Navigate the Pandemic Against Defaulting Renters and Purchasers

      COVID-19 has disrupted the ordinary course of dealing in both the residential leasing and sales sectors, with renters and buyers using COVID-related excuses and delays in attempts to avoid paying rent and close on sales in a fluctuating market. However, using a distinct combination of deep institutional knowledge about the Real Estate market, aggressive litigation tactics, and a familiarity with the Courts and practices throughout New York, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has consistently helped its clients avoid such losses, and...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Helps Seller Retain Purchaser’s Deposit in Contentious Litigation

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Helps Seller Retain Purchaser’s Deposit in Contentious Litigation

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represented owners of a Manhattan cooperative apartment who contracted in June 2021 to sell the apartment to sophisticated buyers, securing a standard 10% deposit on signing. The purchase contract contained standard terms, including an unconditional approval from the sellers’ co-op board. The apartment in question had previously been outfitted with central A/C and a laundry washer/dryer unit, which buyers were assuming. As required under the contract, buyers quickly obtained board approval permitting them to purchase the apartment in...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Restraining Order to Lock Out Violent Illegal Short-Term Rental Operators with New York Police Department Assistance

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Restraining Order to Lock Out Violent Illegal Short-Term Rental Operators with New York Police Department Assistance

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. secured an emergency temporary restraining order for its landlord client before Christmas, obtaining permission from a Supreme Court Judge to change the locks and seal the doors to three apartments with New York Police Department (NYPD) assistance to keep out violent illegal short-term rental operators. First,  Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. secured a temporary restraining order enjoining a criminal enterprise operating a multiple-apartment illegal short-term rental scheme in our client’s Manhattan building. This order prohibited the tenants from advertising...

      Read More
    • Photo of a person signing a document

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Overcoming Obstacles: Power of Attorney

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Overcoming Obstacles: Power of Attorney

      At Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., we deal with closings and transactions of every nature. Closing by Power of Attorney has always been a common practice in real estate transactions, especially now during the pandemic. Parties who are unable to attend the closing personally could delegate such power to an agent to execute documents on their behalf at the closing table.  While it may be a seemingly straightforward delegation, New York has a unique set of guidelines and requirements. In addition...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Hired to Litigate in Sale of Property Conflict and Resolves Dispute Against Neighbor Without Litigation and Much Higher Sales Price

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Hired to Litigate in Sale of Property Conflict and Resolves Dispute Against Neighbor Without Litigation and Much Higher Sales Price

      Two siblings hired Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. for a contract negotiation regarding the sale of their inherited apartment. After successfully and strategically maneuvering the clients through a series of intricate hurdles, the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. reached a settlement with the client’s adversary at a much higher price than they had been previously offered.   Shortly after inheriting the apartment, the neighbor of their mother’s apartment approached the siblings and expressed that he was interested in purchasing it. They...

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    • Apartment in Brooklyn

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Careful Due Diligence Catches Misleading Listing Revealing that Private Terrace is Actually Shared Space

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s Careful Due Diligence Catches Misleading Listing Revealing that Private Terrace is Actually Shared Space

      Due diligence review is usually the final hurdle for Purchasers to gain comfortability with a deal. The due diligence period (normally 5 business days) reveals the important financial, physical and intangible aspects of living in a unit and building. At Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., our due diligence review, among other items, involves a deep dissection of the building’s financials, Board meeting minutes, future budgets, offering plans, house rules and our proven due diligence questionnaire. Questionnaire Adam Leitman Bailey P.C.’s proven...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Settles Case Winning Fifteen Times Coverage Limit

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Settles Case Winning Fifteen Times Coverage Limit

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represented a condo board suing a contractor in Supreme Court for substandard work on the building exterior. Because the contractor had hired uninsured subcontractors, the only insurance coverage amount was $50,000 of which $40,000 had been paid out to individual unit owners for damage to their homes, leaving $10,000 in coverage. Because of factors including the insurer’s uncertainty of success in their disclaimer of further coverage, the interest which had accrued, the expense of proceeding, the...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Remains Vigilant and Prepared as Omicron Sweeps Through State

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Remains Vigilant and Prepared as Omicron Sweeps Through State

      As the Omicron variant sweeps its way through New York City, the banking department at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is working safely and diligently to ensure all files are closed on time and in accordance with all CDC guidelines. Our staff continues to maintain the required social distancing, disinfecting regularly, always wearing masks during the closing, and most importantly, our staff is 100% vaccinated.   As this variant progresses, we at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. will continue to make the appropriate...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Demonstrates Lower Court Improvidently Exercised Discretion, Secures A Discovery Victory for Its Client

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Demonstrates Lower Court Improvidently Exercised Discretion, Secures A Discovery Victory for Its Client

      In an action where shareholders of two cooperative apartments are suing the cooperative corporation and seeking damages for breach of contract and negligence and other relief due to pervasive leaking into their units, which caused their children to suffer from toxic mold and otherwise caused extensive property damage to their units, the plaintiffs’ former counsel had conducted a deposition of a non-party witness who was the largest shareholder in the cooperative and who had served on the board for over...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Halts Airbnb Abuses by Unit Owner

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Halts Airbnb Abuses by Unit Owner

      The Board of a Condominium engaged Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. after one of its units owners repeatedly listed his apartment on Airbnb, and other transient use websites, for short-term rentals, in violation of New York law and the governing documents of the building. Specifically, § 27-2004.a.8(a) of the Housing Maintenance Code, expressly prohibits transient, short-term rentals of Class A multiple dwellings. At the time that the Board engaged Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., the New York Department of Buildings had already...

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    • February

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Helping Buyers Navigate Purchasing Property on a 1840’s Slave Burial Ground

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Helping Buyers Navigate Purchasing Property on a 1840’s Slave Burial Ground

      Bowery Residents Committee (BRC) (2021) BRC, a highly respected not-for-profit whose mission is to provide shelter and social services to New York’s homeless, entered into a purchase and sale agreement for a property in northern Manhattan.  The contract deposit was in excess of $1 million.  As is typical on these matters, BRC arranged with City agencies to finance, build, and operate a homeless shelter and social services center on the site.  As the final touches were put on the documents...

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    • East Side Story: The Made-For-Hollywood Tale of a 16-Year Legal Tussle to Help a Dedicated Band of Manhattan “Homesteaders” Take Ownership of the Building They Had Moved Into And Begun to Rehab

      Best Lawyers

      East Side Story: The Made-For-Hollywood Tale of a 16-Year Legal Tussle to Help a Dedicated Band of Manhattan “Homesteaders” Take Ownership of the Building They Had Moved Into And Begun to Rehab

      Best Lawyers

      By Best Lawyers Last year, Ramin Bahrani, one of my clients, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. For his previous movie, 99 Homes (2015), I had helped script the court scenes and advised closely on the script overall. I reminded Ramin that no real estate attorney had ever been thanked onstage by an Oscar winner. In my humble opinion, that streak was primed to end—we “dirt lawyers” have exciting, compelling stories to tell. That goes double...

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    • March

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Summary Judgment in Commercial Breach of Lease and Guaranty Action; Obtains $1.6M Judgment for Landlord

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Summary Judgment in Commercial Breach of Lease and Guaranty Action; Obtains $1.6M Judgment for Landlord

      Representing a commercial landlord, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully sued the tenant and guarantors for unpaid rent in Manhattan Supreme Court, winning a $1.6M monetary judgment, which included rent arrears accumulated before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tenant rented a prime location to operate a food market at a base rent of about $70,000.00 per month, plus other charges. The tenant began falling behind on rent payments before COVID-19, then completely stopped paying rent. The tenant abandoned the premises...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Dismissal Motion In Problematic Foreclosure Action

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Dismissal Motion In Problematic Foreclosure Action

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a Lender to take over a disastrous 7-year-old foreclosure action that was already plagued with an order tolling interest to the detriment of the Lender for prior delays in the action.  Defendants moved to dismiss the action pursuant to CPLR § 3215(c) for the Lender failing to take a default within a year, and also sought additional tolling of interest.  Defendants, a married couple, strategically appeared in the action to facilitate the CPLR...

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    • Photo of Manhattan Supreme Court

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Appeal and Obtains Critical Information For Client In Rent Overcharge Dispute

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Appeal and Obtains Critical Information For Client In Rent Overcharge Dispute

      Under New York law, if a landlord obtains J-51 tax benefits from New York City, the  landlord  must treat its tenants as rent stabilized. In this case, the owner failed to do so and for years treated our client as deregulated and charged rents exceeding that allowable under rent stabilization.  Our client commenced a rent overcharge case in the Supreme Court. There, the determination of whether rent overcharges would be computed on the basis of the rent charged four years...

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    • New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division

      Title Policy Exceptions Enforced to Defeat Disgruntled Property Owner

      Title Policy Exceptions Enforced to Defeat Disgruntled Property Owner

      The Plaintiff  purchased a property and obtained a title policy which contained certain exceptions to coverage regarding a driveway, a portion of which encroached onto  a private street. The plaintiff used that driveway and also had access to a public street which abutted his property. Subsequently, the adjacent property, which included the private road, was sold and that owner and the plaintiff had several disputes regarding the use of the driveway  which the owner had used without incident prior to...

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    • How the Manhattan D.A.’s Investigation Into Donald Trump Unraveled

      The New York Times

      How the Manhattan D.A.’s Investigation Into Donald Trump Unraveled

      The New York Times

      “Soon, some of the career prosecutors who had worked on the inquiry for more than two years expressed concern. They believed that Mr. Vance, who had decided not to seek re-election, was pushing too hard for an indictment before leaving office, and that the evidence gathered so far did not justify the speed at which the inquiry was moving. The debate was born of painful experience from past investigations, including one involving the Trump family. In 2012, in the first of his three...

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    • April Bankruptcy Court Preview Image

      De-Acceleration of Loan Found Valid to Defeat Statute of Limitation Defense Notwithstanding Word Processing Error In Stipulation of Discontinuance

      De-Acceleration of Loan Found Valid to Defeat Statute of Limitation Defense Notwithstanding Word Processing Error In Stipulation of Discontinuance

      In a mortgage foreclosure action where Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. participated in the appeal to the Appellate Division, Second Department the lower court refused to grant the mortgagee summary judgment on its foreclosure complaint and for an order of reference finding that there was an issue of fact as to whether the claim was time barred. A foreclosure action had been brought against the mortgagor in May 2011 but was then discontinued by stipulation in December 2016. However, the stipulation...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats the Department of Homeless Services, Project Renewal and Prevents a Homeless Shelter From Moving In

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats the Department of Homeless Services, Project Renewal and Prevents a Homeless Shelter From Moving In

      All over New York City, the Department of Homeless Services has been placing homeless shelters, particularly in the City’s most affluent neighborhoods.  Front page articles went on for months discussing these homeless shelters, the prostitution and drug use and trafficking that come along with such shelters, as well as the incompetency of the services provided to the men and woman that reside in the buildings.  In each part of the City, legal battles ensued.  No opposition group in any part of...

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    • In an Unprecedented Decision, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats an Easement Claim by Summary Judgment

      In an Unprecedented Decision, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats an Easement Claim by Summary Judgment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a long-established Bronx construction company related to one of the few remaining privately owned streets in New York. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client was sued by its neighbor who claimed an easement over the roadbed owned by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client. The neighbor, who resided on the street prior to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, claimed that they had an easement over the land even before Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client acquired...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Gets Back Terrace Space Belonging to Client

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Gets Back Terrace Space Belonging to Client

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by the unit owner of a new construction condominium in upper Manhattan in connection with a dispute concerning the size of the unit owner’s terrace. In particular, the amount of “as built” terrace area owned by our client was approximately 85 square feet (SF) larger than the area that the Condominium’s Board of Managers was permitting them to use. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. jumped into action to assist the unit owner in getting back...

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    • Sponsor’s Attempt to Avoid Liability for Construction Defects and to Limit Valid Claims of the Condominium Unit Owners Soundly Rejected by the Appellate Division

      Sponsor’s Attempt to Avoid Liability for Construction Defects and to Limit Valid Claims of the Condominium Unit Owners Soundly Rejected by the Appellate Division

      In a hotly contested dispute between the Board of a Condominium and the Sponsor of the Condominium, the Board brought suit alleging, among other things, that there were numerous construction defects that the Sponsor was obligated to remedy but failed to do so. The Board’s complaint noted that the defects included were not limited to the eleven most serious defects which were listed in the complaint. The complaint also referenced the engineer’s report which set forth other numerous defects. The...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey John Desiderio

      When Is Part Performance ‘Part Performance in Real Estate Cases’?

      New York Law Journal

      When Is Part Performance ‘Part Performance in Real Estate Cases’?

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio Adam Leitman Bailey and John Desiderio discuss the issue of “part performance,” the doctrine of which can overcome the Statute of Frauds in circumstances when parties enter into unwritten deals and don’t contemplate all the possible circumstances that might arise in the course of their dealings. In my 27 years as a real estate litigator, until recently, I have never used the sword of part performance as much as I have been...

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    • May Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Landlord’s Partial Summary Judgment Motion Amidst Overlapping Claims in Parallel Holdover Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Landlord’s Partial Summary Judgment Motion Amidst Overlapping Claims in Parallel Holdover Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a tenant to defend him in a summary holdover proceeding. The proceeding, however, was far from a garden variety holdover proceeding predicated upon the termination of a long-term month-to-month tenancy. Instead, the Landlord here was so enraged by the Tenant’s exercise of his lawful right in applying for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), which stayed the holdover proceeding pending a final determination of the Tenant’s eligibility under the Program, that they commenced...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Stops The Frick From Building Access Door That Would Crowd The Beautiful Block With Massive Long Lines and Development

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Stops The Frick From Building Access Door That Would Crowd The Beautiful Block With Massive Long Lines and Development

      Earlier in 2022, a prominent family representing the homeowners of 71st Street learned that The Frick had planned for a new entrance for an American with Disabilities Accessibility (ADA) ramp on their block. The alleged plan was to allow access to the back entrance, thus creating an alternate entry point for catering and event hall services. This could result in large amounts of people, traffic, delivery, and food trucks lining up on this tree-lined block. Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. jumped...

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    • Financial District

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Statute of Limitations Argument in Foreclosure Action and Quiet Title Action

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Statute of Limitations Argument in Foreclosure Action and Quiet Title Action

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a Lender in connection with a foreclosure action and a quiet title action. The Lender’s predecessor in interest commenced a prior foreclosure action in 2009 that was ultimately dismissed without prejudice by the First Department Appellate Division on November 21, 2019. In response to the dismissal of the foreclosure action, the Borrower commenced a quiet title action on May 28, 2020 seeking to discharge the mortgage as time-barred by the statute of limitations....

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C Utilizes “Zombie Foreclosure” Statute to Avoid Lengthy Foreclosure Process

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C Utilizes “Zombie Foreclosure” Statute to Avoid Lengthy Foreclosure Process

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C was retained by a Lender in connection with a foreclosure action of a vacant and abandoned building. Instead of moving for an Order of Reference and then having a Referee compute the amount due, the firm utilized a recent law to file a combined and expedited motion for all aspects of the decision at once. On April 13, 2022, the firm moved for an Expedited Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale for Vacant and Abandoned property under...

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    • Articles Preview Image

      New York Law Journal Book Review: New York State Bar Association Real Estate Titles: The Practice of Real Estate Law in New York (4th ed.)

      New York Law Journal

      New York Law Journal Book Review: New York State Bar Association Real Estate Titles: The Practice of Real Estate Law in New York (4th ed.)

      New York Law Journal

      New York State Bar Association, 4th edition (July 4, 2020) I purchased the 2d edition of the New York State Bar Association’s Real Estate Titles over two decades ago. No dust ever accumulated on it, since it was in constant use, not only by me, but also by my colleagues who repeatedly borrowed it. Recently, I acquired the new 4th edition of Real Estate Titles, updated and now named “Real Estate Titles—The Practice of Real Estate Law in New York” (called Real Estate Titles...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey sitting at desk

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Featured in Chambers Associate’s 2022 Guide

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Featured in Chambers Associate’s 2022 Guide

      In the concrete jungle where dreams are made of, ALB associates can help “create miracles” in the real estate world. “The people here are considered high-caliber and relentless characters – and I knew I needed to work with them,” declared one of our interviewees right off the bat. This description gives you a good sense of the entrepreneurial energy at ALB, a relatively young (founded in 2000) but strong player in the field, with a penchant for all things real estate and all things...

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    • June Adam Leitman Bailey sitting at desk

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Featured in Chambers Associate’s 2022 Guide

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Featured in Chambers Associate’s 2022 Guide

      In the concrete jungle where dreams are made of, ALB associates can help “create miracles” in the real estate world. “The people here are considered high-caliber and relentless characters – and I knew I needed to work with them,” declared one of our interviewees right off the bat. This description gives you a good sense of the entrepreneurial energy at ALB, a relatively young (founded in 2000) but strong player in the field, with a penchant for all things real estate and all things...

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    • Chambers & Partners Ranks Adam Leitman Bailey as One of New York’s Top Real Estate Litigators in 2022

      Chambers & Partners Ranks Adam Leitman Bailey as One of New York’s Top Real Estate Litigators in 2022

      Chambers & Partners once again ranked Adam Leitman Bailey as one of the leading real estate litigators in New York.  Placing in the top 4 litigators ranked in New York, he is the only real estate litigator to also be awarded Martindale-Hubbell “AV” Preeminent rating, a Best Lawyers ranking for himself and his law firm, awarded by Super Lawyers as one of New York’s “Top 100” attorneys, and selected among America’s Top 100 Bet-The-Company Litigators. Chambers remarked that Adam Leitman...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Application for Stay Pending Appeal, Defeats Renewal Motion, and is Awarded Judgment Of Foreclosure and Sale

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Application for Stay Pending Appeal, Defeats Renewal Motion, and is Awarded Judgment Of Foreclosure and Sale

      In a foreclosure action being repeatedly delayed by the tactics of the Borrower, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained to change in as counsel for Plaintiff and aggressively complete the action to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale. The 2015 action was originally dismissed in 2018 for Plaintiff’s failure to timely move for the appointment of a referee. The Court later granted Plaintiff’s motion to vacate the dismissal, for summary judgment, and to appoint a referee. Defendant in opposition to...

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    • Street View Preview Image

      RPAPL §881—License To Permit Use of Adjacent Property During Construction Denied—Constant Unapproved Changes to Construction Plans Did Not Rise to The Level of Proof Required by RPAPL §881 and Permanent Change to Respondent’s Property Preclude the Granting of a §881 License—No Reimbursement of Expert and Attorney Fees When License Is Not Granted

      New York Law Journal

      RPAPL §881—License To Permit Use of Adjacent Property During Construction Denied—Constant Unapproved Changes to Construction Plans Did Not Rise to The Level of Proof Required by RPAPL §881 and Permanent Change to Respondent’s Property Preclude the Granting of a §881 License—No Reimbursement of Expert and Attorney Fees When License Is Not Granted

      New York Law Journal

      A petitioner moved pursuant to RPAPL §881 (§881), for a license to enter upon the respondent’s property “for an extended period of time.” The respondent opposed the application and counterclaimed for reimbursement of expert fees, attorney fees and costs. The respondent’s property and the petitioner’s property share a common wall (south wall). The petition described construction that would occur along the east, south and west sides of the respondent’s property. The work would include, inter alia, removal of the south...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Navigates HUD Approval Process In Achieving Interest Rate Reduction Of A Senior Citizen Not-for-profit Housing Corporation’s Underlying Commercial Mortgage

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Navigates HUD Approval Process In Achieving Interest Rate Reduction Of A Senior Citizen Not-for-profit Housing Corporation’s Underlying Commercial Mortgage

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. acts as general counsel to a not-for-profit housing company for senior citizens located in Brooklyn. The building in question was in dire need of various capital improvements and repairs, but with limited cash on hand to do so. The housing company sought to take advantage of pandemic-level interest rates to reduce the rate on the building’s existing mortgage, which would free up much needed cash for the building upgrades. The catch was, reducing the interest rate...

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    • Representing a Mitchell-Lama Cooperative, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Surrender of Multiple Apartments in Non-Primary Residence Cases

      Representing a Mitchell-Lama Cooperative, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Surrender of Multiple Apartments in Non-Primary Residence Cases

      Cooperative apartment buildings in New York governed by Mitchell-Lama Rules are required to ensure residents’ compliance with the rules. Akin to rent stabilization and rent control laws, shareholders must primarily reside in the apartment and may not generally sublet their apartment. When suspecting rules violations, management investigates whether unauthorized occupants are present in the apartment or whether shareholders are linked to other residences. Working with private investigators and performing our own due diligence, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. helped to identify...

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    • Photo of Manhattan buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures A Highly Favorable Settlement On Behalf Of New Home Buyers Against A Developer That Breached Its Own Option Contract

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures A Highly Favorable Settlement On Behalf Of New Home Buyers Against A Developer That Breached Its Own Option Contract

      Buyers who purchase homes in new developments can face a myriad of potential problems from construction delays to workmanship issues.  However, during the overheated upstate pandemic real estate rush, a new hazard arises when unscrupulous developers cancelled contracts in favor of better offers, which was the very situation faced by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s clients, who paid for an option to purchase and build a new house in a luxury Orange County, N.Y.  community, only to have their deposit returned...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Represents Purchaser in Acquisition of Multifamily Property Eligible for “Qualified Opportunity Zone” Tax Benefits

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Represents Purchaser in Acquisition of Multifamily Property Eligible for “Qualified Opportunity Zone” Tax Benefits

      Investors looking to defer capital gains tax may be able to do so by purchasing property located in a Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ). QOZs were developed by the federal government as an economic incentive tool to spur development in economically distressed areas. Under certain conditions, by investing in properties located within these zones, an investor may qualify for preferential tax treatment. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represented a purchaser of a multifamily property in Brooklyn located in one of these QOZs,...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey Wins Heated Litigation After Aggressive Investigation Disproves Adversaries’ Prescriptive Easement Claims

      Adam Leitman Bailey Wins Heated Litigation After Aggressive Investigation Disproves Adversaries’ Prescriptive Easement Claims

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by the new purchaser of a house in the Hamptons to defend an ongoing case, brought by her neighbor, in which the neighbor claimed it had an prescriptive easement which gave it the right to continue to use the client’s property to access a nearby creek.  Though the previous owner of her property was unable to defeat these claims, when Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. entered the case and took the neighbor’s deposition, the neighbor’s...

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    • Photo of keys on house keychain

      Whether Co-op Boards Can Reject a Sale Because the Purchase Price Is ‘Too Low’

      New York Law Journal

      Whether Co-op Boards Can Reject a Sale Because the Purchase Price Is ‘Too Low’

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio “Courts have mostly rejected anti-free market tactics of the board of directors but other cases have given boards discretion to allow such rejections.” Adam Leitman Bailey and John Desiderio discuss these cases and offer that “New York needs the Appellate Division to settle this quarrel.” Financially qualified cooperative buyer’s applications are being rejected by boards of directors solely on the basis that the purchase price is too low. Besides causing wasted time,...

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    • July Pennsylvania Preview Image

      Miracle on Dunbury Place: The Story of the Only Tenant in Suffolk County Evicted After Being Approved for ERAP Payments

      Miracle on Dunbury Place: The Story of the Only Tenant in Suffolk County Evicted After Being Approved for ERAP Payments

      During the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, the courts have been handing out stays on evictions like it is candy at a Shriner’s parade. The courts do not seem to care if the tenant has not paid a dime or if the landlord is being severely hurt by the stay. When the landlord is a high profile person, it’s all the worse. Courts simply assume that such people can afford to take the hit of having a deadbeat tenant. Such...

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    • In Greene County, Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Successfully Settles Foreclosure Action in Court and Takes Possession of Home

      In Greene County, Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Successfully Settles Foreclosure Action in Court and Takes Possession of Home

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. handles foreclosure actions throughout the state of New York. But unlike most of the other firms that do the same, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s own attorneys, who are fully knowledgeable in the case, make the appearances personally to get the actions favorably resolved for the lenders. Many judges in the upstate counties have become increasingly frustrated with firms sending per diem local attorneys with no background knowledge of the action and no real settlement authority. While...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Creativity and Open Communication with Landlord Helps Commercial Bakery Survive/Profit During COVID-19

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Creativity and Open Communication with Landlord Helps Commercial Bakery Survive/Profit During COVID-19

      Our client is a very popular baker and seller of bread, bagels, and croissants. The bakery was founded in 1992 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, just as a broader awareness and appreciation for quality artisan bread was blossoming on the East Coast. Its goal was to recreate the Old World traditions by using baking techniques and recipes that have barely changed in centuries; Not relying on preservatives or artificial ingredients, but on high quality, and the belief that bread is best...

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    • Financial District

      The Largest Buyout Ever Overpaid in New York City

      The Largest Buyout Ever Overpaid in New York City

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was contacted by rent-stabilized tenants of a residential apartment in New York in connection with a potential buyout case. We were given a mission: identify the landlord’s goals for the tenants’ building and secure a fair settlement amount that would allow the tenants to live comfortably for the rest of their lives after leaving their home. We started our due diligence, expecting that the building our clients lived in was one of many the landlord owned,...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Largest Condominium Construction Defect Settlement in Brooklyn History

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Largest Condominium Construction Defect Settlement in Brooklyn History

      In 2018, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a group of unit owners at a new construction condominium in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The new build encompassed an entire block and contained over 200 units consisting of one to three-bedroom units, duplexes, lofts, penthouses and townhomes. On paper, the building sounded wonderful. In reality, however, the building was plagued with construction defects and shoddy workmanship from the start. Shortly after moving in, residents quickly discovered a myriad of issues including leaks...

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    • August

      Rules on Partitioning Ownership Property Rights

      New York Law Journal

      Rules on Partitioning Ownership Property Rights

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio Whether a property owned by two or more tenants-in-common can be partitioned “in kind,” i.e., by physically dividing the real estate or other property interest, or by subjecting it to a judicial sale, or even whether the property may be subject to partition at all, are issues that courts must decide when the property’s majority and minority owners are strongly divided on whether the property should be divided or sold. Although the law...

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    • “Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. – The Firm. One Office. The City.”

      The Lawyers Global

      “Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. – The Firm. One Office. The City.”

      The Lawyers Global

      By The Lawyers Global Adam Leitman Bailey opened the doors to the firm bearing his name, starting from scratch, on January 3, 2000. Bartering a small law office in exchange for providing legal services for his landlord, Adam Leitman Bailey pledged to become the best law firm in New York (…) Born in Bayside, Queens (a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens) – New York, on April 27, 1970. He then moved to California at age five and...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins a Foreclosure Notice Issue of First Impression in the First Department

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins a Foreclosure Notice Issue of First Impression in the First Department

      In a mechanic’s lien foreclosure auction, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained post-auction on behalf of the third-party purchaser. The prior owner moved to vacate the sale. After an initial round of motion practice, the Court issued an interim order referring the case to a special referee for a hearing on 2 separate grounds: (1) whether the prior owner received proper notice of the auction, and (2) whether the sale price was unconscionably low, either which could warrant vacating the...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Facilitates Adoption of First Sale Capital Assessment for Mitchell-Lama Client

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Facilitates Adoption of First Sale Capital Assessment for Mitchell-Lama Client

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represents a number of Mitchell-Lama co-op developments throughout New York City. The Mitchell-Lama Program provides housing that is affordable to the middle class across New York State and is overseen by NYC’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). An ongoing obstacle that many Mitchell-Lama co-ops face is keeping maintenance charges affordable in a world of ever-increasing operating costs. Oftentimes, developments are forced to assess their owners or significantly increase maintenance costs to obtain needed funds...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Springs Four-Family Transaction to Finish Line

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Springs Four-Family Transaction to Finish Line

      In early March 2022, two parties executed a contract of sale for a four-family property in Brooklyn. The property contained tenants with expiring leases, an expired access agreement, and a myriad of title clearance issues. After the expiration of the closing period, with no inclination that Purchasers would close, the Sellers realized that they needed to hire alternative representation. Desperate to close and fund a major home improvement project, the Sellers sought the aide of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Since...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Wins DHCR Proceeding Permitting Landlord to Decommission Rent Stabilized Tenant’s Fireplace

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Wins DHCR Proceeding Permitting Landlord to Decommission Rent Stabilized Tenant’s Fireplace

      Representing a Manhattan landlord at the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. obtained an order allowing the landlord to permanently decommission a residential rent-stabilized tenant’s fireplace in connection with the landlord’s construction of additional floors in the building. As a result of the landlord’s construction and the addition of several stories to the existing building, the residential tenants’ existing fireplaces became inoperable due to the inability to vent and extend the flues. Before Adam Leitman...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Expeditiously Evicts Tenant in a Nonpayment Proceeding Seeking Arrears not Covered by ERAP

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Expeditiously Evicts Tenant in a Nonpayment Proceeding Seeking Arrears not Covered by ERAP

      According to the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, a landlord who accepts funds from New York State’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is prohibited from evicting a tenant for not paying rent during the period covered or for an expired lease during the 12 months following the receipt of such payment. While many tenants consider ERAP a protective shield for nonpayment of rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, its protections are limited. Arrears that remain after the application of ERAP...

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    • Photo of a calculator, expenses and a house

      Miracle Lawyering, Strategizing and a Bit of Luck Allows Client To Buy Dream Home While Being Sued

      Miracle Lawyering, Strategizing and a Bit of Luck Allows Client To Buy Dream Home While Being Sued

      The client came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. in an impossible situation. The client’s wife was 7 months pregnant during the height of COVID-19. She was not moving. The client’s dream home was not only not for sale, but in probate without any indication as to who had the authority to sell it. To make matters worse, the client had signed a contract to sell their existing townhouse on a specific date without having a place to move. The client’s...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey sitting at desk

      My Path To Law: Finding a Home in The Law

      American Bar

      My Path To Law: Finding a Home in The Law

      American Bar

      By Adam Leitman Bailey Daily, I wonder from where my passion against and disdain for injustice derived. The ingredients? Something rising inside me that shoots through my entire body and makes my heart beat faster, combined with a need to help others no matter how small the task. I realize how blessed I am to be part of a profession that feeds my drive, and though I have never been able to find out what caused it, my childhood provides...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey Ranked in ‘Best Lawyers in America’ for Ninth Year in a Row

      Adam Leitman Bailey Ranked in ‘Best Lawyers in America’ for Ninth Year in a Row

      Adam Leitman Bailey has been named to Best Lawyers in America 2023. Recognition in Best Lawyers is based on a rigorous peer-review survey. This year’s results were determined using more than 12.2 million confidential evaluations by top attorneys. It is exclusively these attorneys who selected this year’s honorees, which makes recognition in Best Lawyers a true reflection of talent in the industry. Candidates who are nominated for consideration are voted for by currently recognized lawyers working in the same practice area...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked as New York’s Best and Brightest Company to Work For 2022

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked as New York’s Best and Brightest Company to Work For 2022

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is excited to share that we have been selected as one of New York’s Best and Brightest Company’s to Work For!   The categories applicants were scored on include: Compensation, Benefits and Employee Solutions; Employee Enrichment, Engagement and Retention; Employee Education and Development; Recruitment, Selection and Orientation; Employee Achievement and Recognition; Communication and Shared Vision; Diversity and Inclusion; Work-Life Balance; Community Initiatives; and Strategic Company Performance.  You can view our Best and Brightest awards page here! About...

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    • Now Could be a Good Time to Refinance

      Now Could be a Good Time to Refinance

      By Rosemary Liuzzo Mohamed Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s banking department has been busy serving both our lender and borrower clients with refinancing and purchase closings consisting of rates downward of 3%. This drop in mortgage rates was a tremendous help to both homeowners who needed to lower their interest rates and purchaser’s trying to secure a home in such a difficult time. However, two years later, rates have started to rise back up....

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Dismissal of an Appeal Challenging the Entry of a Judgment Quieting Title

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Dismissal of an Appeal Challenging the Entry of a Judgment Quieting Title

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a property owner who obtained quiet title to a contested property to defend against an appeal brought by the common-law wife of the deceased owner. The judgment was granted in favor of the client due to a series of defaults committed by the wife, including failing to oppose a motion for a summary judgment and to strike a counterclaim for adverse possession. Also, the wife did not appear for trial and an order granting...

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    • September

      Now Could be a Good Time to Refinance

      Now Could be a Good Time to Refinance

      By Rosemary Liuzzo Mohamed Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s banking department has been busy serving both our lender and borrower clients with refinancing and purchase closings consisting of rates downward of 3%. This drop in mortgage rates was a tremendous help to both homeowners who needed to lower their interest rates and purchaser’s trying to secure a home in such a difficult time. However, two years later, rates have started to rise back up....

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Wins DHCR Proceeding Permitting Landlord to Decommission Rent Stabilized Tenant’s Fireplace

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Wins DHCR Proceeding Permitting Landlord to Decommission Rent Stabilized Tenant’s Fireplace

      Representing a Manhattan landlord at the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. obtained an order allowing the landlord to permanently decommission a residential rent-stabilized tenant’s fireplace in connection with the landlord’s construction of additional floors in the building. As a result of the landlord’s construction and the addition of several stories to the existing building, the residential tenants’ existing fireplaces became inoperable due to the inability to vent and extend the flues. Before Adam Leitman...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Expeditiously Evicts Tenant in a Nonpayment Proceeding Seeking Arrears not Covered by ERAP

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Expeditiously Evicts Tenant in a Nonpayment Proceeding Seeking Arrears not Covered by ERAP

      According to the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, a landlord who accepts funds from New York State’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is prohibited from evicting a tenant for not paying rent during the period covered or for an expired lease during the 12 months following the receipt of such payment. While many tenants consider ERAP a protective shield for nonpayment of rent during the COVID-19 pandemic, its protections are limited. Arrears that remain after the application of ERAP...

      Read More
    • Photo of a calculator, expenses and a house

      Miracle Lawyering, Strategizing and a Bit of Luck Allows Client To Buy Dream Home While Being Sued

      Miracle Lawyering, Strategizing and a Bit of Luck Allows Client To Buy Dream Home While Being Sued

      The client came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. in an impossible situation. The client’s wife was 7 months pregnant during the height of COVID-19. She was not moving. The client’s dream home was not only not for sale, but in probate without any indication as to who had the authority to sell it. To make matters worse, the client had signed a contract to sell their existing townhouse on a specific date without having a place to move. The client’s...

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    • Crain’s Names Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. One Of The Top 5 Best Law Firms To Work For In NYC

      Crain’s Names Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. One Of The Top 5 Best Law Firms To Work For In NYC

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been named one of Crain’s 2022 Top 100 Best Places to Work in New York City. Out of all the law firms in New York City, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. placed in the top 5. The Crain’s program awards various industries throughout New York’s five boroughs, home to over 220,000 businesses. The rankings aim to identify and recognize the city’s best employers, and this year was based on more than 23,000 employee surveys as well...

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    • October

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Helps Church Find its Home Again After Nearly 15 Years

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Helps Church Find its Home Again After Nearly 15 Years

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., represented Iglesia Pentecostal Arca de Salvacion, Inc. (IPAS) in their re-acquisition of condominium unit #CF in the building located at and known as 265 East Houston Street, New York, NY after a nearly 15-year departure. Pursuant to a court order dated May 21, 2008 (the “Order”), IPAS sold the subject building and land to a real estate developer on the condition that the developer construct a first-class condominium building and convey “title and possession to approximately...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Possessory Judgment in Ejectment Action Based Upon Fraudulent Conspiracy

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Possessory Judgment in Ejectment Action Based Upon Fraudulent Conspiracy

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was able to obtain a possessory judgment against two defendants in an ejectment action involving a widespread fraudulent conspiracy with respect to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program (LIHTC) the Plaintiff Building was partaking in. The Building was developed and financed in order to comply with a Real Estate tax-exemption program under Section 421-a of the Real Property Tax Law (the “421-a” Program). Under its HFA Regulatory Agreement, the LIHTC Program, and the 421-a Program,...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Dismissal of an Appeal Challenging the Entry of a Judgment Quieting Title

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Dismissal of an Appeal Challenging the Entry of a Judgment Quieting Title

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a property owner who obtained quiet title to a contested property to defend against an appeal brought by the common-law wife of the deceased owner. The judgment was granted in favor of the client due to a series of defaults committed by the wife, including failing to oppose a motion for a summary judgment and to strike a counterclaim for adverse possession. Also, the wife did not appear for trial and an order granting...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Rated A+ by The Better Business Bureau

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Rated A+ by The Better Business Bureau

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been rated A+ by The Better Business Bureau. The Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York is a privately-funded not-for-profit corporation serving New York City, Long Island, and Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Sullivan, and Rockland counties. Almost a century ago, the BBB system was founded in New York City by the Gentlemen’s Advertising League, now known as the Ad Club of New York. The initial purpose was to curb deceptive advertising practices, which hurt...

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    • Vault Names Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Top 150 Law Firms to Work For Under 150 Attorneys for 2022

      Vault Names Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Top 150 Law Firms to Work For Under 150 Attorneys for 2022

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Joins Vault’s Top 150 Under 150 List as One of the Best Midsize Law Firm to Work For. Vault has also released its new Top 150 Under 150 list—Vault’s collection of the leading small and midsized firms in the U.S. with 150 or fewer attorneys. To determine the Top 150 Under 150, Vault first developed a list of the best-known and most sought-after U.S. firms with 150 attorneys or fewer. Our editorial and research teams pored through Vault survey...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked in Expertise’s 2022 Top 37 Real Estate Law Firms in New York City

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Ranked in Expertise’s 2022 Top 37 Real Estate Law Firms in New York City

      Every year, Expertise.com decides on the most prominent local experts in a variety of fields with the goal of connecting the public with the best. This year, after researching over 4000 real estate law firms, Expertise.com ranked Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. as one of the top 37 real estate law firms in New York City. They scored real estate lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to create a hand-picked list of the best...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is a Platinum Member Recommended Law Firm in 2022

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is a Platinum Member Recommended Law Firm in 2022

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is a Platinum Member Recommended Law Firm for The Lawyers Global in 2022. The firm’s results-driven mindset, augmented by aggressive litigation and client-centric practices, has led to great success in the New York State real estate law environment. The Lawyers Global recognized this with a badge of honor.  This is not the first time that Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has received recognition from The Lawyers Global. In 2021, Adam Leitman Bailey achieved a ranking of #6...

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    • November Amended Code Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Restores Shareholder’s Children To Possession Following Her Tragic Death In Illegal Lockout Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Restores Shareholder’s Children To Possession Following Her Tragic Death In Illegal Lockout Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained to restore the adult biological children of a deceased shareholder to possession of her Upper West Side Apartment following her sudden tragic death in Florida. Both sister and brother had resided in the apartment with their mother in the months preceding her passing as they strived to establish careers in New York City. As they explained, the design and renovations their mother undertook in the apartment each entailed remnants of meaningful symbols of their...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves 2023 “Best Law Firms” Recognition

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves 2023 “Best Law Firms” Recognition

      ADAM LEITMAN BAILEY, P.C. RANKED IN 2023 “BEST LAW FIRMS” Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has been ranked in the 2023 U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” list nationally in 1 practice areas and regionally in 1 practice areas. This year, 89 distinguished New York real estate law firms were acknowledged by “Best Law Firms”. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. feels honoured to have received this recognition from the 2023 “Best Law Firms” ranking, being one of just ten top-tier real...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey was Awarded the 2022 Client Choice Award

      Adam Leitman Bailey was Awarded the 2022 Client Choice Award

      Recognized for his knowledge of real estate law and for providing the highest quality of advice, Adam Leitman Bailey of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was awarded the 2022 Client Choice Award for Real Estate. Adam Leitman Bailey received this award in 2020 as well. Adam Leitman Bailey has always put his clients first, aggressively pursuing their cases to bring to its clients the best that any law firm can offer, both in advocating on behalf of the client and in...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey Named America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators for the Second Year in a Row

      Adam Leitman Bailey Named America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators for the Second Year in a Row

      Adam Leitman Bailey has been selected as America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators® for 2022.  Selection to America’s Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators® is by invitation only and is reserved to identify the nation’s most exceptional trial attorneys in High Stakes Business Litigation matters.   To be considered for selection, an attorney must have litigated (for either plaintiff or defendant) a matter with the fate of a business worth at least $2,000,000 at stake. These minimum qualifications are required for initial consideration.  Thereafter, candidates are carefully screened...

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    • Co-op Sale Approvals in a Hot Market: Are Boards Overreaching?

      Probate & PropertyAmerican Bar

      Co-op Sale Approvals in a Hot Market: Are Boards Overreaching?

      Probate & PropertyAmerican Bar

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio Financially qualified cooperative buyers’ applications are being rejected by co-operative boards of directors solely on the basis that the purchase price is too low. Besides causing lost time, money, and distress among the individual parties, the buyer and seller, and the real estate brokers, these rejections create an artificial market, as the seller must now put the unit on the market at a price that does not reflect its true value –...

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    • Photo of landlord-tenant lease agreement with key

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Updates the Most Comprehensive New York State Free Market Lease Form Ever Written

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Updates the Most Comprehensive New York State Free Market Lease Form Ever Written

      Blumberg announced the publication of the most comprehensive New York State free market lease form ever written. The revised Blumberg form is entitled. No. 57, Apartment Lease for an Unregulated Apartment, with Guarantee, 8-21. Attorneys Adam Leitman Bailey and Dov Tremain of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., have updated the previous version to: Make it easier to navigate with all fill-in items on the first and last pages Deal with rent concessions Vastly strengthen the language protecting landlords against short term...

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    • December

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is Awarded Summary Judgment Dismissing Tenants’ Affirmative Defenses as Meritless and Orders Immediate Access for Window Installation

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is Awarded Summary Judgment Dismissing Tenants’ Affirmative Defenses as Meritless and Orders Immediate Access for Window Installation

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by the owner of a building in West Harlem comprised of approximately 1,193 Class A apartments on a single footprint spanning over five towers. Due to the fact that all of the residential windows were more than 45 years old, beyond their useful life, and increasingly costly to repair and maintain, the landlord enrolled in New York State’s energy efficiency program and commenced an integrated project to install brand new windows throughout the complex...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Repeatedly Wins Access for Emergency Repairs

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Repeatedly Wins Access for Emergency Repairs

      A major client of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has had to endure damage to its building arising from the construction work of a large neighboring Manhattan institution. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. persuaded the institution to fund the repairs and legal work entailed in keeping the client’s building safe. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. got the institution to post a considerable fund with Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s escrow for the purpose. However, the tenants of the affected building, while for the most...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtained Payment of an Access License Fee for an Owner in a Case of First Impression Where Both the Owner and the Commercial Tenant Were Seeking Payment of a License Fee

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtained Payment of an Access License Fee for an Owner in a Case of First Impression Where Both the Owner and the Commercial Tenant Were Seeking Payment of a License Fee

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained to represent a homeowner in Brooklyn in connection with negotiation of an Access and License Agreement with the developer of the neighboring property. The parties were able to negotiate all the terms of the agreement, but the Developer refused to pay the amount demanded by the Owner as a License Fee. This particular case differed from a typical case involving an Access and License Fee because the building contained a commercial restaurant tenant on...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Establishes that Plaintiff Lacked Standing in A Prior Foreclosure Action in Order to Defeat Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss for Statute of Limitations in a Pending Foreclosure Action

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Establishes that Plaintiff Lacked Standing in A Prior Foreclosure Action in Order to Defeat Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss for Statute of Limitations in a Pending Foreclosure Action

      In a highly contested foreclosure action, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained to step in as counsel for the new purchaser of the note and mortgage being foreclosed. The record owner Defendant moved to dismiss the action, arguing that the loan was time barred by the six-year statute of limitations due to a prior action commenced in 2009 for the foreclosure of the same loan. In opposition, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. pulled the 2009 foreclosure action file to investigate. The...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Judgment of Possession and Writ of Assistance in Post-Foreclosure Supreme Court Ejectment Action

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Judgment of Possession and Writ of Assistance in Post-Foreclosure Supreme Court Ejectment Action

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. won an order and writ of assistance in the Queens County Supreme Court, which directed the Sheriff to eject the home occupants after foreclosure, and put our client into immediate and exclusive possession of the property. Representing the buyer of the private Queens home after the foreclosure sale, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. served and exhibited the certified referee’s deed to the occupants with the requisite demands for possession. The occupants refused to vacate the home. While...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Affirms an Unusual Ruling Issued by The Supreme Court

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Affirms an Unusual Ruling Issued by The Supreme Court

      In a matter where taking too aggressive a position can backfire, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. obtained an affirmance before the Appellate Division of an order of the trial court, which stayed the prosecution of a plenary action a landlord brought against its tenant, pending the resolution of the holdover proceeding the landlord had previously commenced. Dissatisfied with the progress in the holdover proceeding, the landlord sought to apply pressure to make the tenant vacate by bringing an action in the...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Massively Reduces Alteration Fee Penalties Totaling Over 1 Million Dollars for Central Park West Apartments

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Massively Reduces Alteration Fee Penalties Totaling Over 1 Million Dollars for Central Park West Apartments

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client, a co-op owner of two adjoining luxury apartments facing Central Park West, undertook a major renovation nearly four years ago, and is only now being completed. The alteration rules of this co-op are very stringent, and in particular the Alteration Agreement imposed very stiff fines for late completion. Furthermore, the longer the completion delay, the faster pace at which the fines accelerated. As it turned out, our client ran into massive delays, in part to COVID-19, supply-chain issues, and due to a Board, which at times...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Guides Mitchell-Lama Co-Op in Holding its Annual Shareholders Meeting While Navigating Several Challenges Posed by COVID-19 and Recent Amendments to New York City’s Private Housing Finance Law

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Guides Mitchell-Lama Co-Op in Holding its Annual Shareholders Meeting While Navigating Several Challenges Posed by COVID-19 and Recent Amendments to New York City’s Private Housing Finance Law

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. is general counsel to several City and State Mitchell-Lama co-ops in the New York City area. When one client asked for assistance in holding its annual meeting, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. stepped in. The co-op’s timeline for holding the annual meeting and election of directors was thrown off by the pandemic, which led to a domino effect for the timing of future elections as mandated by the co-ops by-laws and the HPD — which oversees city...

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    • Good Deed Is Not Punished: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Enforces Judgment In Lieu of Foreclosure and Revives Judgment Resulting in Client Recovering Over $2.5 Million from Former Friend

      Good Deed Is Not Punished: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Enforces Judgment In Lieu of Foreclosure and Revives Judgment Resulting in Client Recovering Over $2.5 Million from Former Friend

      In a friendship gone bad, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by clients (“Plaintiffs”) who had a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale (“JFS”) that was over five years old. The Plaintiffs were not traditional lenders but rather were assigned the JFS and the underlying loan when their former friend (“Defendant”) requested a gigantic favor from them. The Defendant had a property that was in foreclosure and on the verge of auction. Defendant begged the Plaintiffs to purchase the underlying loan...

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    • The Rules on How Parties May Partition Their Common Ownership Property Rights

      American Bar Association

      The Rules on How Parties May Partition Their Common Ownership Property Rights

      American Bar Association

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio This article dissects the remedy of partition with reference to New York’s scheme. Whether a property owned by two or more tenants-in-common can be partitioned “in kind,” i.e., by physically dividing the real estate or other property interest, or by subjecting it to a judicial sale, or even whether the property may be subject to partition at all, are issues that courts must decide when the property’s majority and minority owners are...

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    • Most Important Non-COVID Commercial Lease Decisions Since the Beginning of the Pandemic

      New York Law Journal

      Most Important Non-COVID Commercial Lease Decisions Since the Beginning of the Pandemic

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey and John M. Desiderio  In the past two years, in litigations between commercial landlords and commercial tenants, New York courts continued to issue decisions on topics, unrelated to COVID questions, that should interest all real estate attorneys and their clients. We have reviewed all appellate cases since March 2020 and chose those, in our humble opinion, which are the most important commercial leasing decisions not related to the pandemic. The decisions in most cases turned upon...

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    • Contract preview image

      FHA Loans

      FHA Loans

      By Rosemary Liuzzo Mohamed Clients have recently inquired about FHA Loans. FHA loans are mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration of our government, and may be used to finance a primary residence. Homebuyers – especially first time – may explore this type of mortgage when they do not qualify for a conventional mortgage. FHA loans can be helpful in two ways: They are available to individuals who may have struggled with their credit and are currently rebuilding, and they...

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    • January Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Order to Show Cause Seeking to Stay Housing Court Eviction Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Order to Show Cause Seeking to Stay Housing Court Eviction Proceeding

      The clients – an elderly mother and her middle-aged son – came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. in a very precarious and complicated situation. They were in the midst of a contentious family dispute related to the decade-long ownership of the clients’ property in Brooklyn. The clients, who are the mother and half-brother of the Plaintiff, had commenced a lawsuit in NYS Supreme Court claiming, among other things, that Plaintiff is entitled to an ownership interest in the clients’ property....

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    • Appellate Division Sends Strong Rebuke to an Illegally Subletting Executor of an Estate that Sought to Misapply the Yellowstone Doctrine

      Appellate Division Sends Strong Rebuke to an Illegally Subletting Executor of an Estate that Sought to Misapply the Yellowstone Doctrine

      Under the terms of a Proprietary Lease of a Cooperative, the daughter and children of the lessee were permitted to occupy the unit while the lessee was alive. Once the lessee died, and the unit passed to the Estate, the daughter and children were no longer permitted continued occupancy rights. The daughter became the executor of the estate and continued to assert a right to continued occupancy in her individual capacity. The Cooperative then served a Notice to Cure, alleging...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves Favorable Settlement of Construction Defects Claims Against a Sponsor

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Achieves Favorable Settlement of Construction Defects Claims Against a Sponsor

      Plaintiff, a unit owner at a Queens County condominium, brought an action against the Sponsor and the Sponsor’s managing agent, asserting the following causes of action against the Sponsor, relating to the allegedly defective construction of the Plaintiff’s unit: (1) breach of contract; (2) breach of warranty; (3) breach of the NYC noise code; and (4) fraud, and seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Specifically, the Plaintiff unit owner alleged that the construction of the condominium’s plumbing system was so defective...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Settlement Negotiations Save NYC Owner Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Rent Overcharge Class Action Case

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Settlement Negotiations Save NYC Owner Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars in Rent Overcharge Class Action Case

      Since the surge of tenant class action rent overcharge cases began circa 2017, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., has defended a number of the targeted NYC building owners who participated in the J-51 tax exemption and abatement program and did not, for one reason or another, immediately re-regulate units after the 2009 Court of Appeals decision in Roberts v. Tishman Speyer Props., L.P. The tenant advocacy group behind these lawsuits seeks not just a roll back of rent to the rates...

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    • Buildings for Landlords: Want to End Short Term Rentals in Your Building? Get on the “Prohibited Buildings List”

      Buildings for Landlords: Want to End Short Term Rentals in Your Building? Get on the “Prohibited Buildings List”

      By Rachel Sigmund McGinley On January 9, 2023, a new law known as Local Law 18, also known as the Short-Term Rental Registration law, became effective. This new law requires short-term rental hosts (rentals fewer than 30 consecutive days) to register their apartment with the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement (OSE) and receive a registration number. Booking services such as Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com, etc. will be prohibited from listing any unregistered short-term rental. To register an apartment with OSE, the...

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    • With a 1% Chance of Stopping NYU From Putting a Hole Through Clients Building to Build a Breezeway, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Winning in Court, Landmarks Commissions, and Community Board.

      With a 1% Chance of Stopping NYU From Putting a Hole Through Clients Building to Build a Breezeway, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Winning in Court, Landmarks Commissions, and Community Board.

      Click here for the written testimonial. “Let me know if you need anything- the case you won for us against NYU was truly amazing, we had at best a 1% chance to win it and you made it possible! Should be studied by other law firms on how to go to war.” – Marius Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Rescues Condominium From Combination With University

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    • The Wolf Near Wall Street

      Best Lawyers

      The Wolf Near Wall Street

      Best Lawyers

      New York City real estate: its reputation proceeds itself, and beyond the prices, availability and competition that surround it, there also lies a lot of red tape. Especially contentious are shared real estate ventures and the often-combative circumstances that arise when multiple parties are involved. In this particular case, when one property owner prepared to sell their portion of shared real estate, the other tenants put forth their best efforts to circumvent signing the seller agreement. Bribery, extortion and monetary...

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    • February Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Fortune 500 Title Company Malpractice Claim and Wins Attorney Fees

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Defeats Fortune 500 Title Company Malpractice Claim and Wins Attorney Fees

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. swiftly and successfully moved to dismiss a claim and cross-claim for a failed 1031 exchange and was awarded attorneys fees in an amount to be determined. Plaintiffs were principals of commercial property holders who, in 2015, attempted to engage in a 1031 exchange. To do so, they engaged Pardalis & Nohavicka LLP, (“P&N”) who held themselves out as 1031 exchange experts. When the IRS disallowed the 1031 exchange, Plaintiffs sued for malpractice based on the incorrect...

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    • Heroes Among Men: How Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saved Lives of the Lifesaving

      Best Lawyers

      Heroes Among Men: How Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Saved Lives of the Lifesaving

      Best Lawyers

      New York City is known for its towering buildings, visible from all corners of the city. The maze of sky-high buildings is home to offices, schools, residences and thousands of important companies. Not all that glitters, as they say, is gold, though. Among the older buildings—structural legacies that rise above the bustling streets—new construction is quite literally around the corner. A city that bears the weight of thousands of structures still has a seemingly endless capacity for new buildings. But sometimes,...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey Saves Upper East Cooperative From Forced NYU Combination With Neighboring University Building

      Best Lawyers

      Adam Leitman Bailey Saves Upper East Cooperative From Forced NYU Combination With Neighboring University Building

      Best Lawyers

      By Rebecca Blackwell To fall in love with where you live is one of life’s grandest gestures, finding peace and passion in the places you call home. For residents of New York, the city that glimmers day and night, it’s hard not to cherish the homes made among the glittering buildings. New York is a place so uniquely other, a city with historical roots that run deep for those already living there and those who seek it out. Bordering 5th...

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    • March Bronx Preview Image

      A Street Fight in the Bronx over Land–Italians v. Irish. Then the Court Case over Who Gets To Use the Land–and a Winner.

      A Street Fight in the Bronx over Land–Italians v. Irish. Then the Court Case over Who Gets To Use the Land–and a Winner.

      This matter came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. (ALBPC) at the beginning of 2017. The resulting decision issued by the Appellate Division on March 9, 2023 – six years later – shows how dogged investigation was important to finding the evidence necessary to persuade both the trial court and the appellate court to rule in favor of ALBPC’s client. Close Avenue is a mapped but unopened and unpaved, one-block-long street in the Bronx, running north-south between Bruckner Boulevard and Storey...

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    • How To Run a Board Meeting

      How To Run a Board Meeting

      By Adam Leitman Bailey Adam Leitman Bailey explains how using Robert’s Rules of Order can assist with effective and productive board meetings in real estate matters. “The holding of assemblies of the elders, fighting men, or people of a tribe, community, or city to make decisions or render opinion on important matters is doubtless a custom older than history,” notes Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised (“Robert’s Rules”). This resulted in the need for rules of procedures to organize and...

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    • Photo of a calculator, expenses and a house

      Miracle Lawyering, Strategizing and a Bit of Luck Allows Client To Buy Dream Home While Being Sued

      Miracle Lawyering, Strategizing and a Bit of Luck Allows Client To Buy Dream Home While Being Sued

      The client came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. in an impossible situation. The client’s wife was 7 months pregnant during the height of COVID-19. She was not moving. The client’s dream home was not only not for sale, but in probate without any indication as to who had the authority to sell it. To make matters worse, the client had signed a contract to sell their existing townhouse on a specific date without having a place to move. The client’s...

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    • April

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Negotiates Access and License Agreements for Residential Co-Op, Ensuring Façade Repair Work Will Be Completed by Spring

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Negotiates Access and License Agreements for Residential Co-Op, Ensuring Façade Repair Work Will Be Completed by Spring

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represents a 21-story, 495-unit residential co-op located in the heart of Union Square. Facing a looming deadline for its 8th-cycle FISP façade inspection and repairs with a desire to complete the façade work before spring, the co-op turned to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to negotiate access and license agreements with the adjacent buildings to the east and west. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. stepped in to lead the negotiations with these buildings. The first building consisted of...

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    • Condominium & Cooperative Board & Building Representation

      No Time to Waste: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Expeditiously Stops Condominium Board From Forcing Impermissible Conditions Upon Right of First Refusal Waiver’s Issuance

      No Time to Waste: Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Expeditiously Stops Condominium Board From Forcing Impermissible Conditions Upon Right of First Refusal Waiver’s Issuance

      French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir famously remarked “[t]here is something in the New York air that makes sleep useless.”  That maxim is particularly resonant in the intense world of real estate disputes, especially when a condominium or coop’s board of managers engages in obstructionist behavior that, if not swiftly addressed, can quickly decimate a high-value sale.  A recent engagement handled by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s senior litigation team demonstrates how the firm’s ability to deploy quickly and aggressively saved a...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Changes to the Peconic Bay Tax

      Changes to the Peconic Bay Tax

      By Rosemary Liuzzo Mohamed  The five East End towns of the Peconic Bay Region in Suffolk County, New York are East Hampton, Shelter Island, Southampton, Riverhead, and Southold.  When purchasing a home in this region, a purchaser will pay a one-time transfer tax called the Peconic Bay Region Community Preservation Fund (or CPF), (“Peconic Bay Tax”).  Up until recently, the Peconic Bay Tax has been 2% of the purchase price of any home or lot after certain allowances.  In the...

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    • May Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defeats Motion to Dismiss Condominium Unit Owner’s Claims Related to Defective Plumbing

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defeats Motion to Dismiss Condominium Unit Owner’s Claims Related to Defective Plumbing

      A recent decision from the Appellate Division, First Department has upheld breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract claims brought by a condominium unit owner against the Condominium’s (the “Condominium’s”) Board of Managers (the “Board”). Adam Leitman Bailey P.C.’s client, the owner of a condominium apartment in Manhattan, commenced an action against the Board in connection with the Board’s failure to address the client’s constant complaints related to dirty and hazardous water (the “Supreme Court Action”). These issues have...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Payment of Commission for Real Estate Salesperson

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Obtains Payment of Commission for Real Estate Salesperson

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. obtained payment by a real estate brokerage of commissions owed to a real estate salesperson as a result of his involvement in a sale of property that had generated millions of dollars in commissions to the brokerage. The salesperson had assisted in locating a purchaser for the property in a new, high-end development. The broker had initially received commissions from the purchaser but had not paid any share of them to the salesperson, Adam Leitman Bailey,...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Summary Judgment and Dismissal of Prior Owner’s Affirmative Defenses in Highly Contested Post-Foreclosure Eviction Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Summary Judgment and Dismissal of Prior Owner’s Affirmative Defenses in Highly Contested Post-Foreclosure Eviction Proceeding

      Representing the purchaser of a single-family Queens home after foreclosure, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. won summary judgment and dismissal of affirmative defenses with a judgment and warrant of eviction against the prior owner following a foreclosure sale.We commenced the summary eviction proceeding by filing a holdover petition after serving the prior owner with a requisite notice to quit and exhibiting to him the certified referee’s deed in foreclosure.The respondent, through counsel, answered the case asserting a myriad of affirmative defenses,...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., On Behalf of Board, Defeats Preliminary Injunction by Self-Dealing Owner in Complicated Litigation

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., On Behalf of Board, Defeats Preliminary Injunction by Self-Dealing Owner in Complicated Litigation

      SHAREHOLDERS’ DEMAND FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION New York City’s extremely high density, especially in Manhattan, can yield high-stakes battles for even small spaces.  When disputes about such spaces cannot easily be consensually resolved, legal “street fights” often develop rapidly, generating expedited proceedings. Successfully navigating these circumstances invokes an aphorism by British politician Charles Buxton:  “In life, as in chess, forethought wins.”  A recent matter handled by Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. exemplifies Buxton’s advice. TWO UNHAPPY SHAREHOLDERS The building in dispute is...

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    • A Street Fight in the Bronx

      Best Lawyers

      A Street Fight in the Bronx

      Best Lawyers

      Adam Leitman Bailey’s firm helped settle a Bronx brawl over land between two parties and brought victory against a long-standing powerful family in New York.   By Adam Leitman Bailey, John M. Desiderio and Jeffrey R. Metz This matter came to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. (ALBPC) at the beginning of 2017. The resulting decision issued by the Appellate Division on March 9, 2023—six years later—shows how dogged investigation was important to finding the evidence necessary to persuade both the trial...

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    • June

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Case of First Impression Regarding an Attorney’s Ability to Zealously Represent a Client Without Fear of Reprisal from the Client’s Adversary

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Case of First Impression Regarding an Attorney’s Ability to Zealously Represent a Client Without Fear of Reprisal from the Client’s Adversary

      In a case which personally affected Mr. Bailey and the members of his firm, a disgruntled developer attempted to have Mr. Bailey abandon his client—the lone tenant in a building which the developer sought to turn into luxury condominiums—by suing Mr. Bailey and the firm for $25,000,000.00 in damages for alleged abuse of process and tortious interference with prospective economic interest. The suit claimed that Mr. Bailey waged a media campaign in an effort to portray the developer in a...

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    • Photo of Manhattan buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Swiftly Overcomes Obstacles to Property Sale Posed by Architectural Designer

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Swiftly Overcomes Obstacles to Property Sale Posed by Architectural Designer

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully represented an owner of vacant property in Sag Harbor in persuading the client’s former architectural designer to cease making meritless objections to the client’s efforts to sell the property. The client had previously retained the designer to design plans for construction of a single-family house on the property. However, the client was forced to abandon her construction plans when the designer suddenly informed her that the construction would cost twice as much as he had...

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    • Amended Code Preview Image

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Expeditiously Prepares Resignation Agreement and Release for Domestic Employee of Shareholder in Cooperative

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Expeditiously Prepares Resignation Agreement and Release for Domestic Employee of Shareholder in Cooperative

      On a late Friday afternoon in May, an old client, whom Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. has represented as a shareholder in a cooperative, called the firm. He shared that on that day, his housekeeper had told him that she was ill and wanted to resign from her job. He requested the preparation of an agreement with her which set a final date for her employment, indicated the amount of her severance and the date by which it was to be...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey Ranked in the Top 10 Chambers & Partners Leading Real Estate Litigators 2023 and Sole Attorney from Firm with Less than 30 Attorneys.

      Adam Leitman Bailey Ranked in the Top 10 Chambers & Partners Leading Real Estate Litigators 2023 and Sole Attorney from Firm with Less than 30 Attorneys.

      Adam Leitman Bailey has been ranked in the top 10 Chambers & Partners Leading Real Estate Litigators for 2023.  Adam Leitman Bailey is the only attorney ranked in the top 10 Leading Real Estate Litigators from a firm of fewer than 30 attorneys.  This is the 12th year Adam Leitman Bailey has been ranked by Chambers & Partners, making him the longest-ranked attorney out of all of the real estate attorneys ranked by Chambers & Partners in 2023. Adam Leitman Bailey...

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    • Awarding Attorney Fees in Access to Property Proceedings

      New York Law Journal

      Awarding Attorney Fees in Access to Property Proceedings

      New York Law Journal

      By Adam Leitman Bailey, John Desiderio and Joanna C. Peck  The right to access another’s property codified in RPAPL §881, once described, as recently as 2002, as a “little-used law” (as quoted in Rosma Development, LLC v. South, 5 Misc.3d 1014(A), 798 NYS2d 713 (Sup. Ct., King. Co., 2004) (Schmidt, J.), is now used for lawsuits that arise on a frequent basis, amidst the constantly evolving New York City building scene, when a property owner or developer requires access to an...

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    • July

      Clearing Hurdles and Encroachments to Get Deals Done

      Clearing Hurdles and Encroachments to Get Deals Done

      Unforeseen issues and circumstances often arise during real estate transactions and the attorneys at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. have the experience and expertise to maneuver and procure successful outcomes for their clients. During the recent representation of a seller of residential real estate, upon receipt of the title report and survey of the premises, it became apparent that our client did not have a driveway on his property that would allow for ingress and egress between the house and the...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Victoriously Defeats Motion to Dismiss Housing Court Eviction Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Victoriously Defeats Motion to Dismiss Housing Court Eviction Proceeding

      Representing the landlord of a building in the Bronx, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. successfully defeated a motion to dismiss a nonpayment proceeding brought by tenants illegally operating a business out of the building. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. commenced a Supreme Court action against the tenants seeking equitable relief in the form of specific performance and an injunction.  While that action remained pending, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. thereafter commenced a nonpayment proceeding by filing a notice of petition and petition after...

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    • Financial District

      After Setbacks with Former Counsel, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Investigates and Overwhelms Court and Adversary with Evidence in Non-Primary Residence Case

      After Setbacks with Former Counsel, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Investigates and Overwhelms Court and Adversary with Evidence in Non-Primary Residence Case

      The first case involved a grandfathered-in rent stabilized apartment and tenant suspected of non-primary residence and subletting for over a decade. The COOP brought several unsuccessful cases before turning to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Following a comprehensive investigation, the tenant was linked to his home in Long Island, including by deeds, DMV records including car registrations, Facebook and other social media accounts, and statements made under oath in unrelated litigation. Further, apartment inspections and searches conducted by a private investigator...

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    • Commercial Landlord Representation Preview Image

      Tricky Issues Representing National Company In Long Term Lease for Vacant Land Ends Successfully

      Tricky Issues Representing National Company In Long Term Lease for Vacant Land Ends Successfully

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. negotiated a twenty-year lease on the Owner’s behalf with national company The Energy Tenant, which finances and manages all aspects of energy storage development and operations to significantly and sustainably lower electricity bills for the commercial and industrial sector, electric cooperatives, and municipal utilities. This company also serves as a capital partner and resource for solar and storage developers. Negotiation of this lease entailed several tricky issues. The property involved was vacant land and had a...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Convinces Shareholder Not to Sue By Demonstrating that Leaks Flooding Unit Came from Different Apartment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Convinces Shareholder Not to Sue By Demonstrating that Leaks Flooding Unit Came from Different Apartment

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by shareholder of an apartment in a prestigious NYC cooperative for help after her apartment allegedly caused leaks into two neighboring units. A. First Affected Apartment The first unit was directly below our client’s. That shareholder threatened litigation against our client, claiming that his apartment was suffering from water damage from our client’s apartment (specifically, from a leak in the air conditioning unit in the client’s gym room), which the shareholder claimed significantly affected...

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    • Understanding the Limited Liability Transparency Act

      Understanding the Limited Liability Transparency Act

      By Bonnie Berkow  On June 20, 2023, the New York State Assembly passed amendments to the LLC Transparency Act amending sections of New York’s Limited Liability Company Law to require the disclosure of information relating to the beneficial owners of a limited liability company registered or qualified to do business in New York.  The amendments take effect one year after the bill is signed by the Governor and would establish a public searchable data base of the names of an...

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    • August

      DUCK!!! Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Preliminary Injunction To Protect Workers and the Public From Dangerous Conditions

      DUCK!!! Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Secures Preliminary Injunction To Protect Workers and the Public From Dangerous Conditions

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. represents one of the largest parking facility companies in New York City.  Of the many facilities the company operates, one is an open-air parking lot in Upper Manhattan, not far north of the George Washington Bridge.  The lot is abutted by two five-story residential buildings owned by the same landlord.    The lot does not have a barrier or other structure shielding it from objects falling from the adjacent building’s roof.  In September 2022, our client...

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    • Photo of 1740 Broadway

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. wins Summary Judgment in Multi-Property Business Purpose Loan Contested Foreclosure

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. wins Summary Judgment in Multi-Property Business Purpose Loan Contested Foreclosure

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by lender to commence a foreclosure action against a borrower on a business purpose loan that was secured by four properties. Defendant borrower filed an answer with affirmative defenses alleging that Defendant was not delinquent on mortgage payments, and that the Lender was the cause of the default. Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. moved for summary judgment, establishing Lender’s prima facie case, and arguing that Defendant’s affirmative defenses failed as a matter of law. In...

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    • Foiled Plans: How Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Thwarted A Famous Building’s Trickery

      Foiled Plans: How Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Thwarted A Famous Building’s Trickery

      When the Frick building, planned renovations that would threaten the welfare of nearby residents, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. jumped in to uncover the truth. By Rebecca Blackwell  In early 2022, when it was announced that a New York City building on 71st Street, the Frick, was planning to put in a ramp for what they claimed was in adherence to the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), homeowners on the block quickly realized that something was amiss. Their concerns brought them...

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    • New York Law Journal logo

      When Is an Attachment Levy Effective?

      When Is an Attachment Levy Effective?

      Trying times call for creative, aggressive lawyering by real estate litigators. Racing to find and attach and garnish a judgment debtor’s assets before they literally disappear is an old sport played, most recently, at a higher level due to the stressful economic real estate times. This article reflects our war wounds and successes with the most important topical issues using the most relevant and authoritative case law and statutes. Attachment is one of the provisional remedies provided by CPLR §6001...

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    • Foiled Plans: How Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Thwarted A Famous Building’s Trickery

      Foiled Plans: How Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Thwarted A Famous Building’s Trickery

      When the Frick building, planned renovations that would threaten the welfare of nearby residents, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. jumped in to uncover the truth. By Rebecca Blackwell  In early 2022, when it was announced that a New York City building on 71st Street, the Frick, was planning to put in a ramp for what they claimed was in adherence to the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), homeowners on the block quickly realized that something was amiss. Their concerns brought them...

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    • September Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Summary Judgment and Dismissal of Retaliatory Eviction Defense in Holdover Proceeding

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Summary Judgment and Dismissal of Retaliatory Eviction Defense in Holdover Proceeding

      The tenants of record vacated a free market apartment in New York City but left an occupant behind who refused to leave. The landlord turned to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. for help. We served a notice to quit and commenced a holdover proceeding. Receiving advice to stall the case, the occupant filed an ERAP application, which stayed the case. We immediately moved to vacate the stay, arguing, among other things, that the non-tenant occupant is not entitled to an ERAP...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Received a Rare Injunction Stopping the Foreclosure Auction, Forcing the Sponsor to Abide by the Settlement Agreement Ensuring Millions Paid, and Both Condominium Unit and Numerous Parking Spaces at No Charge

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Received a Rare Injunction Stopping the Foreclosure Auction, Forcing the Sponsor to Abide by the Settlement Agreement Ensuring Millions Paid, and Both Condominium Unit and Numerous Parking Spaces at No Charge

      In 2018, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a group of unit owners at a new construction condominium in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The new building was advertised as a luxury condominium, and encompassed an entire block, with over 200 units consisting of one to three-bedroom units, duplexes, lofts, penthouses, and townhomes. On paper, the building sounded like paradise. In reality, however, the building was plagued with construction defects and shoddy workmanship from the start. Shortly after moving in, residents quickly...

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      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Obtains Ruling From DHCR Requiring Landlord To Add Husband’s Name to Lease

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. Obtains Ruling From DHCR Requiring Landlord To Add Husband’s Name to Lease

      Adam Leitman Bailey P.C. represents a tenant in a rent stabilized apartment who was served with a notice of non-renewal of lease (“Golub Notice”) alleging that the Premises were not her primary residence. Tenant claimed that she had asked the landlord to add her husband’s name to the Lease but her request was ignored. Tenant and her husband had been married and resided together in the apartment for more than 30 years. Rent Stabilization Code (“RSC”) §2522.5(g) provides in pertinent...

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    • October Condominium & Cooperative Board & Building Representation

      Sponsor vs. Successor Sponsor

      Sponsor vs. Successor Sponsor

      By Rosemary Liuzzo Mohamed What is a sponsor? A sponsor, also known as a developer, could either be a combination of entities, a single purpose entity or an individual person who heads a real estate development project such as a new construction high rise condominium building or a conversion from a rental building to a condominium or cooperative (co-op). The sponsor sets up the land, erects the building and submits an Offering Plan to the New York State Attorney General...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails In Representing Landlords In a Summary Judgment Class Action Case Against a Megafirm Representing 19 Tenants in 6 Buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails In Representing Landlords In a Summary Judgment Class Action Case Against a Megafirm Representing 19 Tenants in 6 Buildings

      Nineteen tenants from six buildings formed a tenant association in the name of my client’s company to go on the attack against the client’s subdivisions, personnel, and parent company. Their initial assault included hundreds of paragraphs in a court filed complaint, issued in tandem with the press release. It became increasingly clear during the course of the lawsuit that the press attention was more important to plaintiffs’ counsel than the actual issues in the buildings or even than own clients....

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Negotiates Surrender of Above Market Lease, Saving the Client Millions

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Negotiates Surrender of Above Market Lease, Saving the Client Millions

      The owner of an artistic production company contacted Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. because its landlord was performing Local Law 11 work in his downtown building, which included the replacement of a parapet directly outside the client’s sound stages and using the terrace between the parapet and his office as a staging area for the façade work.  My client’s lease had more than five years left and the rent with escalations over the years was far more costly than the current...

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    • Real Estate Company Coup–The Ousted President Hired Adam Leitman Bailey to Restore Order and Regain His Managing Member Powers and Fight Off Investors Successfully

      Real Estate Company Coup–The Ousted President Hired Adam Leitman Bailey to Restore Order and Regain His Managing Member Powers and Fight Off Investors Successfully

      In early August 2023, Adam Leitman Bailey picked up a phone call from a prospective new client, the managing member of a real estate investment and development company. The potential client’s tale was most dire:  “I have been kicked out of the company I started. They shut off my email.  A letter has been sent out that I am no longer with the company. They have cut off access to my bank accounts. I need your help.”  The leading coupist’s motivation came from...

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      Understanding the Anti-Harassment Housing Laws in NYC

      New York Law Journal

      Understanding the Anti-Harassment Housing Laws in NYC

      New York Law Journal

      For the first time since the passage of the first anti-harassment housing law, a comprehensive review of those laws and their applicability, purpose, penalties, and dates of effectiveness have been explained and analyzed in detail. The authors have sought to educate practitioners and their clients on this vastly misunderstood body of law. One of the most far ranging and most amended areas of New York City landlord-tenant law is the regulation of what constitutes “harassment” in the residential context. A...

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    • November

      Adam Leitman Bailey Awarded Access and License Agreement 881 Case in Difficult Litigation Plagued with Repairs and Damages to Building

      Adam Leitman Bailey Awarded Access and License Agreement 881 Case in Difficult Litigation Plagued with Repairs and Damages to Building

      “I don’t think she is the right fit for this case and our Board.  She is too aggressive, and it simply is not going to work for us.  We want a different attorney at your firm assigned to the case,” the client advised Adam Leitman Bailey. “I am going to ask you to reconsider,” Mr. Bailey responded. “When you go to a doctor, do you choose the doctor based on whether you like them as a person and want to...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defeats Motion for Contempt Brought by Condominium Board of Managers Against Aggrieved Unit Owner

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Successfully Defeats Motion for Contempt Brought by Condominium Board of Managers Against Aggrieved Unit Owner

      In a highly contentious dispute between the board of managers of a condominium (the “Board”) and Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s  client, an owner of a unit in the condominium, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was faced with the tall task of defending against the Board’s concerted effort to seek contempt against the client. In 2022, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client came to the firm with a difficult situation. The client, who suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (“PTSD”), owns several service dogs,...

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    • December

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Quickly Secures Victory for Lender Facing Adverse Possession Claim

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Quickly Secures Victory for Lender Facing Adverse Possession Claim

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was recently retained by a title company to represent a Lender’s interest in an adverse possession action in Queens. The Lender had commenced an action to foreclose a mortgage against the subject property which resulted in an auction taking place. However, before the closing of the sale could take place, a tenant of the subject property commenced an adverse possession action. As a result of the adverse possession action, there was a cloud on title, and...

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    • Photo of New York City buildings

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Summary Judgment Despite Attacks on the Servicer’s Limited Power of Attorney and on the Affidavits of Service for the Notices

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins Summary Judgment Despite Attacks on the Servicer’s Limited Power of Attorney and on the Affidavits of Service for the Notices

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a lender in connection with the foreclosure of a business purpose loan on a residential premises in Suffolk County. Once the firm moved for summary judgment, the defendants argued that the affidavit of a Vice President from the loan servicer and attorney-in-fact to the plaintiff was insufficient to support summary judgment because the affiant did not have the authority to act under the limited power of attorney. Defendants argued that because the power...

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      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Preserves Six Million Dollars In Loans Made by Its Client

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Preserves Six Million Dollars In Loans Made by Its Client

      When the managing member of three real estate LLCs sought to refinance the existing senior debt, Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C.’s client made loans totaling approximately six million dollars. There was also a mezzanine lender, whose agreement with the holding company for the LLCs, required its written permission for an activity such as a refinance. None was provided. Once the LLCs received and distributed the loan proceeds, the existing debt was retired, but the remainder, approximately 1.6 million dollars, went missing....

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      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Defending Former Cooperative Board Members in a Defamation Action Using Amended Anti-SLAPP Statutes

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Prevails Defending Former Cooperative Board Members in a Defamation Action Using Amended Anti-SLAPP Statutes

      In response to an action filed by a coop corporation against a former board member and one of its shareholders alleging that the defendants had defamed Board members by distributing newsletters and emails anonymously accusing the Board members of dishonesty and fraudulent conduct, one of the defendants moved to dismiss the complaint pursuant to New York Civil Rights Law § 70(a) and § 76(a), commonly known as a strategic lawsuit against public participation or SLAPP suit, as amended on November...

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      Adam Leitman Bailey Files Lawsuit, Settles Emergency Case Providing Fortune 10 Company with Access to Repair Building While Accessing Neighbor’s Property

      Adam Leitman Bailey Files Lawsuit, Settles Emergency Case Providing Fortune 10 Company with Access to Repair Building While Accessing Neighbor’s Property

      A call came in that a building in Brooklyn had pieces falling off of it and was in danger of harming persons using a parking facility below next door. In order to repair the building, protective equipment was needed to secure the building and the parking spaces next door.  The neighbor had a price they wanted to allow access but could not agree on a number of other items.  Because the parking facility was being actively used while pieces of...

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    • The Battle of Manhattan Apartments: Legal Showdown Between Landlord and Terminated Superintendent

      The Battle of Manhattan Apartments: Legal Showdown Between Landlord and Terminated Superintendent

      In New York City, building superintendents often receive free live-in apartments in buildings they service for the duration of their employment. So long as no independent landlord-tenant relationship is created, the super and their family may live in the apartment while employed. They must vacate the apartment upon the termination of their employment. A Manhattan building owner recently called upon Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. to evict a terminated super who refused to vacate an apartment (given to him incident to...

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    • Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins a Case of First Impression Under FAPA, Protecting its Client’s Mortgage in a Murky Legal Climate for Lender’s Rights

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Wins a Case of First Impression Under FAPA, Protecting its Client’s Mortgage in a Murky Legal Climate for Lender’s Rights

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was retained by a lender to navigate through the ever-changing foreclosure laws and save the lender’s ability to foreclose. The lender’s foreclosure action was commenced in 2017. The lender moved for summary judgment, and the borrower cross-moved to dismiss, arguing that, per the Second Department’s holding in Bank of America, N.A. v. Kessler, 202 A.D.3d 10 (2d Dept. 2021) (hereinafter, “Kessler”), the 90 Day Notices served by the lender violated RPAPL § 1304 for containing additional...

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    • Mission Impossible: Securing Almost 2 Million Dollars From a Convicted Felon to Payoff Claims Owed to Commercial Lender

      Mission Impossible: Securing Almost 2 Million Dollars From a Convicted Felon to Payoff Claims Owed to Commercial Lender

      In the life of a title litigator, you want to be challenged and have interesting cases where you are asked to use your best skills to prevail.  We were delighted to be told that this claim required the most aggressive, street-smart law firm on the Fortune 500 companies attorney list and we could not feel more proud.  But we also must have been shell-shocked to be excited about trying to be heroes by collecting almost two million dollars from an...

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    • January

      Despite throwing the kitchen sink, knives and tables at the landlord, dinner is no longer being served at this restaurant —eviction ordered and effectuated.

      Despite throwing the kitchen sink, knives and tables at the landlord, dinner is no longer being served at this restaurant —eviction ordered and effectuated.

      In the realm of commercial real estate, disputes between landlords and tenants regarding nonpayment of rent can be intricate and demanding.  The attorneys here at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. take pride in assessing these intricacies and obtaining favorable results for their clients.  Representing the landlord in a commercial nonpayment proceeding against a restaurant tenant, and despite the tenant’s assertion of multiple affirmative defenses and a counterclaim, the diligent efforts and strategic legal maneuvering of the team at Adam Leitman Bailey,...

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      Limited Liability Company Transparency Act

      Limited Liability Company Transparency Act

      On June 20, 2023, The New York legislature passed a bill called the LLC Transparency Act which would require the beneficial owners of limited liability companies (“LLC”) to disclose their identities. This disclosure of information could then be found in a newly created, public searchable database maintained by New York’s secretary of state. Governor Hochul signed this bill into law on December 23, 2023, and it will be effective one year after. However, the bill was amended to remove the...

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    • Vault Names Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Top 150 Law Firms to Work For Under 150 Attorneys for 2024

      Vault Names Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Top 150 Law Firms to Work For Under 150 Attorneys for 2024

      Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. Joins Vault’s Top 150 Under 150 List as One of the Best Midsize Law Firm to Work For. Vault has also released its new Top 150 Under 150 list—Vault’s collection of the leading small and midsized firms in the U.S. with 150 or fewer attorneys. To determine the Top 150 Under 150, Vault first developed a list of the best-known and most sought-after U.S. firms with 150 attorneys or fewer. Our editorial and research teams pored through Vault survey...

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