News & Publications

A few months ago, a real estate company brought an action against the Securities and Exchange Commission, and apparently the SEC now has been served in the case, known as Platform Real Estate, Inc. vs. United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The federal case was filed in the Southern District of NY. The suit seeks a "declaratory judgment," or a court's interpretation of the law as it applies to a particular situation. The plaintiff is [...]

The last several years have seen a clear trend toward direct investment in real estate by family offices, and away from indirect holdings through private fund investments and the public markets. An oft-cited reason for this shift is the desire of family offices to assert direct control over their investments. However, such control can often prove illusory. This article explores the common pitfalls that family offices encounter when structuring direct real estate investments and provides [...]

On April 18, 2019, the New York City Council passed legislation, referred to as the Climate Mobilization Act, which includes bills designed to aggressively reduce carbon emissions produced by New York City's buildings. According to a study conducted by the New York City Mayor's Office, buildings currently account for almost 70% of the city's green-house gas emissions. The bills set heavy fines for building owners' non-compliance. Notwithstanding strong objections from the real estate industry, the [...]