Many luxury and other residential buildings in New York City feature doormen or other concierge services. Does the presence of such personnel create a duty to screen guests—and concomitant liability for the alleged failure to properly do so? A recent case addressed that question. Zoe Denison sought damages for injuries sustained at the hands of Roxanne Woychowski, and the alleged negligence of the 300 East 57 Street, LLC, and Rudin Management Co. Inc. and others, that arose from a night on the town. The court granted summary judgment and dismissed Denison’s claims against 300 East and Rudin. Denison asked the… Read more

Juvenal Reis (tenant) and J.B. Kaufman Realty Co, LLC (landlord) signed a lease  in 2002 for real property in Long Island City. Over the years, Reis and Kaufman executed various letter agreements extending the terms of the original lease and providing for the lease of additional space within the  building. In a document dated June 27, 2012, the parties “consolidate[d] all existing letter agreements to the same expiration date” of February 28, 2015. The 2012 letter agreement also stated that the terms of the lease were “extended to now terminate on Feb. 28, 2030,” with “terms to be determined at… Read more

Rosemarie Russo and Joseph Ostrowsky sued their abutting neighbor, Kenneth Jay, in Small Claims court. The sought to recover for damage that they sustained after a branch from a tree, which was allegedly on Jay’s property, fell into their yard, damaging their fence. Ray counterclaimed to recover damages resulting from the Ostrowskys’ workers trespassing on his property. At a nonjury trial, the Ostrowskys testified that, in 2016, debris from a tree on Jay’s property fell into their yard and damaged their pool fence. They had sent Jay a certified letter in 2016, informing him that he had several dead trees… Read more

Wishful thinking and expectations are not a legally cognizable and enforceable plan. The failure to document the adjournment of a time of the essence closing date recently cost the would be purchasers to lose a substantial million down payment. Suncore Group SA, LLC sought to purchase real property in New York County from 1660 1st LLC. The purchase did not close on the date specified in the purchase agreement. 1660 took the position that the failure to close constituted a default by Suncore, thereby terminating the contract and entitling 1660 to retain Suncore’s down payment. Suncore sought a declaratory judgment… Read more

“Game Change”: Court Holds “Gig” Courier to be an Employee (Not an Independent Contractor) Entitled to Unemployment Compensation Will Ruling Retroactively Apply? In a landmark decision, Matter of Vega (Postmates Inc. Commissioner of Labor)[March26, 2020], the Court of Appeals addressed the question of whether or not a deliveryman—who was free to make his own hours, choose what assignments to take and was also available to work for others—was an employee or an independent contractor. The issue arose in the context of a claim by a courier for unemployment compensation. Question: Was the decision of the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board that… Read more

Street parking space is an extremely  valuable commodity in New York City, in general, and in densely  populated  residential neighborhoods, in particular. A recent spat between neighbors in Brooklyn implicated both the statute and case law  governing the several elements of a  claim of  title by adverse possession, with the overlay of two Court-made rules or doctrines, as well as a legal presumption and a shifting burden of proof. Waterview Towers, Inc. and 2610 Cropsey Development Corp. are owners of properties in Brooklyn that abut Centre Place, a private driveway/street. Waterview owns tax block 6933, lot 55. Cropsey owns tax… Read more

Ismael Realty Corp. filed suit to obtain a license for permission to enter upon the adjoining property owned by Helen Zervos in furtherance of a construction project in Astoria, New York. The area in dispute was a concrete alley that separated the neighboring properties. A three day hearing was held in November, 2019. Abdul Navaraez, Kenneth Philogene, and George King testified on behalf of Ismael. Dennis Zervos, Louis Leonidas Zervos, and Nicholas Politis testified for the Zervos. As a threshold matter, the Court credited the testimony given by the Zervos’ witnesses. To the extent that the testimony of the Ismael’s… Read more

Disputes over the right of a seller to keep, or the duty to return, the down payment on a failed residential contract of sale are common, contentious and fact-specific. And regularly arise out of a contingency clause that conditions the purchaser’s obligation to close on the ability to obtain a mortgage loan. The outcome is often determined by the purchaser’s course of conduct as measured against the language of the contract. Two recent examples follow: Doony, Inc., owned by Dr. Nonyelu Anyichie, sued Mark Palmiotto to recover a $43,500.00 down payment made in connection with a contract to buy the… Read more

First year law school students often take a course about equitable remedies, one of which is the imposition by  the Court of a “constructive trust”. The remedy is almost always intensely fact  sensitive because the disputes often  arise out personal relationships and undocumented special  circumstances without the formalities of a contract. A recent example follows: From 2000 until 2017, Michael Baker and Anna Harrison were in a long-term romantic relationship. During their relationship, they ran a timber harvesting business for which various equipment was purchased. By deed dated March 7, 2017, a 4.66-acre parcel of undeveloped land on State Route… Read more