Real Estate

Former Reading Int’l GC Joins Akerman Los Angeles Office

News
Veteran real estate lawyer William “Bill” Ellis has joined Akerman LLP’s Los Angeles office as a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group.

Donald Trump Settled a Real Estate Lawsuit, and a Criminal Case Was Closed

News
A lawsuit claimed that Trump SoHo condo-hotel tower was developed with the undisclosed involvement of convicted felons and financing from questionable sources in Russia and Kazakhstan, the report states, The New York Times reports.

Morgan Stanley to Pay $3.2B Penalty in Securities Deal

NEWS
Morgan Stanley will pay a $2.6 billion penalty to resolve claims related to Morgan Stanley’s marketing, sale and issuance of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), the Justice Department reported Thursday.

Wells Fargo to Pay $1.2B Federal Mortgage Settlement

NEWS
The government had accused the banking company of ‘reckless’ underwriting practices that led to thousands of federally-insured loans defaulting.

When Can You Rescind a Real Property Purchase Agreement?

Article
Although rescission makes particular sense when recouping the purchase price is more important than living in the house, it’s not always available.

Donald Trump Loses Wind Farm Legal Challenge

NEWS
Donald Trump’s legal challenge to a planned offshore wind farm in Scotland has been rejected by the UK’s Supreme Court, reports the BBC.

Dallas’ Southwest Securities Hit with $5.45 Million Fraud Verdict

NEWS
Jurors in a Dallas district court found that real estate developer Stephen Jemal conspired with Southwest Securities Inc. to defraud the two Texas partnerships by misrepresenting the value of his Southwest holdings.

How to Score a Contract from the Red Zone

NEWS
Charles Sartain, writing in Gray Reed & McGraw’s Energy and the Law blog, uses a football metaphor to describe how a negotiating party could fail to score an enforceable contract while near the end of the negotiation process.

Denny O’Shea Will Join Greenberg Traurig in Broward, Palm Beach

NEWS
Denny O’Shea, the incoming Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority Chairman, will serve as chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Real Estate Development & Land Use Practice in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

‘As-Is’ Commercial Transactions: Let the Seller Beware

White Paper
A New York court earlier this year explored the issue of disclosure obligations in “as-is” commercial transactions and came to an unexpected answer, writes DLP Piper’s Michael Hamilton in Commercial Property Executive.

Real Estate Development and Construction Contracts: What You Need to Know

White Paper
Matthew DeVries of Burr & Forman offers a few items to think about when drafting contracts, relying on a book titled “Courses on Drafting Contracts.”

Jackson Walker Adds Two More From Thompson & Knight to Real Estate Group

NEWS
Jackson Walker L.L.P. has added two more former Thompson & Knight real estate lawyers to the firm’s Houston office, joining four others who moved from Thompson & Knight on April 20.

Title Due Diligence in a Distressed Energy Market

White Paper
Producers benefit greatly from a legal and due diligence team that has worked together on multiple transactions over a period of time.

Avoid Misrepresentation Claims Through Contractual Exculpatory Clauses

On-Demand
As a part of its Homebuilder Series, Bilzim Sumberg has posted a free on-demand webinar that discusses protecting your company from misrepresentation claims through contractual exculpatory clauses.

Ex-American Realty Official Claims Firm Cooked Books

NEWS
American Realty Capital Properties Inc., the U.S. real estate investment trust reeling from reports of an accounting cover-up, was sued by a former executive who said she was fired for blowing the whistle on financial improprieties.

Greening Affordable Housing and Saving Energy

On-Demand
Nixon Peabody presents a free on-demand webinar covering the latest news from HUD with respect to “green” affordable housing development.