Real Estate & Property Law

Afternoon Briefs: Peremptory challenge curbs allowed; more federal courts halt jury trials

Juror shortages lead to curbs on peremptory challenges Judges in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, are allowed to ban or reduce peremptory challenges in civil cases to avoid running out of potential jurors. Judges asked and received permission from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to make the change because of a drop in…

Nov 20, 2020 4:06 PM CST

Lawyer is accused of working for Stanford, 2 law firms while collecting disability payments

Updated: A lawyer who was formerly a financial analyst to the Federal Reserve System’s board of governors is accused of collecting disability benefits while working for two law firms, three companies and a university.

Nov 3, 2020 9:02 AM CST

Firm sues for rent abatement; landlord decries law firms trying to ‘weasel out’ of commitments

Schulte Roth & Zabel has filed a $10 million lawsuit claiming that its Manhattan landlord failed to abide by lease provisions requiring rent abatement in an emergency.

Oct 29, 2020 12:14 PM CDT

Firms of the future: COVID-19 prompts more law firms to pursue real estate downsizing

In recent years, a growing number of law firms reduced their brick-and-mortar office space as a way to cut costs and also better meet the changing workplace needs of their attorneys.

Oct 14, 2020 9:30 AM CDT

2 lawyers charged in alleged scheme to steal nearly $750K in surplus foreclosure cash

Two Florida lawyers have been charged in an alleged foreclosure fraud scheme that cost victims nearly $750,000.

Oct 9, 2020 12:52 PM CDT

As its workforce shrinks, this BigLaw firm restores salaries and reorganizes

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner has cut 4% of its global workforce and reorganized practice groups since undertaking a strategic review last year.

Oct 8, 2020 10:41 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Property law scholar wins ‘genius grant;’ judge says inmates entitled to stimulus checks

Law prof who studied Black land ownership wins ‘genius grant’ Thomas Wilson Mitchell, a law professor at the Texas A&M University, is the only lawyer among 21 winners of the MacArthur Foundation fellowships, commonly known as “genius grants,” this year. Mitchell left a law firm job to study how property…

Oct 6, 2020 3:15 PM CDT

Receiver’s lawsuit alleges 2 BigLaw firms turned a blind eye to Ponzi scheme

The receiver for investment funds accused of operating as a Ponzi scheme has sued DLA Piper and Fox Rothschild for allegedly facilitating the wrongdoing.

Sep 29, 2020 12:15 PM CDT

Cuban American judge and SCOTUS contender’s record on voting rights, executive power could be contentious

A Cuban American judge who fought to keep a Cuban boy in the United States is said to be a top contender for the U.S. Supreme Court following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Sep 21, 2020 3:26 PM CDT

An eviction crisis is coming, housing lawyers warn

Nearly six months into a pandemic that’s upended American society, a San Diego property owner cut a deal with a tenant: Take $10,000 and get out.

Sep 10, 2020 4:45 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: 3 online law schools get state accreditation; cop immobilization maneuver can be fatal

3 fully online law schools get California accreditation On Friday, California accreditation was given to three online law schools—the Concord Law School at Purdue University Global, the Northwestern California University School of Law and the St. Francis Law School. Two other online schools, the California School of Law and the…

Aug 25, 2020 4:13 PM CDT