When: Friday, October 30th, 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon
Where: Roosevelt Hotel - Promenade Suite
Cost: FREE to attend - register with promo code NOCLE
Cle $50.00 per 1 Credit Hour session or $89.00 for all 3 hours

You MUST register to attend. Enter promocode NOCLE to attend for free.
If you want CLE credit, leave the promo code field blank

Join us Friday, October 30th, 2009 as The New York Law Journal Speaker Series presents three live one-hour discussions featuring our Expert Column authors discussing issues confronting businesses and practitioners in the distressed commercial real estate market.

  Space is limited and you must register to attend, so Cick here to register now!

Can't attend all three programs? Click on the titles below to select them individually.

In a tumultuous real estate market, eviction proceedings are or on the rise. Real Estate practitioners, landlords and tenants must know the right steps to take in order to preserve their rights and move expeditiously. Regular New York Law Journal Real Estate columnists, accomplished litigators and authors Warren A. Estis & William J. Robbins of Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. take us through the latest caselaw, regulations and best practices in eviction proceedings.

Panelist Biographies

Warren A. Estis, Partner, Rosenberg & Estis, New York, NY

As the lead trial attorney at Rosenberg & Estis, Mr. Estis supervises and trains litigators in preparation for trial, a responsibility for which he is admirably suited. Mr Estis has tried numerous cases in various courts, both jury and non-jury, and has argued appeals before the Appellate Term and the Appellate Division. He handles all manner of general commercial litigation, including landlord-tenant disputes, breach of contract, transactional disputes, mortgage foreclosures, brokerage commission actions, rent strikes, holdover proceedings, ejectment proceedings, loft litigation, owner occupancy actions and co-op/condo disputes. In assembling land and buildings for renovation and demolition projects, Mr. Estis is adept at meeting the financial needs of owners and developers with the creative restructuring of loans. Mr. Estis' credentials include editor and co-author of the Landlord/Tenant Law and Rent Regulations column in the New York Law Journal and the book The New York Rent Regulation Reform Act of 1997. He is also co-author of the Landlord-Tenant chapter in West's multi-volume treatise General Practice in New York. He is a former of the Housing Advisory Council of the Civil Court of the City of New York and a member of the Supreme and Civil Court Practice Sections of the New York County Lawyers' Association and the Real Property Division of the American Bar Association. Mr. Estis Frequently lectures judges and court attorneys at continuing legal education programs sponsored by the New York State Judicial Institute

William J. Robbins, Partner, Rosenberg & Estis, New York, NY

William J. Robbins is a Litigation/Appeals partner at Rosenberg & Estis, a NYC based firm specializing in all manner of real estate transactions and litigation. He represents commercial owners and tenants in litigation relating to lease disputes. He has also represented cooperative boards in the enforcement of the terms of proprietary leases, and has handled litigation relating to real estate brokerage commissions. Mr. Robbins' in-depth knowledge of the law also manifests itself in the Landlord/Tenant Law column that he has co-authored for the New York Law Journal since 1993, and in the New York Landlord-Tenant chapter he co-authored in West's multi-volume treatise General Practice in New York. Bill is also a graduate of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. He studied as an undergraduate at Yale University and received his J.D. from Harvard Law School.

The recessionary economy has resulted in the downgrade of the creditworthiness of many once financially healthy commercial tenants. An unprecedented number of these tenants have filed for bankruptcy, and the end to this disturbing trend seems nowhere in sight. Accordingly, it is more important than ever that a commercial tenant's security deposit be legally structured as best as possible to withstand the consequences of a tenant bankruptcy. The usual method landlords have used for structuring tenant security deposits can be vulnerable in a bankruptcy setting. This program presents a novel legal structure for better protecting the landlord's rights in a tenant's security deposit from the legal adversities stemming from the tenant's bankruptcy.

Panelist Biographies

Benjamin J. Kursman, Partner, Herrick Feinstein, New York, NY

Benjamin F. Kursman concentrates his practice in all aspects of real estate law, including complex financing, joint ventures, sales, acquisitions, development, leasing and construction contracts. Benjamin is a respected author in the area of commercial real estate. His recent contributions include in-depth articles in industry publications including The New York Law Journal, Commercial Lease Law Insider, Real Estate New York's Property & the Law column and the Real Estate Alert. Prior to joining Herrick, Ben worked at Baer, Marks & Upham. He graduated Temple University School of Law, magna cum laude, in 1977, and received the American Jurisprudence Award for Conflicts of Law. Prior to law school, Ben studied at the Wharton School of Business where he graduated magna cum laude. Recent noteworthy representations include Artimus Construction which involved the acquisition of vacant land from a Harlem church for the development of 161 condominium units and a for-profit parking garage in exchange for building and selling back to the church a sanctuary and income producing apartments.

The Commercial Real Estate and Construction industry is reeling from the aftershocks of the recent financial crisis and subsequent recession. In this most challenging environment, parties must be vigilant in seeking out the warning signs of a foundering project and stand ready to move quickly to salvage the project. The New York Law Journal has assembled an accomplished pair of Real Estate and Construction Finance practitioners to explore your options on how to save the deal or preserve your stake when a development project runs into trouble.

Panelist Biographies

Kenneth M. Block, Partner, Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt, New York, NY

Kenneth M. Block is the Construction Chair of the Firm's Real Estate, Environmental and Construction Law Department and has more than 35 years of experience in the practice of real estate and construction law, as both a litigator and transactional attorney. Over the course of his career, Ken has represented developers, owners, tenants, lenders, cooperative and condominium associations, and design and construction professionals. In transaction matters, Ken has extensive experience with financing, contracts of sale, development and management agreements, leasing, and outsourcing, and has negotiated countless design and construction contracts. Ken regularly advises clients on structuring real estate acquisitions and dispositions, as well as development and construction projects. As a litigator, Ken has successfully handled matters involving land use, contracts of sale, partnership agreements, mortgage foreclosures, loan workouts, commercial and residential leases, cooperative and condominium sponsorship, and real estate brokerage. He also has handled a wide variety of disputes relating to construction defects, structural and mechanical failures, architectural and engineering malpractice, change orders, delay claims and mechanic's liens. Recently, after having immersed himself in the "built environment" throughout his professional career, Ken has emerged as an industry expert on sustainable construction, and he counsels clients regarding the evolving LEED rating system established by the U.S. Green Building Council. Ken also serves as general counsel to the New York Chapter of the USGBC.

Jason R. Goldstein, Partner, DLA Piper, New York, NY

Jason Goldstein is a partner in the Corporate and Finance practice, based in New York. He is experienced in handling sophisticated transactions throughout the United States in all of the following areas: Mortgage and construction lending on behalf of lenders and borrowers; Workouts and restructuring of loans on behalf of lenders and borrowers; Mezzanine financing and mortgage loan participations; Purchase and sale of commercial and industrial properties Mr. Goldstein has published numerous articles on real estate financing and frequently speaks on the topic. Recent articles: Co-author, "Zombie Loans Raise Hurdles for Deed-in-lieu Transactions," New York Law Journal, July 15, 2009; Co-author, "Dealing With Equitable Defenses to Foreclosure," New York Law Journal, March 18, 2009; Co-author, "Construction Loans - Avoiding the Pitfalls in Managing Distressed Loans," New York Law Journal, September 17, 2008