Real Estate Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Representing a real estate owner/developer in a high-profile dispute with the City of Long Beach, New York over zoning ordinances relating to a planned four tower residential project. In what has become one of the longest-running land use litigations in the country, Herrick helped to secure significant appellate wins, including an order permitting our client to seek damages in excess of $50 million, including interest and legal fees, against the City, and a judgment declaring it entitled to a building permit that would allow completion of the ocean front development as originally approved. In more recent rulings, the Appellate Division, Second Department held that the City had defaulted in serving an amended answer to our suit and failed to proffer a legally sufficient excuse for its default. The court further held that the individual City defendants named in our complaint should not have been dismissed from the litigation by the trial court and can therefore be held liable for damages.

Representing the developer of a New York City outlet mall in an investigation into whether the Empire State Development Corporation’s financial support for economic development projects has been influenced by developer political contributions.

Herrick and co-counsel successfully represented junior lenders in litigation related to the foreclosure of Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village, Manhattan's largest housing complex, which our clients alleged was based on a flawed premise, designed to provide an unjust windfall of approximately $1 billion to the defendants at the expense of junior lenders. This litigation, fought primarily in New York state court, was ultimately settled in an agreement that resolved all claims between the parties and helped clear the way for a future sale of the complex.

Achieved a significant victory on behalf of a major New York City real estate investor in a breach of contract dispute with the would-be-buyer of five of our client's multiple-dwelling residential properties, who breached a contract of sale between the parties by failing to fully pay the agreed upon down payment as required in the agreement. The court granted our motion for partial summary judgment, striking the defendant's affirmative defenses, denying the defendant's cross motion for leave to amend its answer to interpose counterclaims, and ordering the defendant to pay $850,000 in damages, plus interest, to our client.

Represented the property owner of four valuable Manhattan buildings in an action filed in New York state court against our client's former property manager with damage claims in excess of $5 million. The dispute, which involved allegations of fraudulent and bad-faith conduct that included self-dealing, comingling of funds, and the misrepresentation of material information, was resolved favorably for the client following Herrick's successful opposition to motions to dismiss, strike allegations in the complaint, and for summary judgment.

Successful defense of a real estate management company and its principal sued by a former residential janitor and two alleged former laborers at New York City properties managed by our client. The plaintiffs claimed minimum wage and overtime violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act and New York Labor Law, as well as related common law claims. The court granted, in substantial part, our motion to dismiss, striking 9 of the plaintiffs’ 12 claims in one of the first decisions to interpret the minimum wage and overtime provisions under New York law and the Minimum Wage Order for the Building Service Industry as they relate to residential janitors.

Secured a victory in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division on behalf of the buyers of a multi-million dollar custom-built home whose specific performance claim against a contractor who had deviated from the contracted plans had been dismissed by the trial court. The appellate court reversed, directing the trial court to order specific performance with an escrow to be established at closing to cover any damages. Herrick continues to represent the clients in litigating their damage claims.

Successful representation of the tenant of a Lakewood, NJ commercial property in litigation seeking injunctive relief and specific performance arising out of landlord's wrongful attempt to sell the property to a third party in a breach of the "right of first refusal" clause in the lease agreement between the parties. Herrick was able to secure an injunction blocking the sale, which cleared the way for our client to purchase the property, which it has done.

Represented the owner of a Massachusetts retail property in a declaratory judgment action filed by the property's former owner following our client's demand that that the former owner pay the cost of remediating asbestos at the property. As an alternative to lengthy litigation, Herrick was able to engage the plaintiff in mediation which resulted in a very favorable settlement for our client.

Represented Verizon Wireless in the company's successful appeal of a New Jersey township's denial of a variance allowing for the construction of a 140-foot cell tower. The victory followed a more than seven year effort to obtain approval for the project which aimed to provide service in a "dead zone" affecting the Princeton area. In a unanimous decision, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division reversed a lower court's ruling, agreed with our argument that the township's zoning board had acted improperly and ordered the board to reconsider the application.

Representing major manufacturer of commercial and residential roofing in multiple warranty claims.

Representing the sponsor of a Brooklyn, NY condominium development in litigation with the project's construction manager and contractors arising from claims by the condominium's board of managers that work in accordance with an offering plan under which the condominium's units were sold was not adequately performed.

Successfully represented an insurer in a dispute with a building owner over whether coverage existed under its commercial property insurance policy for over $1 million in claimed property damage caused by an underground water supply line rupture.

Representing the owner of a vacant parcel of land in Westchester County, New York in a dispute with neighboring property owners over our client's plans to construct an affordable housing complex. Relying on a century-old restrictive covenant contained in a prior deed which prohibited development of a "tenement or flat-house" on the property, the neighboring property owners are attempting to block our client's planned development. Herrick is defending the owner's right to develop the property, arguing that the planned modern day apartment complex is not a "tenement or flat-house" within the meaning of the restrictive covenant, and that the restrictive covenant is unenforceable.

Representation of a construction management company in a dispute with NYU Hospitals Center regarding the termination of a multi-million dollar renovation contract. After a trial in Federal Bankruptcy Court, the court held in favor of our client on all counts, entitling them to payment of its outstanding requisitions and dismissal of all claims against them.

Represented a major, publicly-owned REIT in reaching a favorable settlement with a prospective 400,000-sq.-ft. tenant of a proposed major office building, arising from the REIT's decision to suspend development due to condition of the local real estate market.

Represented an Irish bank in a complex foreclosure of a 302-unit leasehold condominium located at 225 Rector Place in New York City. When the developer defaulted on a $165 million acquisition and construction loan, we worked with the lender to foreclose and to fend off a lender liability lawsuit.

Representation of two title insurance companies in two class actions alleging overcharges on premiums for policies sold to consumers in New York. After extensive litigation, we settled on terms favorable to our clients.

Represented one of three investor groups in an existing five million square foot conference and exhibit center in Las Vegas in a seven-week, three-panel arbitration over each investor group's rights and ownership in the project. The panel found that all parties to the transaction, except Herrick's clients, had engaged in wrongful conduct. The conference center, at its completion, will cost more than $1 billion to build and is planned to expand to 12 million square feet.

Defended a large industrial real estate investing entity and its investment management firm in a $90 million construction defect litigation with an industrial tenant in New Jersey. We succeeded in getting most of the plaintiff’s case dismissed on summary judgment, and then settled the rest of the dispute case before trial. The settlement included the plaintiff turning over escrowed back rent to our client and entering into a favorable lease extension.

Herrick secured an appellate victory for the chapter 7 trustee of bankrupt demolition subcontractor Red Rock Services, affirming a judgment of almost $1 million won in a bankruptcy adversary proceeding in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. On behalf of the trustee, Herrick sued a general contractor for breach of its obligations under subcontracts with Red Rock in a pair of multimillion dollar construction projects in Baltimore and Boston. After eight days of trial, the trustee was awarded a judgment of almost $1 million, including attorneys' fees. Herrick defended the judgment on appeal to the district court, where it was affirmed, and went on to successfully defend the ruling on the defendant’s second appeal to the Third Circuit, which affirmed the judgments of the bankruptcy court and district court in their entirety.

Represented the special servicer for a lender in a suit against a borrower and three individual guarantors after the borrower procured subordinate financing in violation of a non-recourse carve-out provision. In a case of first impression, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division enforced the non-recourse carve-out provision and imputed personal liability to the borrower and guarantors. It concluded that the disputed clause fixes liability rather than damages and, therefore, does not constitute an unenforceable penalty as the borrower had argued. The Appellate Division also held that the borrower's efforts to “cure” the triggering event did not vitiate personal liability. As a result, the lender properly obtained a $5 million+ deficiency judgment against the borrower and guarantors.

Representation of an asphalt contractor in challenging the bidding procedure used by New York City and utility companies to award significant street reconstruction work near the World Trade Center site after the September 11^th terrorist attacks. We obtained several temporary stays on the grounds that the bidding procedure violated public procurement laws. The city cancelled its invitation to bid and used a different procurement procedure.

Represented a multi-billion dollar financial media company in a lease dispute involving approximately 180,000 sq. ft. of office space.