Page 56 - NYLJ Professional Excellence 2021

LITIGATION DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR:
REAL ESTATE

FRIED, FRANK, HARRIS,

SHRIVER & JACOBSON

Q&A What are some of the department’s most satisfy-
ing successes of the past year and why? As one
of the country’s leading real estate litigation practices, Fried THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF OUR PRACTICE MEANS
Frank’s real estate litigation practice has been fortunate to have THAT THERE’S RARELY A RELATED ISSUE THAT WE
had several satisfying successes during this challenging past HAVEN’T PREVIOUSLY HANDLED. MOREOVER, WHEN
year. Consistently solving complex “bet the company” disputes, WE RESOLVE MATTERS, WE DO SO IN A WAY THAT BEST
we work closely with the firm’s real estate department to resolve ACHIEVES THE BUSINESS GOALS OF OUR CLIENTS.
issues without resorting to litigation and develop innovative OUR DEEP AND VARIED EXPERIENCE RENDERS US
solutions in a variety of matters. One of our most notable suc- UNIQUELY ABLE TO DEVELOP THE MOST APPROPRIATE
cesses was for a group of property owners in separate article AND EXPEDITIOUS APPROACH TO RESOLVING ANY
78-declaratory judgment proceedings that challenge the City REAL ESTATE ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY, AS THE VOLATILITY
Planning Commission’s approvals of land-use applications for CREATED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC SPARKED A
three proposed developments in the Two Bridges neighborhood WAVE OF URGENT AND COMPLEX LEGAL ISSUES,
of Manhattan. This year, the Appellate Division, First Department OUR TEAM QUICKLY MOBILIZED ITS RESOURCES TO
issued decisions in our clients’ favor, which had far-reaching PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO OUR CLIENTS.
implications beyond the success for our client in that it was
critical to ensuring compliance with the legislatively enacted
land use framework designed to advance the city’s future growth
and continued vitality. Additionally, we obtained significant As our real estate litigation practice has remained extremely
victories on behalf of a real estate investment manager in its busy over the last year, we’ve continued to broaden our offerings
lawsuit relating to its purchase of a portfolio of logistics and to clients by routinely drawing upon the expertise of our land use
distribution properties from a commercial real estate credit practice to expand our land use litigation, along with recently
REIT; a mezzanine lender in connection with summary judgment welcoming real estate and litigation partner Emilie Cooper to the
in lieu of a complaint filed against its guarantor for breaches of firm. Ms. Cooper’s specific industry knowledge and experience
guarantees; and a group of lenders in foreclosure proceedings with hotel-related litigation and leasing disputes has only further
relating to a luxury 43-story condominium tower in Manhattan. diversified the practice’s offerings and provides value-add, prac-

54 October 2021 |