Where You Should Never Sign Anything in Green Ink, Why You Should Never Sign Anything Anywhere in Black Ink and What The Difference is Between a Parcel ID and a Folio Number
1/12/2017 | Articles & Alerts
As Charlie Cowell (the anvil salesman in the 1962 film version of The Music Man) famously said, “you gotta know the territory.” Our Commonwealth[1] has 67 counties, and each seems to have its own peculiar set of customs. The best lawyer in the universe isn’t worth a nickel if she can’t get her papers past the court clerk[2] and onto the judge’s desk. At Kaplin Stewart, our lawyers know things that would get regular folks thrown out of nice cocktail […]
Real Estate Lawyers Face an Uncertain Future
1/12/2017 | Articles & Alerts
When I think about where the real estate legal market is headed, I conjure up the lyrics from The Who’s song, “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” Yes, indeed, the Presidential election has taught us that anything is possible and that perhaps, a new revolution may be on the way. Or, could it be “meet the new boss, same as the old boss.” Certain commercial real estate is back for now. Developers are developing again and buyers and sellers are doing […]
Demystifying Title Insurance in the 21ST Century
1/12/2017 | Articles & Alerts
This will not be an article about the merits of title insurance. After thirty years of counseling clients in complex commercial real estate transactions, I understand all too well its importance. To buy, lease or to finance commercial real estate without title insurance is akin to jumping from an airplane without a parachute. The first policy of title insurance was issued in 1876 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Today, title insurance is available in all 50 states and is frequently available […]
The Federal Governtment Traps commercial Real Estate Brokers in its Regulatory Scheme
1/12/2017 | Articles & Alerts
Many commercial brokers have little reason to think about being sued. Their clients are typically sophisticated parties who want to make a deal and most deals are lawyered-up. Disclosure issues do not pop up as frequently in commercial transactions as in residential transactions. However (you knew it was coming), trouble may be on the way from the biggest and most well-funded antagonist, the federal government. While everyone is enjoying a fruitful comeback from the nasty real estate downturn, Congress has […]
First Impressions
1/9/2017 | Construction Blog
In a case of first impression, the Pennsylvania Superior Court ruled that the majority members of a limited liability company owe a fiduciary duty to the minority members that is breached if the majority sell the LLC’s assets to a new LLC controlled by the majority members. The opinion may be found here.
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