Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an increase in reliance on force majeure and other clauses in construction contracts due to delays caused by COVID-19, such as construction shutdowns and social distancing. This has caused construction projects to stop or slow, stopping or slowing payment, and has resulted in an increase […]
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Jim Rudolph and Bob Shaer of Rudolph Friedmann LLP served as counsel to the sellers of a four-acre commercial Cambridge property to facilitate the $43.9 million real estate transaction that closed on September 30. The property, known as the Cambridge Distribution Center, is located at 67 Smith Place. It was a commercial condominium having 20 […]
Two recent decisions from the Massachusetts Housing Court revisited and clarified the importance of procedural details to landlords seeking to evict tenants. While the procedures reviewed dealt with residential evictions, the message is equally important in commercial settings. The first step to commencing an eviction is to provide the tenant with notice of his or […]
A life estate is an interest in real property for the duration of a person’s life, that person is known as the “life tenant.” The life estate ends at death and ownership of the property then passes to a “remainderman.” In the case below, the Massachusetts Appeals Court discusses what happens when the remainderman predeceases […]
Robert P. Rudolph, a litigation associate at Rudolph Friedmann LLP, is the recipient of the Anti-Defamation League’s (“ADL”) prestigious Daniel R. Ginsberg National Leadership Award. The award recognizes outstanding young professionals for their leadership in the fight against anti-Semitism, racism and all forms of hate. Rudolph was presented with the award on June 7 during […]
It is widely accepted throughout the legal community that there will be a wave of COVID-19 related litigation once the immediate impact of the pandemic settles. As COVID-19 spread, employers quickly closed their offices and transitioned employees to remote working without time to plan. When the dust settles, employers should expect that they will be […]
In the recent matter of Bellalta v. Zoning Board of Appeals of Brookline 481 Mass. 272 (2019), the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (the “SJC”) ruled that a variance was not required for a homeowner to add a dormer to their roof (only a special permit) despite the additional living space increasing a nonconforming Floor Area […]
Bobby Rudolph acted as local counsel to a California real estate developer who brought suit against two Massachusetts companies for breach of commercial leases for properties located in California. After a trial and judgment issuing in California, Bobby brought suit against the tenant and corporate guarantor of the commercial leases in Massachusetts to enforce the […]
A fee-shifting agreement requires the non-prevailing party in a legal matter to pay the legal fees and costs of the prevailing party. We previously highlighted Jon Friedmann’s victory in a complex foreclosure case, which resulted in a six-figure verdict for the firm’s client in a jury-waived trial. After the trial, the judge held a separate […]
Giving Notice on Lien and Bond Claims We expect that some of the construction projects which have already been or may be shut down will not resume so quickly. Many construction contracts have provisions in them allowing the general contractor (or owner) to terminate or suspend the contract for convenience. Keep in mind that, although […]
