LJN Newsletters

Recent rulings of importance to your practice.

Most real estate transactions are governed by state law and local custom, not federal law. But a massive federal law enacted shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks raises the specter that the federal government may intrude into commercial real estate transactions in ways heretofore thought unimaginable. Known as the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism ('USA Patriot Act'), the legislation has led the federal government to propose rules designed to combat money laundering and terrorist financing in these types of transactions.

Recent cases of interest to your practice.

A review of equitable distribution decisions in any given year can leave one reeling, if not from the novelty of the holdings, then certainly from the frequency with which certain fundamental issues are re-litigated with the predictability of the perennials of springtime.

March 31 of this year marked the start of a potentially interesting dialogue. Family and divorce mediators had a joint, all-day conference at the Association of the Bar of the City of New York with an impressive array of professionals who have regularly worked and advocated for domestic-violence victims for decades. Since the inception of family and divorce mediation, mediators have struggled with the issue of whether cases involving domestic violence ' any kind of domestic violence ' should preclude mediation from occurring.

Discounting retirement plans for taxes is a tricky business and can sometimes lead to problematic or inequitable settlements. Although methodologies exist for valuing such plans, these methodologies do not involve tax impacting ' and for good reason.

Recent decisions of importance to your practice.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission settled for $20,000 and affirmative relief a religious discrimination claim by a job applicant who alleged that she was denied a position because she was a Sabbath observer.