Sometimes, companies want employees to think like owners, and for good reason. With a vested interest in their work and the team’s success, employees are more motivated to perform at the highest level. They also focus on what’s best for the business rather than just themselves. But firing an employee with “skin in the game”
Brian Cohen
Brian Cohen is a founding partner of the firm. An accomplished litigator practicing in federal and state courts throughout the country, he has extensive experience in all phases of litigation. Brian has successfully represented a diverse clientele in a broad range of complex business and real estate litigation and class action litigation. Brian is a 1997 graduate of the St. John's University School of Law, where he was a member of the St. John's Law Review.
Brian is admitted to practice law in New York, Connecticut, the United States Supreme Court, United States Courts of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of Connecticut. He is a member of the Westchester County Bar Association and its Corporate and Commercial Law Committee.
“Dual Agency” Disclosure Lawsuit Against Houlihan Lawrence Proceeds
In real estate agency relationships, an agent owes its client, a buyer or seller of property, fiduciary duties, including duties of undivided loyalty, reasonable care, and confidentiality. Due to the increasing number of large brokerage firms, “dual agency” deals have become commonplace. A dual agency occurs when an agent represents the buyer and the seller…
The Limits of Long-Arm Jurisdiction: Transactions “Cleared” Through New York Banks
New York’s Commercial Division is an attractive forum for parties to litigate disputes over financial transactions. And, because so many transactions flow through New York institutions, aggrieved plaintiffs often believe that the flow of money through the state gives them a hook to sue defendants in New York courts. Often, that is true. But there…
Breakfast with Westchester’s Commercial Division Judges
On June 14, 2019, the New York State Bar Association hosted a breakfast at the Westchester County Courthouse with Justices Linda Jamieson and Gretchen Walsh. This was a great opportunity to hear from Westchester’s Commercial Division judges on various topics, including their expectations of attorneys who appear before them. Here are a handful of important…
Warning to Easement Holders: Don’t Overstep Your Bounds
An easement, or right-of-way, grants someone the right to cross or use another’s property for a specific purpose. But if the holder of the right-of-way exceeds the scope of the easement, he or she may be liable for damages for trespass. That was the case in Julia Properties, LLC v. Levy.
In July 2009,…
Short Sale Buyer Granted a TRO After the Seller Tried to Back Out
For many, purchasing real estate is a stressful endeavor. It’s further complicated when one attempts to buy distressed property through a short sale, when an owner sells property for less than the mortgage balance. Lenders typically allow short sales to recoup a portion of the loan balance quickly and avoid a lengthy and expensive foreclosure…
When a Personal Guarantee Doesn’t Qualify for CPLR 3213 Treatment
CPLR 3213 enables litigants to efficiently and quickly enforce instruments for the payment of money only or a previously rendered judgment. The rule is a powerful tool for resolving business disputes. But as one Westchester County litigant recently learned (the hard way), it is limited in scope.
In Newman v. Poekler, Index…
Lessons for Landlords: Holding Corporate Representatives Liable for Tenant Lease Obligations and the Timeliness of Unpaid Rent Claims
A recent decision from Westchester Commercial Division Justice Linda Jamieson addressed two issues that arise in commercial landlord-tenant relationships: (i) whether a landlord can pierce the corporate veil to hold a tenant’s corporate representative liable under leases; and (ii) the timeliness of claims for past due rent.
Piercing the Corporate Veil
In Hoffman Investors Corp., …