On February 7, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (the “Proposed Rule”) designed to combat and deter money laundering in the U.S. residential real estate sector, which has made it difficult for legitimate buyers to acquire real estate due in part to inflated prices resulting from an increase
Real Estate Litigation
2nd Circuit Court of Appeals Refers Attorney Who Cited Nonexistent Case Provided by ChatGPT for Discipline Investigation
In its January 30, 2024, decision in Park v. Kim, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit responded to an attorney who submitted a reply brief in the appeal that cited a nonexistent case that, as it turns out, the attorney obtained through ChatGPT.
The Court informed Counsel it could not locate the case and requested she…
Restrictive Covenants in Real Estate: Next Antitrust Enforcement Target?
The Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) and Department of Justice, Antitrust Division (the “DOJ”) (together the “Agencies”) continue to carry out the Biden Administration’s stated mission to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement to “Promote Competition in the American Economy.”…
Retail is alive and thriving
It is early January, and I am preparing for the new year ahead. I was cleaning out some old emails and files and found the article linked below from Chain Store Age (a key retail trade magazine). The story is about Ace Hardware, and their opening of 170 stores in 2022. The article also mentions that they operate over 5,600…
Pool Contractor Liability
In Southern California, the climate is such that countless number of homes are built with pools. High end pools typically have water features, such as an infinity edge and spa. It has been our experience that pool builders, particularly on the high end, also are licensed landscape architects. Although a high-end builder will know the additional requirements for a high-end…
Governor Abbott of Texas Issues New Order
On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, Governor Greg Abbott issued an Executive Order effective 12:01 A.M., Thursday, April 2, 2020, directing every person in Texas to minimize social gatherings and minimize in-person contact with people who are not in the same household, except where necessary to provide or obtain essential services. The Executive Order issued by Governor Abbott is set forth…