SUSTAINABILITY-LINKED LOANS
With the rising emergence of environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives globally in recent years, lenders and borrowers have collaborated to create new financial instruments that incentivize borrowers to achieve the ESG-related goals of their business. The sustainability-linked loan (SLL) product is one of these financial instruments, and takes the form of bonding lines of credit,…
Read MoreTITLING RENTAL REAL ESTATE
Today, amidst the turmoil and uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals may want to take advantage of lower property values in certain areas of the country and purchase real estate with the intention of renting it and creating and receiving regular cash flow. It is important to note that for federal tax purposes, if…
Read MoreMAJOR CHANGES IN BUILDING LAWS
Over the past few weeks, the nation has painfully witnessed the moment-by-moment tragedy unfold with respect to the failure and collapse of Champlain Towers South’s 1981 twelve (12) story residential unit condominium building (the “Surfside Building”) in Surfside, Florida (the “Collapse”). There is nothing positive about the Collapse nor about the losses that so many people…
Read MoreGROWING CRE MARKETS AND TRENDS
Although no one can predict with any degree of certainty as to exactly when commercial real estate (“CRE”) markets will return to the boom times enjoyed prior to and right up to the onset of the pandemic, one can rest assured that CRE, as an asset class, will make a swift recovery. In any event, CRE…
Read MoreSafe Banking Act of 2021: Potential to Provide Cannabis Industry Access to Financial Services, but Passage in The Senate Remains Uncertain
On April 19, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives once again passed H.R. 1996, the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2021 (the “Act”). This is now the fourth time that the Act has passed the House in one form or another, however, this is the first time that a Democratic Senate and…
Read MoreInternational Parole Role: an Alternative Path To Entry Into The U.S. for Foreign Entrepreneurs
Though the U.S. does not currently offer temporary work visas for startup founders, regulations enacted under the auspices of Section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8. U.S.C. 212(d)(5) and known as the International Entrepreneur Parole Rule (“IEP Rule”), provide foreign entrepreneurs a pathway to entering and working in the United States. While H1-B…
Read MoreALTA / NSPS Survey Standards
The American Land Title Association (“ALTA”) and the National Society of Professional Surveyors (“NSPS”) have historically agreed upon certain standards relating to title to real estate and the components of surveys with respect to the boundaries of lots. It is of the upmost importance that all of the parties to a real estate transaction understand…
Read MoreHomestead Protection & Estate Planning – A Comparison Between Massachusetts & Florida
A Declaration of Homestead is a legal document informing the public that the homeowner is asserting his or her rights to protect their home from creditors. In many states, there is a property tax exemption for property that is titled in homestead. Almost all of the states allow the primary residence to be homesteaded. However,…
Read MoreIs An Extended Leave Of Absence A Reasonable Accommodation Under The Americans With Disabilities Act?
NOTE: This Client Alert applies to employers who are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). An employer is covered by the ADA if it employs fifteen or more individuals. The ADA is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”). In its most basic sense, the ADA requires employers to ensure that qualified…
Read MoreStamp Taxes On Cannabis – Two Similar Regimes, Two Different Outcomes
Recreational cannabis, aka marijuana, is legal in 15 states, as well as Guam and Washington, D.C., and legalization is imminent in New York State.[1] Not all cannabis, however, is created equal – many states impose stamp taxes on illegal marijuana – even states where recreational use is legal. This Client Alert contrasts the approach of two different…
Read More