Always be thorough when drafting a commercial lease. Even experienced real estate lawyers often are not so specialized that they do only (for example) multi-tenant gross rent office leases, or only retail leases, or only industrial leases, or only restaurant leases....
Year: 2015
Transit Oriented Development is shaping Connecticut’s Towns & Cities
Everybody wants to live downtown! Transit Oriented Development or “TOD” is a land use concept that is picking up steam (pun intended) not only with planning and zoning professionals, but also among buyers, renters, builders, developers, and municipal, state and...
The Litigation Rear View Mirror: Types of Appellate Review
Many litigants – and their lawyers – fail to realize the tremendous impact that the standard of appellate review will have on the outcome of their appeal. The standard of review is the level of deference that a reviewing court affords to a determination that was made...
Connecticut Law Protects Social Media Privacy as the New Office Water Cooler
The National Labor Relations Board and the courts are steadily redefining social media as the new office water cooler, where employees can gather to freely discuss issues about their employment without interference from employers. Connecticut has now codified some of...
Risks faced by Commercial Property Owners
Commercial Property Owners take on risks When They Permit Tenants to Pursue Real Estate Tax Assessment Appeals Tenants can pursue valuation appeals Connecticut law permits a tenant to pursue a real estate tax appeal if the lease requires the tenant to pay real estate...
A Variance Can Provide Relief from Strict Zoning Regulations
Early on, the authors of Connecticut’s zoning laws recognized that in unique circumstances it might be unfair to apply local zoning requirements to some properties within a given zoning district. So they created an escape valve administered by the local Zoning Board...
CT History & Legal Ramifications of Same-Sex Ruling
History of Same-Sex Unions in Connecticut Connecticut became the third state, after Massachusetts and California, to have a legislative body vote in favor of same-sex marriage. Prior to the legalization of same sex marriages in Connecticut, Connecticut recognized...
5 Important Things to Do If You’re In an Auto Accident
1. Wait at the Scene for the Police Every accident claim has two components, liability (who is at fault) and damages (how much is owed in compensation). One important factor in establishing liability is the outcome of the police investigation. The resulting police...
Considering a real estate tax appeal? 6 steps to take after a revaluation
By statute, every Connecticut municipality is required to conduct a general revaluation at least once every five years. In a revaluation, the assessor determines the value of every parcel of real property in the municipality as of the October 1 revaluation date....