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IMPORTANT STEPS TO TAKE ONCE YOUR DIVORCE IS FINAL It is easy to feel stuck in limbo during a divorce, with various legal and practical limitations on how you can move forward in life. Once the divorce papers are signed by the Judge, however, there are a flurry of important tasks that need to be…
COURT CASE CONFIRMS RIGHTS OF NONPROFIT WHISTLEBLOWERS A recent New York Appellate Court decision confirmed the rights of nonprofit whistleblowers. Ferris v. Lustgarten Foundation has two features of interest to nonprofits and their employees. For nearly 10 years, Ferris was employed by the Lustgarten Foundation, a charitable organization closely affiliated with the cable television company…
UNDERSTANDING FORECLOSURE PROCEEDINGS AND HARDSHIP DECLARATIONS DURING COVID-19 New York State recently adopted the Covid-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Procedure Act of 2020, which, along with a number of other protections for residential property owners relating to eviction proceedings, clarified the status of both tax and residential mortgage foreclosure proceedings during the current pandemic and…
UNDERSTANDING THE CORPORATE TRANSPARENCY ACT On January 1, 2021, Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) as part of the National Defense Act for Fiscal Year 2021. The main goal of this act is to combat forms of illegal financing and money laundering through the use of anonymous shell companies. This act requires all U.S….
JACOBOWITZ AND GUBITS WELCOMES TWO NEW ATTORNEYS TO THE FIRM Jacobowitz and Gubits Welcomes Two New Attorneys to the Firm Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP (J&G) is pleased to announce that two new attorneys have joined the firm. Rebecca Baldwin Mantello has joined the firm’s Business Consumer Team as Senior Counsel concentrating in civil and commercial…
NYS’S COVID RENT RELIEF EXTENSION PROGRAM Residential tenants experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID pandemic and their landlords need to be aware that the application period for New York State’s COVID Rent Relief Extension Program extends through February 1, 2021. The program will provide eligible households with a one-time rental subsidy that will be sent…
NEW LAW PERMITS AUTOMATIC RENEWAL OF SENIOR CITIZEN AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITES AND LIMITED INCOME REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS In another response to the Covid crisis, New York State has enacted a law which allows local tax jurisdictions to automatically renew certain real property tax exemptions for 2021. The applicable exemptions are the Real Property…
HOUSING THE HUDSON VALLEY By John C. Cappello, Partner, Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP (www.jacobowitz.com) and Joe Czajka, Senior Vice President for Research, Development, and Community Planning, Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress (www.pattern-for-progress.com) Over the last several years the Hudson Valley has experienced significant commercial development and growth in the form of the Resorts World Catskills…
COURT OF APPEALS UPHOLDS REQUIREMENT FOR COUNTIES TO REIMBURSE MUNICIPAL UNSAFE BUILDING AND PROPERTY MAINTENANCE COSTS Municipal legislative boards occasionally find it necessary, in the public interest, to demolish unsafe buildings or conduct property maintenance on private properties. The cost of these proceedings, including the demolition or maintenance work, is initially borne by the municipality…
GARY SCHUSTER APPOINTED SECRETARY OF NYCON J&G congratulates partner Gary Schuster on being appointed Board Secretary of NYCON, the New York Council of Nonprofits. Gary has served as a NYCON Board member since 2013, including serving as Chair of the Board Development Committee. The mission of NYCON is to develop and promote an effective and…
Residential tenants experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID pandemic and their landlords need to be aware that the application period for New York State’s COVID Rent Relief Extension Program extends through February 1, 2021. On Monday the New York Legislature overwhelmingly passed one of the most comprehensive anti-eviction laws in the nation, which was signed…
MICHELE L. BABCOCK, ESQ. RECOGNIZED BY HUDSON VALLEY MAGAZINE AS WOMEN IN BUSINESS 2020 HONOREE WALDEN, NY – The law firm of Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP (J&G) is pleased to announce and congratulate Michele L. Babcock, Managing Partner, for being selected as a 2020 Women in Business honoree by Hudson Valley Magazine. Michele is…
NEW LAW PROTECTION FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES IN PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES In recognition of the essential role of public employees during this pandemic, New York State has adopted legislation requiring public employers to plan for similar emergencies in the future. The New York State Labor Law has been amended by adding a new section (27-c)…
MAKING ACESSORY DWELLING UNIT’S WORK FOR YOU Granny pods. Elder cottages. ECHO housing. No matter what you call them, there is no question: accessory dwelling units (“ADUs” for short) are a booming trend for affordable senior living (as well as a reliable source of passive income) in the Hudson Valley. These spaces traditionally function as…
FORCE MAJEURE AFTER COVID When the Covid crisis arrived, many people who had signed contracts found it difficult or impossible to perform their obligations. Many sought relief from the force majeure clause in their contracts. In most cases, that proved to be disappointing. With the benefit of hindsight, parties now have the opportunity to revise…
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN EXPECTING A DIVORCE Separations take many forms. You may know that your marriage is in trouble, but are blindsided when served with divorce papers. Even if you are anticipating a divorce, not knowing what happens next can worsen what is already an emotional situation. Here are some brief answers to common…
DON’T BE A BACK SEAT BULLET In 1984 New York, under Governor Mario Cuomo, became the first state to pass a law making it mandatory to use a seat belt if seated in the front of a car. Now, in 2020, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed legislation effective November 1, 2020, requiring all passengers over…
NEW YORK REQUIRING QUARANTINE FOR SOME VISITORS FROM OUT OF STATE New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on September 8th, that individuals traveling to New York from certain designated locations seeing spikes in COVID-19 cases will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon entering New York State. This includes New York residents who…
SERVICES TO HELP YOU BUY OR SELL YOUR HOME From negotiation and contract signing, to closing, the real estate attorneys at Jacobowitz and Gubits, LLP will guide you through the process of buying or selling a home. Click here to view the November 2020 edition of the Home Buyers Guidebook. Our goal is to guide…
NYSDOH Finally Releases New Hemp Regulations
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RELEASES NEW HEMP REGULATIONS As with almost all areas of American society, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed ‘pause’ on anticipated regulatory changes to the New York State hemp industry. December 2019 saw new hemp laws that split hemp permits into defined categories with more legislation regarding quality standards, labeling requirements,…