Herrick Does That

Hotels have always been used for non-traditional stays. Converting hotels leverages existing infrastructure and minimizes cost and time required for construction or setup of emergency housing of all types. In recent years, this usage is more prevalent to the general public due to the recent global pandemic and housing of essential workers, the infirm and recovering, as well as the recent need to support migrants, the unhoused and refugees. Listen as Herrick partner and co-chair of the Real Estate Hospitality group, Yariv Ben-Ari, discusses the practical considerations for these hotel owners and operators with Yaron Ashkenazi, CEO of Caliber Hospitality Trust, and Jonathan Falik, CEO at JF Capital Advisors. In Part 1 of this two-part series, they discuss why owners consider this usage in the first place, community impact and the challenges and opportunities that come from alternative use.
Music by Michelangelo Sosnowitz

Co-chair of Herrick’s Israel Practice, Yariv Ben-Ari, sits down with Dafna Landau, head of Real Estate at Bank Leumi in Israel, to discuss the state of real estate lending and how Israel has a very strong economy and although there is a war, the market is functioning very well. They discuss the current real estate market in Israel as well as the “Institutional Effect” of Israel’s banking system, and, as a leading bank in Israel with significant international activities, the primary effects on the company and the economy. They also discuss the resiliency of Israelis and what is next for the state of the market.

Music by Michelangelo Sosnowitz

Yariv Ben-Ari, co-chair of Herrick’s Israel and Real Estate Hospitality practices, Yoni Ophir, Owner and Managing Partner of Frontier Capital, Yossi Levi, partner at Infin Capital, and Daniel Lesser, the co-founder, president, and CEO of LW Hospitality Advisors, sat down to give a global perspective on business in Israel. They discuss the impact of the war on the Israeli economy, the ongoing uncertainty's impact on the state of the hospitality industry and what a path forward looks like for the business community.

Music by Michelangelo Sosnowitz

Yariv Ben-Ari, co-chair of Herrick’s Israel and Real Estate Hospitality practices, and Menachem (Meni) Neeman, Deputy CEO & Chief Legal Counsel of The Phoenix Group, discuss the management of a large institutional company during war time. The Phoenix Group is the largest insurance, investment and finance group in Israel and is traded on the Israeli stock exchange. They discuss how to navigate a fluid situation in real-time; managing a workforce that is called to service or needed at home when schools were closed; risk management across various aspects of the business; and the strength of the Israeli economy and strategic business opportunities. They also discuss community engagement and quickly mobilizing donations to the medical sector and creating a fund to support investors hard-hit by the war. This is a unique conversation for our modern times and Herrick is privileged to have had Mr. Neeman join us for this podcast.

Music by Michelangelo Sosnowitz

Herrick counsel Maxim Nowak sits down with Herrick senior litigator Ron Levine to discuss best practices for pitching new business. Ron brings a well-rounded perspective to the conversation, providing insights from his 45+ years’ experience in private practice and having held roles as the firm’s general counsel, co-head of litigation and law school professor during that time. Using his background as an in-house counsel and a private litigator, Max asks Ron to share feedback from in-house lawyers, having gleaned their thoughts over the years on what works well when a law firm comes in to try to pitch for new work. This thought-provoking episode is based in part on Ron’s recent six-part series on business development for LexisNexis Practical Guidance, and is designed to help outside counsel be more effective and strategic in client pitches while also providing a guide to in-house lawyers hoping to streamline the process of selecting outside counsel.

Music by Michelangelo Sosnowitz

Belinda Schwartz and Bill Fried have been through all sorts of real estate deal cycles as legal professionals. As leaders in their field, and from their respective sides of the transaction, they discuss the state of the real estate market in Q4 2023. Bill discusses the types of advice he gives to lenders and borrowers, how he navigates conversations when legal concerns become business decisions, the professionals he likes to call upon when working on a case and what makes for a good counselor and advocate for clients. Take a listen and learn how an experienced real estate litigator thinks about the market and what’s next for real estate in 2024.

Music by Michelangelo Sosnowitz

The repositioning of real estate assets is a hot topic as building owners and investors want their assets to be on the market, producing income. The speed to market and being able to deliver can be a challenge regardless of where in the real estate cycle the need to reposition appears. Herrick Real Estate Partner, Patrick J. O’Sullivan, Jr., is joined by Raffaela Dunne and David Quart from VHB to discuss what the repositioning of an asset really means – and why you likely need a team of professionals around you for this endeavor. Converting a building from office to residential (or to educational, medical or life science uses) is not as easy as changing out the furniture. This process is complex even if the conversion is as-of-right. Zoning considerations inside and outside New York City are also important for building owners and developers to understand.

Louis Goldberg and Janice Goldberg, partners and co-chairs of Herrick's pro bono committee, discuss Herrick's long and proud tradition of providing pro bono services to the community. They introduce the program and the breadth of pro bono work in which Herrick attorneys participate.

Louis and Janice are joined by this year's recipient of the Milton Mollen Pro Bono Award, Josh Herman. Josh discusses the importance of in engaging in pro bono work and specifically his work with The Door, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide comprehensive youth development services, including free legal assistance, for youth in New York City. They are also joined by Fred Green, who received the 2022 Cornerstone Award from the Lawyers Alliance for New York for outstanding service to nonprofits that improve the quality of life for low-income New Yorkers. Fred discusses how engaging in pro bono work not only provides an opportunity to give back to underserved communities, but also improves core legal skills.

Music by Michelangelo Sosnowitz

The New York City Economic Development Corporation and New York City Industrial Development Agency recently announced the launch of the Manhattan Commercial Revitalization Program, or "M-CORE", which seeks to lower commercial tenant vacancy rates by offering building owners discretionary tax incentives to upgrade aging office spaces in Manhattan below 59th Street. Herrick Real Estate partners Brett Gottlieb and Patrick O’Sullivan discuss the aim of the program, the August 1st first submission date and the possible alternative that the Industrial and Commercial Abatement Program, or “ICAP”, offers to building owners.

Music by Michelangelo Sosnowitz

The New York City Economic Development Corporation and New York City Industrial Development Agency recently announced the launch of the Manhattan Commercial Revitalization Program, or "M-CORE", which seeks to lower commercial tenant vacancy rates by offering building owners discretionary tax incentives to upgrade aging office spaces in Manhattan below 59th Street. Herrick Real Estate partners Brett Gottlieb and Patrick O’Sullivan discuss the aim of the program, the August 1st first submission date and the possible alternative that the Industrial and Commercial Abatement Program, or “ICAP”, offers to building owners.

Music by Michelangelo Sosnowitz