Lasser Law Group, PLLC

Directions Website Contact the practice

Lasser Law Group, PLLC Lasser Law Group is a real estate, construction and commercial litigation law firm.

What happened when a sprinkler pipe burst in a co-op apartment during freezing weather? The board told the shareholder ...
10/14/2026

What happened when a sprinkler pipe burst in a co-op apartment during freezing weather?

The board told the shareholder that the co-op’s repair obligation was limited original components and offered $4,000.

The carrier ultimately raised it to $19,000, but a court rejected the board’s position, found the co-op had breached the proprietary lease, and awarded the shareholder full repair costs plus legal fees. After ten years, the bill has already exceeded $1 million.

The repair itself would have cost under $100,000. The board’s decision to accept its insurer’s offer that contradicted its contractual obligation is what made it expensive.

Know what your policy covers before you accept a number. See blog link in comments or contact the Lasser Law Group: (212) 292-3075, https://lasserlg.com/contact/.

When water damage hits a co-op, insurance carriers often try to limit coverage. Proprietary leases typically require the...
10/07/2026

When water damage hits a co-op, insurance carriers often try to limit coverage.

Proprietary leases typically require the board to replace water-damaged walls, floors, and ceilings in the affected apartment.

A board that accepts the carrier’s limitation may be in breach of its lease with the shareholder and is also subject to liability for the shareholder’s legal fees.

Review the policy, the lease, and the governing documents before you agree to anything.

See blog link in comments and contact the Lasser Law Group: (212) 292-3075, https://lasserlg.com/contact/.

Most boards call us after they have already drafted the amendment and started counting votes. By that point, the langua...
09/30/2026

Most boards call us after they have already drafted the amendment and started counting votes.

By that point, the language is already in the document.

We prefer a conversation before you draft.

• Is this a house rule or a governing-document change?
• What is the exact threshold?
• Does your lease or declaration let you do what you want to do?

Lasser Law Group works with more than 200 co-ops, condos, and HOAs across New York. We help boards get the answers right before the language gets written.

If your board is considering a change, call us before you start drafting.

Contact the Lasser Law Group: (212) 292-3075, https://lasserlg.com/contact/.

Lasser Law Group is pleased to announce that attorney Andrew Baranetsky was sworn in on September 25, 2026 at the Federa...
09/28/2026

Lasser Law Group is pleased to announce that attorney Andrew Baranetsky was sworn in on September 25, 2026 at the Federal Court House located on Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn, for his admission to practice Federal Law in the Eastern District of New York, which encompasses Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Thank you to Alex Blake, Esq. for sponsoring Andrew’s application for admission and congratulations to Andrew!

The amendments we see most often tell us something about what buildings are dealing with when amendments affect owners, ...
09/23/2026

The amendments we see most often tell us something about what buildings are dealing with when amendments affect owners, such as:

• Subletting caps and short-term-rental bans.
• Flip taxes for building reserves.
• Pet policies that account for assistance animals and fair housing law.
• Smoking bans for inside units.
• EV charging and cost questions that come with Local Law 97.
• Insurance requirements after a hard market.
• Virtual meetings are permanently allowed.

Every single one of these affects how owners use their units or what they pay. That is why they belong in the governing documents, not the house rules.

We guide co-op, condo and HOA boards with amendments that affect owners.

Contact the Lasser Law Group: (212) 292-3075, https://lasserlg.com/contact/.

Here is the mistake boards make often when they need a supermajority to pass an amendment: they announce the change when...
09/16/2026

Here is the mistake boards make often when they need a supermajority to pass an amendment: they announce the change when they send out the ballot.

That is not the way to garner the necessary support.

The boards that get the supermajority votes approach it differently by starting months earlier. They put out a simple FAQ that addresses obvious concerns about cost and fairness. They explain why the change is important. They hold a meeting to answer questions.

One thing that has made all this easier is that remote and hybrid meetings are now permanently legal in New York.

•.Co-ops received this authority in 2021.
• Condos received it in 2022.

For buildings that struggle getting enough people in a room, this is a game changer.

Want to learn how to get all those yeses?

Contact the Lasser Law Group: (212) 292-3075, https://lasserlg.com/contact/.

Every board should answer this question before drafting a single word of an amendment. What is the exact vote count you ...
09/09/2026

Every board should answer this question before drafting a single word of an amendment.

What is the exact vote count you need to pass?

For co-ops, find the answer in your by-laws and certificate of incorporation. Some changes need only a board majority, while others require a supermajority of shareholders.

• Often two-thirds.
• Sometimes 75%.

For condos, it's trickier. Declaration amendments typically need a high supermajority of the common interest.

• You have to record it with the county clerk.
• Mortgagees may need to sign off on the change.

The threshold determines everything about how you approach the vote. Make sure you know what that is before you act.

Want to know what this means for your board?

Contact the Lasser Law Group: (212) 292-3075, https://lasserlg.com/contact/.

Your board wants to ban smoking in the building. How you do that depends entirely on where in the building you will appl...
09/02/2026

Your board wants to ban smoking in the building. How you do that depends entirely on where in the building you will apply the ban.

•Inside apartments? That is a change to how units are used. It goes in the governing documents, and owners or shareholder’s vote.

• Hallways, lobby, elevators? That is a common area, and the board can handle it with a resolution.

• Boards confuse these all the time. The difference between an enforceable rule and one that gets challenged in court can come down to knowing which document you are changing.

Need help breaking it all down? We advise co-op, condo and HOA boards make decisions that hold up.

Contact the Lasser Law Group: (212) 292-3075, https://lasserlg.com/contact/.

The most common mistake co-op boards make is calling us after the dispute has started. The right time is before the dec...
08/26/2026

The most common mistake co-op boards make is calling us after the dispute has started.

The right time is before the decision is communicated, when an attorney can still evaluate whether the proposed reasons hold up and flag discrimination risk while it is avoidable.

Lasser Law Group serves as general counsel to more than 200 co-ops, condominiums, and homeowners associations across Manhattan and Westchester. We advise boards before decisions turn into litigation.

If your board is weighing a close call, please read our blog before you reject a co-op applicant, https://lasserlg.com/co-op-purchase-rejection-requirements-for-boards/

Call Lasser Law Group at (212) 292-3075.

Board members serve without pay. That does not mean they serve without personal risk. New York’s highest court held that...
08/19/2026

Board members serve without pay. That does not mean they serve without personal risk.

New York’s highest court held that directors who act in bad faith cannot shift personal liability back to the cooperative. A finding of intentional discrimination can mean personal liability, punitive damages, loss of indemnification, loss of D&O coverage, and reputational harm.

Sound process is what keeps personal assets off the table.

Please read our blog before to learn how to protect your personal assets, https://lasserlg.com/co-op-purchase-rejection-requirements-for-boards/

We serve as general counsel to more than 200 co-ops across Manhattan and Westchester.

Call Lasser Law Group at (212) 292-3075.

Address

633 Third Avenue, Suite 1301
New York, NY
10017

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Lasser Law Group, PLLC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Lasser Law Group, PLLC:

Shortcuts

Sponsored

Share