December 6, 2024
By Jessica D. Lieberman, Esq. We are fast approaching the time of year when property owners in our area can expect to receive notices of their real property tax assessments. These notices will include an estimate of the current or fair market value of a property as determined by the taxing authority. If you disagree withRead More
November 15, 2024
[Article updated 11/19/2024] by Kristin J. Hall, Esq. As 2024 nears its end, new and potentially expiring laws can dramatically affect your estate planning. What do you need to know, and what do you need to do now? 1. Sunset of High Federal Estate Tax Exemption The Federal estate tax exemption will increase to anRead More
October 25, 2024
How smart estate planning can protect your family’s legacy for generations to come By Todd J. Bornstein While many parents consider how to provide for their children through gifts or an inheritance, they may overlook a critical issue: how to protect that inheritance in the event of the child’s divorce. Estate planning offers tools toRead More
October 11, 2024
What Every Residential Landlord Needs to Know Before You Sell By Kiana I. Taylor, Esq. The Maryland Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 (the “Act”) represents a major legislative initiative to address housing affordability and support tenants’ pathways to homeownership. While the primary focus of the Act is on safeguarding renters, it also establishesRead More
August 9, 2024
What are Maryland Developers’ Responsibilities for Condo and Homeowners Associations Amid Legislation Changes? By Brian D. Bichy Back in the 2022 Maryland legislative session, mandatory reserve requirements were passed that applied statewide to all condominium and homeowners associations. Not only did these reserve requirements apply to existing condominium and homeowners associations, but the legislation also appliedRead More
June 24, 2024
How Montgomery County Can Reinforce the Goals and Strategies of Thrive Montgomery 2050 to Solve Housing Affordability Crisis By Matthew M. Gordon and C. Robert Dalrymple The Montgomery County planning board is in the early stages of reviewing the quadrennial growth policy for Montgomery County, titled the “Working Draft of the 2024 Growth and Infrastructure Policy” (theRead More
May 15, 2024
By Alonso Cisneros, Esq. Over the past few months, we have heard the alarm bells about a looming commercial real estate crisis due to decreasing office occupancy rates, crushing interest rate cap costs, high interest rates, exorbitant insurance premiums and a tsunami of maturities scheduled this year and next. But what if you are aRead More
May 2, 2024
Profiling a growing trend in the DMV commercial sector By Brian D. Kotzker, Partner, Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott, P.C. In the ever-evolving DMV real estate landscape, industrial outdoor storage (“IOS”) has emerged as a lucrative sector. Driven by a nationwide, growing demand for warehousing, distribution, contractor equipment yards, and vehicle fleet parkingRead More
April 29, 2024
In a groundbreaking move last week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a ruling affecting non-compete agreements, sparking the possibility of a significant shift in the landscape of labor rights and mobility for workers nationwide. While the decision grew from concern about the negative impact on employees’ ability to be mobile, there are unintendedRead More
April 18, 2024
Experienced Litigation Attorney Joins Selzer Gurvitch Selzer Gurvitch welcomes Elizabeth J. McInturff as a new Partner to the firm in its Litigation practice. During her career, Ms. McInturff has represented both individuals and businesses in a variety of complex civil and commercial disputes. Whether in court or in arbitration/mediation, she has helped businesses work throughRead More
March 27, 2024
If non-compete agreements are banned, what options do employers have? By Eugene W. Policastri, Esq. A business owner recently disclosed to me her concerns that her team could take down her business. She is worried that her team has developed relationships with her key clients. Now, with the Federal Trade Commission’s potential ban on non-compete agreements,Read More
February 27, 2024
Beginning on January 1, 2024, many companies are now required to report their ownership to the Federal Government or incur significant penalties Beginning January 1, 2024, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) became effective and requires certain companies (including many corporations, limited liability companies, and others) newly registered or formed in the United States to disclose certain informationRead More
January 16, 2024
What does this new form mean for you and your estate plan? By Todd J. Bornstein, Esq. Effective October 1, 2023, the Maryland legislature adopted a new Maryland Statutory Form Personal Financial Power of Attorney. You need to know the following to be “ahead of the curve.” What is a power of attorney document? A powerRead More
December 19, 2023
By Dan Brendel, Staff Reporter, Washington Business Journal Originally published on December 4, 2023 Read about our Land Use and Zoning attorneys’ The Shops at Sumner Place project at WashingtonBusinessJournal.com. You don’t have a subscription to the Washington Business Journal? No problem. Click here to read a PDF of the article.
December 15, 2023
By Brian D. Kotzker, Esq. and Graham G. McSweeney (Paralegal) There are a few new laws related to real estate that have started to go into effect in Maryland. Here is a recap and analysis of how these laws may affect stakeholders of real estate, including purchasers, agents, property managers, and landlords. HB36: RENTAL PROPERTY LICENSURERead More
December 1, 2023
By Jessica D. Lieberman, Esq. The 2024 reassessments of properties for real estate tax purposes will be taking place shortly in Maryland. Notices of Assessment will be sent to property owners at the end of December 2023 and the assessed values contained in those Notices will apply to the calculation of taxes for those properties for theRead More
November 21, 2023
Many Companies MUST start reporting their ownership to the Federal Government on January 1, 2024 or incur significant penalties By Brittany Oravec and Eric Ciazza Beginning January 1, 2024, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) will require certain companies (including many corporations, limited liability companies, and others) newly registered or formed in the United States to disclose certain information about theRead More
October 11, 2023
Montgomery County Council and Planning Board to conduct review now that Planning Board approvals have exceeded certain “soft-cap” limits set by a 2017 Sector Plan for Downtown Bethesda development. By Matthew M. Gordon, Esq. and C. Robert Dalrymple, Esq. The Montgomery County Planning Board’s September 14, 2023 approval of a Site Plan for 7126 Wisconsin Avenue marked aRead More
September 19, 2023
By Brittany Oravec We all know that contracts are typically binding when signed by hand. With the evolution of technology, most of us also know that electronic signatures are binding. But can an emoji bind someone to a contract? An emoji is generally defined as a small picture, usually of a face, person, or object, usedRead More
August 25, 2023
You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to understand the Maryland Trust Decanting Act By Joseph Fried Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott, P.C. August 25, 2023 Unlike a fine wine, a trust agreement does not necessarily improve over time. In fact, the opposite is often true. For one thing, considering ever-changingRead More