Tagged: Pennsylvania

Gibbons Real Property & Environmental Law Alert Nominated for LexisNexis Top 50 Environmental Law & Climate Change Blogs for 2011

For the first time, the LexisNexis Environmental Law & Climate Change Community is honoring a select group of blogs that they believe set the online standard for the practice area. This Real Property & Environmental Law Alert is among the nominees. According to LexisNexis, they selected the nominees based on timely topics, quality writing, frequent posts and that certain something ‘extra’ that keeps a web audience coming back for more. They described our blog as follows: “A rotating group of contributors writes about transactional real estate, development and redevelopment, and environmental law. Although there is some focus on developments in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Delaware, the content is also national in scope.”

Gibbons Directors Douglas Janacek and Russell Bershad Recognized as Leading Real Estate Lawyers

Douglas Janacek and Russell Bershad, Co-Chairs of Gibbons Real Property & Environmental Department were each recognized as leading real estate practitioners in recent industry publications. Doug was one of 12 lawyers to be included in a feature story on the leading real estate attorneys in the state in New Jersey & Company’s November/December issue.

Expansion of Philadelphia Minimum Wage and Benefit Standards Could Impact Retail and Restaurant Tenants

Under a newly enacted City of Philadelphia Ordinance, some tenants in properties developed with financial assistance by the City of Philadelphia may now be required to comply with a minimum wage requirement that is 150% of the federal minimum wage. Benefits provided to full-time employees of tenants may also be impacted.

Neither Presence Nor Participation at Township Proceedings Required in Order to Appeal Subdivision/ Land Development Approval in Pennsylvania

In what appears to be a case of first impression in Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania found that a party has standing to appeal a township’s grant of subdivision/land development approval even if that party was not present at, or did not participate in, the township proceedings on the application. This decision, filed on October 28, 2010, is in sharp contrast to established Pennsylvania case law concerning the standing of a party to appeal the decision of the Zoning Hearing Board, where that party’s appearance or objection at the Zoning Hearing Board level is a prerequisite to its ability to appeal.

Attendance and Outlook Improve at Philadelphia ICSC

Attendance was up and the mood was upbeat at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) PA/NJ/DE Idea Exchange on September 15-16 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. For the 7th consecutive year, Gibbons P.C. exhibited at the show. Five Gibbons lawyers, from the firm’s Philadelphia and Newark offices, attended.

Google, Google, Toil and Twitter, Facebook Burn and Jurors Babble – The Internet in the Courtroom

A Michigan court dismissed a juror who during the trial posted on Facebook, “gonna be fun to tell defendant they’re guilty.” A New Jersey Appellate Court holds it is alright to google jurors’ names during jury selection. Carino v. Muenzen, App. Div. August 30, 2010. The upshot is that the internet is moving into the jury box. In Carino, the plaintiff’s attorney used the court’s wi-fi to access the internet on his laptop. The court, ever hip, asked if he was googling the potential jurors. The trial court told him to put away the computer because he gave no notice he intended to google the jurors.

Green or Not to Green, That is the Question? Whether it is Nobler to Build a Green Building or Suffer the Ignominy of an Ungreen One

With energy costs high and the focus on combating global warming, there is an impetus toward encouraging the development of Green Buildings. Buildings account for 39% of the total energy usage in the U.S., two thirds of the electricity consumption and 1/8 of the water usage. Building codes, setting minimum standards for construction, now include standards for energy efficiency. Green Codes are creeping in.

Time-out: Pennsylvania Passes Permit Extension Act

Last week, Governor Rendell signed the Permit Extension Act (“Act”) into law as part of the approval of the budget, breathing life into expired and expiring permits and the development projects they represent. The Act, found at pages 99-110 of the budget bill, extends the expiration date of many governmental approvals, permits and agreements, including building permits and construction permits, relating to construction and development projects.