Commercial landlords are breathing a collective sigh of relief following yesterday’s release of Cummings Properties, LLC v. Hines, a major decision from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) on the validity of acceleration clauses in commercial leases. Acceleration clauses are a form of liquidated damages in which a defaulting tenant… Read More
Bernkopf, a prominent Boston-based law firm, is pleased to announce the latest addition to its esteemed legal team, Zoe Krey. Joining as an associate in the litigation department, Zoe will assist clients through complex business and commercial challenges, leveraging her robust legal research skills and a keen eye for detail. Read More
Landlords and other holders of standby letters of credit will be surprised to learn about Friday’s important Massachusetts Appeals Court opinion, Proquip Limited vs. Northmark Bank. The holder (known as the beneficiary) has access to cash up to the full amount of the letter of credit by “drawing down” on… Read More
Bernkopf is proud to announce that ten of its outstanding attorneys have been recognized in the 30ᵗʰ edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, one of the legal industry’s most esteemed accolades. The distinguished attorneys and their areas of recognition are: Eric R. Allon, Real Estate Law Lydia G. Chesnick,… Read More
Over the past decade, there has been an escalating financial cyber threat called Business E-mail Compromise (BEC), often referred to as the “Man in the E-mail Scam.” The most recent statistical data from the FBI reveal that there were more than $50 Billion in domestic and international dollars lost… Read More
This article appeared in the New England Real Estate Journal on April 21, 2023. With rising interest rates, inflation and escalating concerns about raising and borrowing funds, these are challenging times for life science tenants and their landlords. However, even in this environment, the decommissioning of lab space and securing… Read More
Part of our practice involves permitting, zoning, and other appearances before municipal boards. As part of that process, we often advise our clients as to the proper decorum surrounding such appearances and the role the client should play. Just yesterday, the Massachusetts… Read More
Bernkopf is pleased to announce that David Blumberg has been elevated to firm partner. Blumberg joined Bernkopf in 2021 following a successful sixteen-year career as a senior business manager and in-house counsel at Cummings Properties. He handled and oversaw the legal staff for leasing, operational, and transactional matters. Cummings Properties… Read More
If you use non-competition agreements or other restrictive covenants to protect the goodwill and trade secrets of your business, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is proposing a rule that could obliterate those protections. The FTC recently proposed a rule to ban non-compete clauses, claiming they hurt workers and harm competition. Read More
Bernkopf is proud to announce that Jason A. Manekas, a litigation partner, has been recognized by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as a 2022 Go To Business Litigation Lawyer. A formidable litigator known for solving complex commercial, business, and real estate disputes, Jason Manekas utilizes his background in business operations and… Read More