Frequently Asked Questions

Residential: Most of our residential transactions involve representing first-time home buyers, investors and families in closing a co-op unit, condominium unit or townhouse in NYC.

Commercial: For our clients in need of commercial real estate representation, we assist with office, retail and restaurant leasing and sales. We represent commercial investors and builders in creating new condominium offering plans prior to sale.

Co-op/Condo Board: We also assist co-op and condo boards in reviewing corporate governance issues, updates to building docs and closing on underlying building loans and refinances.

Lenders: We represent residential lenders in closing on mortgage loans for borrowers.

Real estate in NYC encompasses various practice areas. At JLC, we handle all types of residential and commercial transactions, but these are the areas we do not handle: property tax/tax certiorari proceedings, zoning analyses, landlord/tenant housing court matters, SRO or rent-regulated or rent-stabilized matters and any real estate litigation.

If your matter involves any of these areas, we often will co-counsel or refer other attorneys who are experts in each of these fields.

Our primary focus is New York City — we represent clients across all five boroughs for residential and commercial transactions. We also represent clients purchasing in Long Island, Westchester, and Upstate New York provided the closing is local in NYC or conducted remotely. In full transparency, our legal fees may be higher than local attorneys in those areas. Our lender representation practice covers closings across New York State. If your transaction falls outside our coverage area, we're happy to help connect you with trusted counsel.

We charge a flat legal fee for residential and commercial purchase/sale transactions based on the attorney you select and the type of transaction. The attorney you hire stays with your deal from diligence to closing. We have 3 attorneys here and the fees range from $3,500 to $7,500, depending upon attorney experience, complexity of the deal and deal terms. Half of the fee is collected when your offer is accepted, and the remaining half is due at closing.

Commercial leasing, board representation, and other matters are scoped individually generally hourly or by flat fee based on the nature of the engagement. We're happy to walk through the specifics during a complimentary 20-minute initial consultation so you can plan accordingly.

Because most real estate attorneys in NYC bill on a flat fee basis, many firms fall into a natural cycle of increasing client volume to drive revenue. The result is often minimal face time with the attorney and service passed on to paralegals or other staff. We strive to be different. Instead, at JLC, we may charge a slightly higher rate, but we evaluate attorney capacity and ensure the attorney you hire is available throughout your entire transaction. Our paralegals and support staff are there to support the matter for any diligence gathering or non-legal administrative work, but the attorneys are reviewing your full file and attending the closing.

We are a client-driven and value-driven team of legal professionals focused exclusively on real estate transactions in New York City. We've been recognized by The Real Deal as one of the Top 50 real estate law firms in New York City for two consecutive years, and we are certified as a Women's Business Enterprise (WBENC) and an LGBT Business Enterprise (NGLCC). With 5,000+ closed transactions and 130+ five-star reviews, our reputation reflects the relationships behind the work.

Our intake process is completely digital and available 24/7. You can fill out a brief questionnaire on our Get Started page, and a member of our team will reach out to learn more about your matter. From there, we'll schedule a conversation to discuss your needs and how we can help.

Yes. We offer a complimentary 20-minute consultation to discuss your matter and help you understand how we can assist. You can contact us to schedule, or book directly with an attorney through their profile page on our Team page.

We believe communication is one of the most important aspects of our work. Each client works with a dedicated attorney supported by our paralegal and support team, so there's always someone available to answer your questions. We keep you informed at every stage, from contract review through closing, and we're reachable by phone and email throughout the process. We also offer a secure client portal at the start of each matter.