Articles by Michael Wechsler
Ownership, Title
How to Prevent and Address Squatter Abuses Against Property Owners
New York City squatters have been making headlines by evicting legal homeowners from their property, with extreme examples including the arrest of a homeowner trying to regain possession of their house in Flushing, Queens. With the influx of migrants seeking shelter and the arrest of a popular...
Several significant New York City Local Laws have been known for being excessively costly, unrealistic, and providing limited value and returns. Among the most notorious are the Local Law 11 (FISP: Facade Inspection Safety Program), 126 and 97 dealing with garages, elevators, carbon emissions...
The Mayor of New York City and members of City Council have been repeatedly voicing concerns about the skyrocketing cost of living that has made even modest local spaces unaffordable. One of the most challenging problems for local city residents is their need to bear the costly burdens of...
Premises Liability
New York City Snow Shoveling & Ice Removal Laws
There are many snow and ice removal laws and regulations with which each New York City property owner or lessor must be familiar. This article summarizes some of the most common snow shoveling and ice removal laws, regulations and resources so you can be prepared for the winter season.
Who...
One of the most divisive and controversial issues separating this year’s candidates in the elections for New York City Mayor and New York City Council has revolved around the City's controversial “borough based jails” project. In 2019, the New York City Council voted to close the 413 acre...
Premises Liability
New York City 4 Hour Snow Removal Law
While many New York City residents may believe they have 24 hours to remove snow and ice from their sidewalks and walkways, they most likely have only 4 hours to remove snow and ice. You can find an explanation and complete details of the New York City Department of Sanitation snow removal...
Consumer Protection
Assignment Clauses in Health Club, Gym and Martial Arts Membership Contracts
If you’re anticipating signing a health club, gym or martial arts school membership contract, it is very important to be aware of certain contract clauses. While some onerous or harsh terms can usually be identified in plain language (such as limited options and penalties for early...
Donald Trump's questioning the impartiality of U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel due to his Hispanic heritage has drawn harsh criticism and rebuke from the legal community. Curiel is currently presiding over the fraud lawsuit involving Trump University, which ceased operations in 2010. Trump...
Gawker Media filed for bankruptcy protection today in New York federal court shortly after the company attorney informed a Florida judge that it was unable to pay a $140 million judgement to renowned wrestler, Hulk Hogan. The staggering award was the result of a jury verdict against Gawker who...
Ed Sheeran, award winning singer and songwriter, was hit with a $20 million copyright infringement lawsuit concerning his top 10 song "Photograph". The two songwriters behind "Amazing", made famous by singer Matt Cardle ("The Ex Factor" winner), claimed that Sheeran and co-writer Johnny McDaid...
"Murder in the Park" is a fascinating true crime documentary concerning a highly publicized Illinois justice system failure in the early eighties. The film asserts that a former death-row inmate, freed from death in his final moments though the efforts of student investigative journalists, was...
After three days of deliberation, a U.S. District Court jury unanimously concluded that Google's inclusion of a portion of Oracle's Java API ("Application Programming Interface") within its Android operating system was lawful fair use. Oracle, which stood to reap an estimated $9 billion in...
The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) ruled that while it would register trademarks for Coca-Cola Co., the company would not have the exclusive right to use the term "zero" to represent zero calorie soft drinks. While a trademark would be granted for registration of a soft drink such as...
An AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (American Automobiles Association) study concluded that (1) the specific "per se" legal limits for the presence of marijuana (THC) as per DUI laws are inherently unreliable without additional supporting evidence; and (2) the number of fatalities involving...
I would like to tell you why I'm taking a fare evasion case pro bono. When the Select Bus Service came to my neighborhood in Queens, it took me weeks to understand how it worked and why anyone would want to move from an electronic to an unreliable paper fare system. Sadly there has been a...
Three children whose mother was allegedly murdered by their father have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a recreational marijuana edibles company, the store that sold the product and the defendant.
In 2014, Richard Kirk allegedly purchased recreational marijuana candy from a local Denver...
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit after the State of North Carolina filed one earlier concerning the constitutionality of HB 2, informally known as the LGBT bathroom law. The Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act (Session Law 2016-3 House Bill 2) requires that people use...
While people convicted of a crime pay their debt to society, upon release their criminal record travels with them wherever they go. Since public databases and background checks are common and affordable, the repercussions of one minor mistake can become an eternal scarlet letter. One remedy to...
In 1997 Governor George E. Pataki signed a bill into law banning extreme and ultimate fighting in the state of New York. This week the New York State Assembly followed the Senate by voted Bill A02604 into law, effectively allowing for professional mixed martial arts fights to take place in New...
President Obama was emotional in sharing his “Commonsense Steps to Keep Guns Out of the Wrong Hands” plan. The State of the Union blog conspicuously proclaimed that the key to curb gun violence is through background checks for firearms sales. But do these words carry any firepower or is the...