Thomas E. Kass

Thomas has substantial experience representing clients in purchasing and selling commercial and residential real property, leasing and subleasing office, retail, and other commercial space, and in financing commercial and residential properties, including office and apartment buildings, warehouses, shopping centers, hotels, and strip malls. He has served as lender’s counsel to commercial savings banks, insurance companies, and pension funds in connection with financing a wide variety of real estate investments and has represented foreign investors in connection with their U.S. real estate holdings.

He also represents co-op and condominium boards in the New York metropolitan area, advising them on a variety of real estate and corporate governance issues.

Additionally, Thomas counsels clients in general corporate matters. He has handled stock and asset sales, shareholder, operating, license, and other commercial contracts while serving as general counsel to a variety of businesses, including closely held manufacturing, apparel, and technology firms.

Community Involvement

• Real Estate Board of New York (Member)
• Colonial Hill Condominium (President)
• 340 East 93rd Street Corp. (Former Board Member)

Representative Cases

• Represented a real estate investor selling tracts of land previously used for the Woodstock Music Festival for the development of homes, subject to new homeowners' association (Bethel, NY).
   
• Represented a family business in a complex sale/leasing transaction involving four commercial buildings, two of which were simultaneously leased by a developer prior to an extended closing date (Jamaica, Queens, NY). 
   
• Represented a family trust in the sale of a 25-year hotel ground lease to a German investment firm (New York, NY)
   
• Represented a real estate investment group in the purchase of four buildings from three different sellers in simultaneous closings (New York, NY)
   
• Represented a partnership in connection with the conversion of its partnership interests to tenants-in-common real estate interests and subsequent exchanges of such realty with other real estate pursuant to IRC Section 1031.
   
• Represented a Swiss investment hospitality group in connection with the execution of a new 99-year ground lease of a 100-room midtown Manhattan hotel.

Publications

• “Avoiding Pitfalls in Attorney Broker Relationships,” The Real Estate Weekly
   
• “Negotiating the Commitment Letter; Don’t Wait for the Loan Documents!” The Cooperator)