Real Property Law Section

Real Property Law Section

The Real Property Law Section serves New York real property lawyers and the public, promotes the successful transaction of real estate business in New York State, and contributes to the sound development of real property law in New York State. Toward that end, we:

Identify and draw attention to problems, abuses, and issues affecting real property, recommending improvements in real property law, procedure, and practice as appropriate;
Publish a high quality journal to keep Section members informed of developments and the latest thinking in real property law;
Provide a Section website and give Section members a variety of forums to discuss the state of the law and possibilities for improvement;
Offer high quality continuing legal education programs to Section members sufficient to meet all their CLE requirements;
Act as a resource for legislators and government officials and comment on and, where appropriate, initiate legislation;
Establish and operate committees and task forces that seek to achieve the Section’s goals within numerous areas of real property law;
Educate the public about real estate law and the benefits of using lawyers in real property transactions, particularly residential transactions; and
Work with the real estate finance, brokerage, title insurance, surveying, and other related industries, to improve practices, communications, and working relationships.

View Guide

Contact the Real Property Law Section Liaison

To learn more about this Section, please contact Amy Jasiewicz
[email protected]
(518) 487-5682

Join Now

Ira Goldberg

Ira S. Goldenberg

Ira S. Goldenberg of White Plains is the chair of the Real Property Law Section.

Goldenberg is a partner at Goldenberg & Selker. He represents boards of condominiums, homeowners associations and cooperatives, as well as developers, unit owners, sellers and purchasers.

A 36-year member of the State Bar, Goldenberg previously chaired the Section Delegates Caucus. He was a member of the State Bar’s Executive Committee. He was co-chair of the the Real Property Law Section’s Condominiums and Cooperatives Committee, as well as its Attorney Escrow and Electronic Communications & Meetings task forces.

Goldenberg graduated magna cum laude from Brandeis University and earned his law degree with honors from George Washington University Law Center.

Online Community

Access Here

N.Y. Real Property Law Journal

The N.Y. Real Property Law Journal features substantive articles relating to the practice of real property law on various topics including property transactions, leases, zoning, disclosure, and cooperatives and condominiums. Also included are a regular column entitled, “Bergman on Mortgage Foreclosures” as well as updates on Section news, programs and events. Co-edited by William P. Johnson, Esq., Prof. Robert J. Sein, and Marvin N. Bagwell, Esq., the N.Y. Real Property Law Journal is published by the Real Property Law Section and distributed to Section Members free of charge.

The Journal is published as a benefit for members of the Real Property Law Section and is copyrighted by the New York State Bar Association. The copying, reselling, duplication, transferring, reproducing, reusing, retaining or reprinting of this publication is strictly prohibited without permission.
© New York State Bar Association. All rights reserved. ISSN 1530-3918 (print) ISSN 1933-8465 (online)

The N.Y. Real Property Law Journal encourages article submissions on topics of interest to members of the Section. Writing an article for a NYSBA Section publication is a great way to get your name out in the legal community and advertise your knowledge. Our authors are respected state-wide for their legal expertise in such areas as property transactions, leases, zoning, disclosure and cooperatives and condominiums.

MCLE credit may also be earned for legal-based writing directed to an attorney audience upon application to the CLE Board. NYSBA Guidelines for Obtaining MCLE Credit for Writing as well as a Publication Credit Application are available.

If you have written an article and would like to have it considered for publication in the N.Y. Real Property Law Journal, please send it in electronic document format (pdfs are NOT acceptable), along with biographical information to any of its Co-Editors. Accepted articles fall generally in the range of 7-18 typewritten, double-spaced pages. Please use endnotes in lieu of footnotes. The Co-Editors request that all submissions for consideration to be published in this Journal use gender-neutral terms where appropriate or, alternatively, the masculine and feminine forms may both be used. Please contact the Co-Editors regarding further requirements for the submission of articles.

Marvin N. Bagwell, Esq.
[email protected]

William P. Johnson, Esq.
[email protected]

Matthew J. Leeds, Esq.
[email protected]

Prof. Robert J. Sein
[email protected]

N.Y. Real Property Law Journal Archive

Reprint Permission and Disability Accommodations

Author's Guidelines

Section Publications

N.Y. Real Property Law Journal Spring/Summer 2020

A publication of the Real Property Law Section of the New York State Bar Association. Can’t see this edition? Please view it here. :

View Post

Legislation

Chart of Legislation
Status of Pending Legislation
Guidelines for Reviewing Legislation
Guidelines for RPLS Legislation Memos

Real Property Law Section Committee

Attorney Professionalism Award

Each year, the Real Property Law Section has honored an outstanding individual real estate practitioner with its Professionalism Award. The Section’s Award Committee is seeking nominations for the 2020 award, to be presented virtually at the Section’s Annual Meeting during January 2021.

Learn More

Outstanding Community Contributor Award

The Section created the Outstanding Community Contributor Award to recognize members who have made significant contributions to the Community, and to express its appreciation. The Section’s Award Committee is seeking nominations for the 2020 award, to be presented virtually at the Section’s Annual Meeting during January 2021.

Learn More

Scholarships

The Real Property Law Section is now accepting applications for its two law student scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each. The scholarships will be awarded virtually at the Section’s Annual Meeting during January 2021.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: November 20, 2020

Learn More

A Guide to the Real Property Law Section

Real Property Law Section Blog Archive 2007 – 2013

Local Practice Guide for Residential Real Estate Transactions

Even though we all practice law in the same state, many aspects of a residential real estate transaction differ depending on where a property is located. Particularly Upstate, closing customs and practices vary widely from one county to the next. These practices include whether a contract is drafted by a realtor or an attorney, if a realtor-drafted contract is subject to attorney approval or disapproval, the length of the required title search, who orders and pays for title searches and even the type of deed.

An attorney who works on a transaction outside of his/her own home county may be at a disadvantage because local attorneys, title agents and realtors have different expectations about how the transaction will be conducted. Conversely, a local attorney may have difficulty convincing an attorney from outside of the area that “this is how we do things here.” This Local Practice Guide is designed to help bridge this gap. The Guide is organized on a county by county basis and will serve as a reference to the various local real estate customs and practices as well as provide a guide to local mapping and tax reference resources.

This Guide is provided exclusively as a benefit of membership in the NYSBA Real Property Law Section.

View List of Counties