Gray Matters January 2014

January 2014

2013 Year In Review

GGrayAs we start a new year, the attorneys and staff at Gray·Duffy, LLP would like to thank our clients and colleagues for being instrumental in making this year a success. We are eager to reflect on a year of growth for our firm. Not only did we add three new attorneys, we also broadened our scope of services to include a real estate transactions & litigation practice.
Seasoned real estate and business attorney David S. Fisher joined our Encino office as a partner earlier this year. We also added associates Pamela H. Bush in Encino and Caitlin R. Maurer in Redwood City, both of whom bring experience in several different areas of the law.
Our Redwood City office recently moved doubling the size of our space to better serve clients. Our phone number remains the same: (650) 365-7343, but please take a moment to update your records with our new address: 210 B Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City, CA 94065.
Throughout the year, our lawyers have also demonstrated their expertise by publishing articles on the legal trends and issues that impact our clients. A few articles authored by our attorneys this year include:
From all of us at Gray·Duffy, thank you for the opportunity to work with you. We wish you a healthy and prosperous New Year.
Sincerely, Gary S. Gray
Managing Partner, Gray·Duffy, LLP

Gray·Duffy, LLP Featured as “Trusted Advisors”

Pictured from left to right: Front – Co-founders: Gary Gray and John Duffy. Back – Attorneys Michelle MacDonald, Michael Eisenbaum, David Fisher, and Wendy Lin Suh.
 

Ventura Blvd magazine featured Gray·Duffy as one of the “Top Advisory Law Firms” in the Los Angeles Valley community. The profile highlights the firm’s work with a variety of business, commercial, and real estate clients, especially contractors in construction litigation matters. With a rich tapestry of experience, Gray·Duffy handles matters from inception through resolution and provides personalized attention throughout the entire process.

Unlicensed Gold Buyers Hurt California Economy

Published: National Pawnbroker Magazine

Historically high gold prices coupled with a general economic decline has recently exerted  pressure to sell scrap gold and unused jewelry. High gold prices have propagated the proliferation of unlicensed gold buyers which generally operate in three forms of business: gold  parties, hotel events, and brick-and-mortar stores.

Gold Parties.

Gold parties are the Tupperware parties of yesterday. Parties involve a social setting and are less intimidating than walking into a jewelry store and selling gold jewelry to a stranger. The gold buyer at these parties is typically not interested in the jewelry itself; rather, they sell the items to gold refiners to be melted down. The gold party host gets approximately a 10 percent cut.

Gray Matters is provided for informational purposes only, and the contents are not intended and should not be construed as legal advice.
Arbitration

1) A party can waive its right to enforce an arbitration agreement contained in a contract by participating in litigation concerning the subject contract. True or False?

2) A binding arbitration award cannot be set aside by a civil court. True or False?

3) Parties to a contract can agree to make a binding arbitration award non-appealable before a civil court. True or False?

For any questions regarding arbitration, please contact Kevin Cruz at (818) 907-4000 or [email protected].

Real Estate Corner

 

Gray·Duffy provides the following summaries of recent real estate laws which may impact our clients. If you have any questions, please contact David Fisher at (818) 907-4000 or [email protected].

Landlord-Tenant and NODs

A new law requires landlords to give prospective tenants certain notice when the property is going into foreclosure.  If a landlord receives a notice of default (NOD) on a one-to-four unit residential property, the landlord must comply with new Civil Code Section 2924.85, which requires tenants who are contemplating renting such property to be given notice that the property could be going into foreclosure.  Failure to provide the notice subjects the landlord to monetary penalties.

Landlord-Tenant and Abandoned Property

The threshold in Civil Code Section 1984 has been increased from $300 to $700 of what may be considered by the landlord to be “abandoned property.”  If the landlord follows the proper notice requirement to the former tenant, and the abandoned property is reasonably determined to be less than $700, the landlord may dispose of the property without liability to the tenant.

Hear What Our Clients Have to Say…

“We hired Gray·Duffy through our insurance company for a litigation matter. Attorneys Mike Eisenbaum and Pat Roberts handled my case in a competent and efficient manner. I was particularly impressed with Mike’s skills as a litigator and the results he delivered, and therefore have continued to retain them for my various legal needs. My experience working with the firm has been great and I would certainly recommend their services to others.”

-Jeh Meher, President, USA Fitness

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Contact Us
15760 Ventura Blvd. 16th Floor
Encino, CA 91436
(818) 907-4000
210 B Twin Dolphin Drive
Redwood City, CA 94065
(650) 365-7343

Please Note: This article is necessarily general in nature and is not a substitute for legal advice with respect to any particular case. Readers should consult with an attorney before taking any action affecting their interests.