PRACTICE AREAS

Reid Rodriguez & Rouse, LLP's attorneys have a nearly combined 75-year track record. The following list reflects the breadth and depth of our practice areas of today's real estate market place and corporate arena: RR&R helps corporations, partnerships, non-profits, and religious organizations to understand their complex legal obligations in every corporate and real estate area and to comply with local, state, and federal laws. RR&R advises clients on how to be in proper compliance and offers tactics to avoid claims and litigation. As needed, we also assist companies and organizations in defending any claims that may arise.

Specific services include:

REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT

Real estate transactions, from project inception, acquisition, financing, and sale closing, Mortgages and Notes, Public and private Financing including low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, tax-exempt and taxable bonds, and Federal, State and local loan and grant funds; Joint ventures, Air Rights. Reid Rodriguez & Rouse, LLP specific services in REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT include:

Affordable housing, Commercial leasing
Faith-based initiatives
Joint ventures
Loan restructuring & workout
NYC Development Rights program
Real estate tax incentives
Residential & commercial closings
Deeds
Organizational Documents
Limited Liability Company Operating Agreements, Partnership Agreements, Joint Venture Agreements, By-Laws, Resolutions
Loan Documents, Land Disposition Agreement, Site Development Agreement
HDC Financing Commitment Agreement
Assignment of Contract
Regulatory Agreement
Subordination Agreement
Lender's Estoppel
Tenant's Estoppel
Mortgage and Note
Enforcement Mortgage and Enforcement Note
Project Loan Agreement
Building Loan Agreement
Joint and Several Completion Guaranty
Joint and Several Hazardous Materials Guaranty and Indemnification Agreement
Collateral Assignment and Pledge of Membership Interests and Security Agreement
UCC-1 Financing Statement
Sponsor's opinion letters
Title Documents
Title Report
Title Insurance Policy
Escrow Agreement: HPD and HDC ComplianceZoning Lot and Development Agreement (“ZLDA”) (Air Rights)

REAL ESTATE AND COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Reid Rodriguez & Rouse, LLP specific services in real estate and commercial litigation include:

Landlord-tenant matters, including nonpayment and holdovers proceedings, apartment inheritance issues, and lease violations, trial and arbitration, foreclosure proceeding, commercial and business litigation, breach of contract or joint venture agreements, corporate dissolution, or partnership and limited liability company matters.

CORPORATE AND NONPROFIT GOVERNANCE

Reid Rodriguez & Rouse, LLP specific services in corporate and nonprofit governance include:

For Profit, HDFCs, and nonprofits in all aspects of corporate governance; formation of corporations, limited Liability and partnerships; preparation of operating agreements, contracts, leases, and financial agreements, By-Laws. Approvals for Supreme Court and Attorney General for Sales and Leases of Real Property by Non Profits and Religious Corporations.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS AND BENEFITS

RR&R provides advice in every sub-field of employment law. We seek to offer service clients of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies with multiple locations to companies with one office and a few employees. We provide value to our clients because no matter what employment law needs arise, it is likely that RR&R has completed a similar project. We can work with you in the following capacities:

As an extension of your in-house legal department, working as partners to prevent problems through expert training programs and/or expedite cost effective solutions to existing issues including class actions, pending labor negotiations/disputes, imminent litigation, and more.

As your full-service employment law counsel, RR&R will assist your management team in designing training programs and employee manuals; help you to understand legal specifics, including: rights and obligations in wage payment practices, unemployment and disability benefits, equal employment opportunity, health and safety laws, and hiring and termination policies; litigate existing cases; and implement alternative dispute resolution program.

As In-Person trainers, who will prepare your human resource supervisors and frontline managers to make informed and smart decisions that will help to protect your company's most valuable asset -- your employees. Our experienced trainers will custom-tailor programs that fit your company culture and ensure that workplace decisions are compliant with current employment laws.

Some basic facts about RR&R that you should know:

RR&R can provide you with expertise in every sub-field, and most likely has successfully solved a similar legal issue.
RR&R's training and educational programs illustrate our primary goals to help employers avoid litigation, minimize operating costs, and maintain a trouble-free workplace.
The RR&R attorney you speak to is capable of answering practically all of your day-to-day questions with little to no research required.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Many laws impose equal employment opportunity obligations upon employers. These laws affect all employment decisions: advertising for applicants, testing and interviewing, promoting or terminating employees. RR&R helps employers to understand their complex legal obligations in every employment area and to comply with local, state, and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.

RR&R can advise clients on how to be in proper compliance and offers tactics to avoid claims and litigation. As needed, we also can assist employers in defending any claims that may arise. Specific services include:

Representing employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, state commissions governing fair employment, and other federal, state, and local civil rights agencies.
Reviewing proposed personnel actions including discipline, promotions, terminations, and layoffs for potential discrimination claims.
Reviewing personnel practices, and drafting employment applications and policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment.
Designing affirmative action plans and assisting employers in agency audits of those plans.

The laws impacting your organization's employment and labor practices have been increasing in number and becoming more complicated every year. The trend toward more regulation is expected to continue, as is the potential to incur costly litigation. RR&R can work with you to develop employment policies and procedures that help prevent problems before they occur.

RR&R offers a full range of counseling and education services. Our "preventive

measures" include:

Reviewing, drafting and updating employee handbooks, employment applications and employment agreements.
Developing policies addressing critical workplace issues such as sexual harassment, employment discrimination, workplace violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and the misuse of computer and electronic systems.
Advising employers on how to enhance applicant selection procedures and conduct lawful background investigations.
Designing and implementing alternative dispute resolution programs.
Providing on-site seminars and workshops for supervisors and human resource personnel in areas such as conducting employee investigations, handling terminations, and minimizing the risks of employment-related litigation.
Conducting employment and labor relations audits to verify compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
Evaluating, structuring, and choreographing employment law training programs.

This ranges from legally required training to the essentials of prevention.

WRONGFUL TERMINATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION

Civil Rights Litigation | Litigation | Privacy

Civil litigation is a significant part of RR&R's practice. We represent clients before state and federal trial and appellate courts in lawsuits pertaining to various employment matters. Most commonly these suits involve wrongful discharge claims and civil rights litigation. RR&R's employment and labor lawyers are well versed in the current laws and defined the defenses that obtain satisfactory results. We frequently advise clients on preventive and cost-effective alternatives to litigation such as arbitration, mediation, and negotiation. When litigation is necessary, however, our experience, creativity, and vigorous approach provide value-added service to clients in:

Wrongful termination, contract, and tort claims.
Employment discrimination and sexual harassment claims.
Alleged violations of various employee leave laws, including those asserted under state and federal family and medical leave statutes.
Claims by employees that they have not been accommodated as required under state and federal disability laws.
Litigation regarding the administration of employee benefits.

LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS

Railway Labor Act | Unfair Labor Practices

Our firm can provide representation and assistance to clients in all aspects of labor management relations law. RR&R's comprehensive representation includes:

Counseling employers during union organizing drives and campaigns.
Representation before the National Labor Relations Board and state labor relations agencies in representation cases, unfair labor practice litigation, jurisdictional disputes, decertification cases and unit clarification proceedings.
Serving as chief negotiators and as strategists during collective bargaining.
Analyzing and interpreting collective bargaining agreements.
Providing advice in union discipline and discharge cases.
Dealing with union representatives to resolve disputes.
Representation in contractual grievance and arbitration proceedings, as well as in strikes and labor disputes.

Independent Contractor Status | Wage and Hour

Wage and hour laws determine when, in what form, and how much employees must be paid. These statutes and regulations significantly affect every employment relationship and if not complied with can result in enormous liability for the employer. We help employers understand and ensure their compliance with the vast array of state and federal wage and hour laws. When necessary, RR&R defends employers against any claims which may be presented.

RR&R's services to employers regarding wage and hour laws encompass:

Assisting in audits of employer's wage payment practices by U.S. Department of Labor and state compliance agencies.
Representing employers in state and federal court litigation of wage claims by individual employees, the D.O.L. and state compliance agencies.
Advising employers on their obligations to employees with respect to overtime, prevailing wages, minimum wages, vacation benefits, meal and break periods, compensatory time, and related issues.
Counseling employers regarding commission, hours and other incentive plans by which to motivate and reward employees.

PROBLEM PREVENTION

Background Investigations | Conduct Investigations | Contracts | Drugs and

Alcohol | Handbooks | Manuals | Policies

RRR offers a full range of counseling and education services. Our preventive

measures include:

Reviewing, drafting and updating employee handbooks, employment applications and employment agreements.
Developing policies addressing critical workplace issues such as sexual harassment, employment discrimination, workplace violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and the misuse of computer and electronic systems.
Advising employers on how to enhance applicant selection procedures and conduct lawful background investigations.
Designing and implementing alternative dispute resolution programs.
Providing on-site seminars and workshops for supervisors and human resource personnel in areas such as conducting employee investigations, handling terminations, and minimizing the risks of employment-related litigation.
Conducting employment and labor relations audits to verify compliance with applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
Evaluating, structuring, and choreographing employment law training programs. This ranges from legally required training to the essentials of prevention.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

COBRA | ERISA

Employee benefit plans are regulated by a bewildering array of legal statutes,

regulations, and procedures. As a result, managing employee benefits represents an ongoing, time-consuming, and often confusing responsibility for employers. RR&R can support and advise employers in all aspects of employee benefit law including:

Helping with the selection, drafting, and establishment of benefit plans, including plans providing benefits ranging from retirement, deferred compensation, and health coverage, to long term disability, severance, employee assistance and cafeteria subsidies.
Maintaining compliance with the Internal Revenue Code and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), including requirements concerning reporting and disclosure, government filings, and the operation and administration of benefit plans.
Assisting in the selection, drafting and administration of specialized compensation and benefit programs for managerial and executive positions.
Ensuring compliance with the notice, election, and claims administration requirements of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).
Representing employers in litigation concerning benefit issues such as: trust fund contribution collection actions; withdrawal liability claims; ERISA preemption; disputes concerning entitlement to benefits; breaches of fiduciary duty; and damage actions involving misconduct or negligence by third party administrators, consultants, and other experts.

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION/ARBITRATION | MEDIATION

RR&R strongly advocates the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs to resolve workplace disputes. We can help restructure an existing program to enhance its effectiveness, or work with you to draft an original program. Then we can help you successfully implement your ADR program as needed. Programs commonly incorporate more than one form of ADR to give the involved parties the maximum opportunity to resolve their disputes. Therefore, your organization's ADR program may include one or more of these components:

Informal dispute resolution procedures.
Mediation programs.
Non-binding arbitration.
Mandatory binding arbitration.

RR&R can also advise or represent employers in ADR proceedings. ADR is a specialty of a number of our employment and labor attorneys. The absence of any standardized rules or regulations governing employer-adopted ADR programs makes this an area of

employment law where the quality of experience offered at RR&R is especially critical.

IMMIGRATION AND VISA GROUP

An increasing number of U.S. and foreign companies are expanding into global operations, requiring the transfer of foreign employees to and from U.S. operations. And, with ever-increasing competition, businesses seek the very best talent available -- regardless of nationality. Accordingly, employers must now deal frequently with the complexities of U.S. immigration law. In addition, I-9 "employer sanctions" laws require employers to verify the work authorization of all new employees - regardless of nationality. Every company in the United States is now subject to scrutiny and regulation of its hiring practices by federal immigration authorities. Reid Rodriguez & Rouse, LLP assists employers with employment-related immigration matters.

EMPLOYING NON-U.S. CITIZENS IN THE UNITED STATES

Foreign nationals generally work in the United States under one of many temporary (or "nonimmigrant") visas. Each visa category has unique and often complex eligibility criteria. Our attorneys work with employers to assess the specifics of the company, the proposed U.S. job position, and the background and qualifications of the prospective foreign national employee. With this information, we determine the best work visa for both the short and long term.

OBTAINING PERMANENT RESIDENCY STATUS FOR EMPLOYEES

American companies often seek permanent employment of their foreign employees. U.S. immigration law permits this under a variety of categories subject to specific rules and strict quotas. Sponsorship for a "green card" generally consists of a three-step process that requires from one to three years to complete, depending on the specifics of each case. Reid Rodriguez & Rouse, LLP advises employers on the feasibility of obtaining permanent residency status for an employee and assists throughout each step of this arduous process.