Bernkopf Goodman LLP
USA Guide 2023
Bernkopf Goodman LLP
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About
Office Location: Boston, MA
Managing Partner: Sheryl C. Starr
Number of partners: 14
Firm Overview
Bernkopf ranks among Boston's oldest and most respected firms. The firm's roots trace back to Abraham K. Cohen, who was admitted to the Suffolk bar in 1894. The firm was established when Cohen partnered with his son-in-law, Max E. Bernkopf. As their success grew, Bernkopf quickly gained a reputation for being aggressive, practical, and cost-effective. Today, these core values remain the hallmarks of Bernkopf.
Main Areas of Practice
LITIGATION
Bernkopf Litigators have substantial expertise in state and federal trial and appellate courts, administrative hearings, and arbitration and mediation proceedings across Massachusetts and nationwide.
Bernkopf attorneys are particularly well-known for representing title insurance companies, lenders, and individuals in litigation matters, including quiet title, deed and mortgage reformation, equitable subrogation, and adverse possession. Bernkopf defends lenders against TILA, RESPA, FDCPA, FCRA, fraud, and other predatory-lending claims in the lender liability realm.
Bernkopf's deep experience in business and commercial disputes includes:
- Bankruptcy and creditors' rights
- Construction and surety
- Corporate
- Government contracts
- Intellectual property
- Labor, employment law, and employee benefits
- Product liability
- Trade regulation and unfair competition
- Criminal law
CONSTRUCTION AND SURETY GROUP
The Construction and Surety Group is equipped to handle all legal construction needs, whether building, developing, managing, guaranteeing, designing, or financing a construction project.
Bernkopf's nationally renowned team delivers pragmatic, innovative advice to clients in all aspects of construction and real estate development projects. Bernkopf combines extensive legal expertise with technical knowledge rather than focusing exclusively on a single skill set. This approach enables the team to analyze plans, drawings, and other construction documents and assess disputes. This combination of skills enables us to explore a wide range of public and private construction disputes.
Bernkopf represents clients in state and federal courts and arbitration proceedings throughout the United States, achieving outstanding success in construction and surety litigation disputes. In addition, Bernkopf regularly drafts construction and development documents such as general contracts, subcontracts, public and private partnership agreements, design agreements, and LEED®-related contracts.
Services include:
- Contract drafting and negotiation
- Preparation of bid packages and proposals
- Building information modeling
- Drafting and negotiating construction and A/E contracts
- Drafting and negotiating development, completion, and takeover agreements
- Financing
- Representing clients before administrative agencies on project-related regulatory matters
- Helping owners, contractors, and sureties procure and manage construction services
- Handling surety bond procurement matters
- Handling design-build projects
- Addressing environmental matters
- Representing clients with integrated project-delivery services
- Assisting with project administration
- Working on turnkey projects
Bernkopf's tough team fights to protect clients' legal rights when disputes arise. Dispute-resolution services include the following:
- Claims preparation and analysis
- Bid permits
- Change-condition claims
- Contract disputes
- Delay and disruption claims
- Subcontractor and supplier disputes
- Surety bond claims
- Civil litigation
- Arbitration and mediation
- Mechanic's lien disputes
REAL ESTATE LAW
Bernkopf has represented some of Boston's largest real estate developers since they launched their first small residential housing deals. Now they're building some of Boston's most prominent buildings and developing enormous, complex hospitals and multi-use projects with thousands of units.
Staying well ahead of the curve in understanding the legal and business challenges facing sophisticated 21st-century real estate clients, the firm's real estate attorneys help guide clients through all phases of real estate purchase, sale, ownership, financing, and development.
Bernkopf attorneys have been major players in all aspects of significant real estate transactions throughout New England and nationwide, handling commercial, retail, industrial, and residential development projects. Bernkopf is customarily involved start-to-finish in all real estate development, finance, and operations phases, including acquisitions, sales, permitting, construction, leasing, financing, syndication, and property operations and management.
The firm offers uniquely creative expertise in title matters, identifying and solving complex title issues, and arranging for title insurance coverage.
Daily contact with the capital markets provides clients with current and creative capital solutions as they affect real estate, purchase development, and disposition opportunities. These creative opportunities include projects involving:
- Retail buildings and shopping centers
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Office buildings
- Residential properties
- Affordable housing
- Industrial properties
- Mixed-use facilities
- Condominiums
- Subdivisions and parcel assemblages
Bernkopf is well-versed in zoning, land use, permitting, and governmental compliance. Bernkopf specializes in commercial leasing, representing landlords and tenants in retail, office, big-box, pad sites, and ground- and master-lease developments. Bernkopf assists clients in "green" building projects, including LEED®-certified projects.
Practice Areas
- Litigation
- Construction and Surety
- Real Estate Law
- Corporate and Business
- Hospitality
- Fiduciary Practice Group
- Workouts and Restructurings
- Banking and Finance
- Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights
Ranked Offices
Provided by Bernkopf Goodman LLP
- BostonTwo Seaport Lane, 9th Floor, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, MA 02210
- View ranked office