Real Estate, Land Use & Development

For nearly thirty years, our attorneys have been intimately involved in obtaining approvals for commercial, industrial and residential projects, working closely with local and state government agencies in development and construction projects. Our clients include local, regional and national developers and retailers and commercial and industrial businesses as well as building and property owners. The practice has also developed an expertise in representing wireless communication companies in zoning, land use and leasing matters.
FLB’s attorneys assist its clients through all levels of the zoning and land use approval process. The practice’s services include:

• Preparing zoning and land development applications, ranging from a minor variance for a client’s new office to the use, subdivision and land development approval of an entire shopping center.
• Appearing before local planning and zoning boards. Among them, the shareholders in the Real Estate Group have over 100 years combined experience practicing before these boards and regularly appear in support of their clients’ projects. On any night, FLB attorneys likely will be in several different municipalities providing representation to the Firm’s numerous real estate and land use clients.
• Drafting amendments and rezoning petitions to zoning and land development ordinances.
• Handling governmental matters related to land development with agencies such as the Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation and Environmental Protection and the County Conservation Districts.
• Reviewing and negotiating documents associated with project approvals.
• Arguing zoning and land use decisions before the local Common Pleas Courts and the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania.

Our attorneys work closely with our real estate clients in acquisitions, sales, development financing, exchanges and all manner of real estate-related transactions.  We routinely guide our clients with permitting and entitlements, taking the process through governmental approvals, and assist in overseeing development of projects large and small, through commencement of construction and to post-development project completion.  In addition to our strong land use, subdivision and zoning practice (which includes local, state and federal agency and environmental matters), we provide counsel in the areas of leasing, licensing and tax assessment appeals.

Our attorneys work closely with our real estate clients in acquisitions, sales, development financing, exchanges and all aspects of real estate-related transactions. We routinely guide our clients with permitting and entitlements, taking the process through governmental approvals, and assist in overseeing development of projects large and small, through commencement of construction and to post-development project completion. In addition to our strong land use, subdivision and zoning practice (which includes local, state and federal agency and environmental matters), we provide counsel in the areas of leasing, licensing and tax assessment appeals.

Our attorneys have significant experience in commercial lending, from both the lender and borrower perspectives. Our relationships with traditional banks as well as private and specialty lenders enable us to match our borrower clients with the optimal financing source.

Every year, we close a significant volume of commercial loan transactions in the Lehigh Valley and in Bucks, Montgomery, Berks, Chester and Philadelphia Counties, as well as in New Jersey.

In choosing the right lender for your needs, negotiating favorable loan terms and covenants documenting the transaction, or advising owners on loan amendments or forbearance agreements, FLB is well-positioned to add value.

Our attorneys are devoted to providing the highest quality legal representation and advice to owners of residential, commercial and industrial real estate in Pennsylvania Tax Assessment Appeals.

Our clients own multi-tenant office buildings, corporate headquarters buildings, assisted care facilities, warehouses, golf courses, retail buildings, multi-unit housing and residential homes in Lehigh, Northampton, Monroe and Montgomery counties and the surrounding areas. We work closely with you and quality appraisers and financial and valuation specialists.

We also have experience and a deep understanding of the complexities of public utility appeals governed by Pennsylvania’s Public Utility Realty Tax Act (PURTA), which allow us to creatively address assessment challenges.

We know that early involvement of legal counsel is crucial when the power of eminent domain is used by either a government or public utility.

Those burdened with a taking are entitled to just compensation and the utility or governmental agency exercising this extraordinary power must balance the interest of its constituents with those of the property owner.

Our knowledge of the law, when combined with our significant real estate and trial experience, can help advance your interests.

We represent landlords and tenants locally, regionally, and nationally in retail, industrial, warehouse, and office leasing. Our experience ranges from lease transactions involving office buildings, mixed-use projects, and shopping centers to warehouses and flex buildings. Our attorneys are experienced in the unique issues that accompany the various types of leases and are able to draw on that experience in drafting tailored documents for our clients.

As a member of the Community Associations Institute, FLB provides general legal representation, counseling and litigation assistance to homeowners associations (HOAs), condominiums, planned communities and property management companies throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Handling a full range of issues for our planned community clients, including governing document drafting, amendments and revisions, transition issues, covenant enforcement and assessment violation/collection issues, FLB provides competent, experienced litigation representation at every level—from administrative forums to federal court. We also provide mediation services for planned communities that choose to handle their disputes outside of a courtroom setting.

Our planned community attorneys work closely with our experienced real estate, land use and zoning attorneys to provide you with all the resources you need. We have a strong land use, subdivision and zoning practice and regularly provide counsel in the areas of leasing, licensing and tax assessment appeals.

Our attorneys also assist with additional, related issues such as fiduciary duty, bankruptcy, foreclosure, insurance coverage, labor and employment, code standards and violations, fair housing and discrimination, corporate/nonprofit matters, taxation, FHA approvals and credit-related matters.

Our attorneys consider your needs from a global perspective. Our team is ready to assist you with all manners of energy, transportation and general infrastructure projects throughout the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York region, proving a full range of legal services appropriate for your needs.

The historic growth in the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale region has presented a wide variety of unique, multi-disciplinary legal challenges for landowners and business entities.

Our area-leading real estate and development practices, our extensive knowledge of local, state and federal regulatory regimes, and our experience and relationships with the region’s banking and finance communities combine so we can offer developers a high level of service in all aspects of infrastructure related transactions.  We are here to help you through the entire transaction, from the inception of a lease through the productive life of a well, and beyond.

Our Service Areas:

• Estate planning techniques incorporating gas production royalties
• Real estate development in emerging markets
• Analysis of surface rights for leased property
• Royalty agreements and non-payment dispute resolution