Samuel B. Moskowitz

 
 

Practice Focus and Experience


Sandy Moskowitz practices in the real estate, business, and litigation areas. He has extensive experience in a broad range of real estate matters, including title issues, leasing, development, conveyancing, and mortgage lending. Over his almost 30-year legal career, Sandy has developed an acknowledged expertise in all facets of condominium law, including both residential and commercial condominium development, operation, and financing. Sandy’s practice also includes real estate and business litigation, and the representation of closely held businesses. For four of the last five years, Sandy has been named a Massachusetts "Super Lawyer" from a poll of Massachusetts attorneys conducted by Law and Politics Magazine.

Representative Matters


  • Representation of over 40 condominium associations of various size and composition, including mixed-use and complex multi-tiered condominiums.
  • Representation of developers in creation of residential, commercial, and mixed-use condominiums.
  • Litigation of boundary, easement, restrictive covenant, and title disputes; adverse possession claims; challenges to condominium development schemes involving phasing, land withdrawal, and affordable housing issues; and condominium construction defect cases.

Representative Reported Cases


  • Knott v. Racicot, 442 Mass. 314 (2004) - Supreme Judicial Court decision abolishing the ancient common law doctrine presuming consideration for contracts signed "under seal." Though decision was limited to option contracts, Court noted that logic of decision applies to other types of contracts as well.
  • Queler v. Skowron, 438 Mass. 304 (2002) - Supreme Judicial Court decision giving developers flexibility to use phasing and land withdrawal techniques in developing condominiums (overruling Levy v. Reardon, 43 Mass.App.Ct. 431 (1997), which limited those rights).

Professional


  • Distinctions: Peer review "AV" rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest bestowed rating; Massachusetts Super Lawyer, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009.
  • Admitted: Massachusetts; Alabama; United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts; Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts.
  • Member: Boston Bar Association, (Elected Member of Council, 2005-2008; Member, Public Service Committee, 2005-; Chairman, Real Estate Section, 1993-1995; Chairman, Condominium and Cooperative Committee, 1991-1993; Co-Chairman, Real Estate Pro Bono Committee, 1998-2008; Member, Real Estate Steering Committee, 1991-); Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts; The Abstract Club (Appointed Member); Community Associations Institute (Member, Attorneys' Committee); Omicron Delta Epsilon (international economics honor society).

Community Involvement


  • Elected a member of the Board of Directors of Greater Boston Legal Services.
  • Member of Equal Justice Coalition Legislative Committee and, in 2007, appointed Co-Chair of its Private Bar Advisory Committee.
  • Awarded the Adams Pro Bono Publico Award in June 2006 by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court for his work creating and operating the Lawyer for the Day Program at the Boston Housing Court.
  • Elected member of the Boston Bar Association Council from 2005 to 2008, and, since 2005, an appointed member of the BBA's Public Service Committee, which oversees all public service programs of the Bar Association.
  • Served as chair of the Boston Bar Association's Real Estate Section and a member of the Section's Steering Committee since 1991.
  • From 1998 to 2008, served as Co-Chair of the Boston Bar Association's Real Estate Section Pro Bono Committee, which created and operates the highly regarded Lawyer for the Day Program at the Boston Housing Court (volunteer lawyers advise unrepresented individuals with evictions and eviction defenses). In 2002, Sandy received the Denis Maguire Pro Bono Award for this work.
  • Appointed member of the Advisory Group to the Expanding Access Working Group, an adjunct to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Steering Committee on Self-Represented Litigants, established to create "unbundled" legal services pilot projects designed to expand access to attorneys.
  • Served as the Boston Bar Association's representative on the Land Court Committee on Registered Land Guidelines assisting the Court in its publication of updated and expanded "Guidelines on Registered Land."
  • Sandy is a former legal services attorney for Birmingham Area Legal Services and is still a member of the Alabama bar.

Publications and Speaking Engagements


  • Author of "Condominium-Related Liens" chapter in Massachusetts Real Estate Liens, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc., 2001.
  • Has spoken on numerous panels for the Boston and Massachusetts Bar Associations, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, and Community Associations Institute.

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