Leni Cummins

Leni Morrison Cummins has extensive experience representing both the sponsor-developers of condominiums (condos) and cooperatives (co-ops), as well as condo, co-op, and community association boards. Her work on behalf of sponsor-developers deeply informs her work on behalf of boards — and vice versa.

She routinely advises clients on plans for new construction and condominium conversions and has extensive experience negotiating issues pertaining to construction, development, and statutory compliance. She is well known for her ability to resolve contentious disputes between sponsor-developers and boards, and frequently mediates fraud claims under the Martin Act before the New York State Office of the Attorney General.

More specifically, Leni represents sponsor-developers at every stage of the new construction or conversion process. She focuses on preventing liability before the first shovel enters the ground and often leads discussions with boards on behalf of sponsor-developers to resolve issues before they escalate.

Leni represents condo and co-op boards with respect to construction defects, underfunding, fraud, compliance, and governance. She also provides ongoing general counsel to boards in their day-to-day management of condo and co-op properties. She has experience with crisis management, mediation, negotiation, litigation, and general legal counseling, and her goal is to achieve practical solutions quickly and efficiently.

Leni is a regular contributor to the “Q & A” column of The New York Times Real Estate Section. She has also written articles published in the New York Law Journal, the New York State Bar Association Real Property Law Journal, Real Estate Weekly, Habitat Magazine, The Cooperator, and The Mann Report.

Leni earned her B.A., with honors, from the University of Michigan and her J.D., cum laude, from New York Law School. She is admitted to practice law in the states of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

EXPERIENCE :

• Represented a prominent real estate investment fund known for developing and redeveloping real estate in densely populated, ethnically-diverse urban communities.
• Represented the board of a Brooklyn condominium against its sponsor and architect for construction defects. The Supreme Court of the State of New York upheld all of the claims, and a settlement was reached prior to trial.
• Represented the board of a large Manhattan condominium in a dispute with the condominium’s sponsor-developer over construction defects and misuse of condominium funds.
• Represented the board of a new conversion condominium to pursue the condominium’s sponsor-developer for construction defects and underfunding the reserve fund.
• Represented the board of a luxury new-construction condominium against the individual principals of the sponsor-developer. Settled with each principal individually and received an assignment to pursue the General Contractor and its insurance carrier.
• Represented condominium board in a multi-phase rehabilitation of the exterior façade of several buildings, and helped them finance the cost of the project.
• Represented board of a Manhattan new construction luxury condominium against the principals of the sponsor. Won motion to keep the principals liable and thereafter negotiated a seven-figure settlement with the principals.

EDUCATION :

• New York Law School, J.D.
• University of Michigan, B.A.

BAR ADMISSIONS : Connecticut; New Jersey; New York