Luise A. Barrack

Luise A. Barrack is a Member with Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. and heads the firm’s Litigation Department. Barrack served as Managing Member of the firm from 2010-2020. Under her leadership, the firm more than doubled in size and received the “Litigation Department of the Year: Real Estate” Award (2018) from the New York Law Journal. Clients come to Barrack for her killer instincts tempered by her sage counsel. She is a staunch advocate for her clients, many of whom she has represented for more than 30 years. Her no-nonsense approach has helped shape Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. into the tough and highly respected law firm it is today.

Barrack is an experienced practitioner in all of New York’s courts and she has substantial expertise in all facets of real estate litigation. Her real estate practice concentrates on representing developers, lenders, commercial owners, hoteliers, not for profit corporations and educational institutions. Barrack is one of New York’s leading Loft Law experts, handling legalization, valuation of loft fixtures, and the costs of code compliance.

Barrack also represents owners and developers in construction litigation, developments, demolitions and assemblages, and disputes including succession rights, non-primary residence, and owner occupancy. In addition, she is seasoned in cooperative, condominium, and shareholder disputes and versed in rent regulatory and administrative law, including obtaining certificates of no harassment (CONH).

Barrack has handled such wide ranging matters as defeating a claim that a developer was required to conduct an environmental study prior to filing an administrative proceeding for permission not to renew rent stabilized tenants’ leases in order to demolish a Central Park South building; reaching a multimillion dollar deal and property exchange with Columbia University; representing New York Law School in recovering a site essential to building its new urban campus; and defeating a party claiming an option to purchase an interest in a High Line building containing a chic and extremely high profile nightclub.

Notable Work

Matter of 220 CPS “Save Our Homes” Assn. v. New York State Div. of Hous. & Community Renewal, 60 A.D.3d 593, 877 N.Y.S.2d 21 (2009)

Classes / Seminars

Urban Land Institute New York’s Women’s Leadership Initiative: Career Development Night, Speaker, November 2019

Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (“HSTPA”) - What Owners and Tenants (And Their Counsel) Need to Know, Speaker, October 2019

REBNY Rent Laws Seminar, Speaker, August 2019

Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. Rent Regulation Seminar following the passage of the HSTPA of 2019, Speaker, June 2019

“The Diversity Imperative,” The Managing Partner Summit, Panelist, May 2019

NYC Rent Regulation Seminar, Guest Speaker, March 2019

Moderator - Real Estate Women’s Forum; “Turning Challenges into Opportunities in Development and Construction,” 2018

Moderator - Bisnow’s “Future of Midtown South,” 2016

NYSBA 2014 Advanced Real Estate Transactions – “Careful What You Say: Ethics in Real Estate”, 2014

New York City Bar - “Hot Topics Affecting Cooperatives & Condominiums- Cases & Marketplace Developments in the Last Six Months”, 2014

Annual Real Estate Weekly Women’s Forum - Women Who Rule: CEO and Founder’s Round Table, 2013

Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. 2013 In-house Lecture Series: Attorney Client Relations 101 (Ethics), 2013

Current Real Estate Leasing Issues (Including Ethics and Civility), New York State Bar Association, Real Property Law Section – Annual Meeting, 2012

Commercial Summary Proceedings - Landlord Representation for the Civil Court in the County of Kings, 2012

SL Green - Residential Rent Law Seminar, 2012

IMN-2nd Annual Real Estate General Counsel’s Forum (What is on your Checklist? Property Acquisitions & Due Diligence), 2012

NYSBA 2012 Advanced Real Estate Transactions – “Careful What You Say: Ethics in Real Estate”, 2012

Honors & Awards

Commercial Observer’s “Barrier-Breaker Award,” 2018

New York Real Estate Journal: 2018 Women In Real Estate

Bisnow Power Women, 2016 and 2018

Crain’s 2018 Legal List/Leading Women Lawyers in NYC

Preeminent AV Rated by Martindale Hubbell, 2012 - present

New York Super Lawyers Top Women Attorneys in the New York Metro Area, 2012-Present

Honored by New York Law Journal as a “Distinguished Leader,” 2017

Honored by Real Estate Forum as a “Woman of Influence,” 2011-2014

New York Super Lawyers, 2006 - Present

Honored by Real Estate Weekly as an Industry Leader, 2010

Honored by Real Estate New York as a “Woman of Influence,” 2008

Joseph Solomon Scholar, University of Bologna School of Law, Italy

Pro Bono Activities

YMCA Development Committee, Leadership Council

Co-Chair of the YMCA’s 2016 Annual Campaign

Professional Business Associations

Member of the Irvington Village Zoning Board, 2014-2018

New York City Bar Association, Member, Committee on Cooperative and Condominium Law, 2013-2016

New York City Bar Association, Member, Committee on the Judiciary, Class of 2010-2013