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
