Resume

Victoria M. Brown, Esq.
201-567-6144 (NJ Office)
212-874-6181 (NY Office)

Supreme Court of the United States, Federal Circuit Court, Federal District Court, Southern and Eastern District of New York, NJ Bankruptcy Court

REAL ESTATE: Worked as in-house real estate counsel in New York City, NY for nationwide companies such as Corporate Property Investors and Shearson Lehman Brothers. This transactional work focused on commercial leasing, construction and architectural contracts, and multi-million dollar financing and real estate sales and purchases.

BUSINESS: Formed many corporations for small business clients and worked out the details of often complex shareholder agreements; bought and sold businesses for clients; prepared non-compete and confidentiality agreements on an as-needed basis; and otherwise served the needs of small business clients.

COMPUTER LAW: Beginning in 2000, began working with small business dot.com companies negotiating and litigating web development, web hosting, joint development and associated agreements.

LITIGATION: Litigated in the Superior Court of NJ (Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic counties) and in the Supreme Court of New York (New York, Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, Nassau, Westchester and Rockland Counties), the Appellate Term in NYC, and the Appellate Division, First and Second Departments in New York State. These law suits involved disputes, breaches and fraud concerning business contracts, property transfers, partnership and shareholder agreements/responsibilities, brokerage commissions, landlord/tenant matters, commercial transaction and the Uniform Commercial Code.

Levine vs Segal, 669 NYS2d 135, 174 Misc 2d 998 (1997), appealed and affirmed, 682 NYS2d 375, 1998 NY Slip Op. 11,647 (1998, 1st Dept). This case was won and set new precedence in NYS for guarantors of rent controlled leases. The guarantors who sign for tenants are now no longer held continuously liable under renewal leases when they send adequate notice to the landlord of termination of their guaranty.

Guiliano vs Carlisle, 653 NYS2d 635, 236 AD2d 364 (1997). This case involved real estate partners and lenders who invested in a real estate condominium development project. One of the hostile partners sold units against a court order and was found in contempt upon motion by Victoria M. Brown. This case clarified that an order of the court must be obeyed by all parties with knowledge of the order even if they are not a party to the litigation and even if a required bond had not yet been posted.

Check Cashing: Victoria M. Brown has succeeded in litigation against check cashing companies. The cases involved unscupulous contractors who took deposit checks for work never performed and then disappeared or became insolvent. In both instances the check cashing company had to pay for the loss because, based on the technical requirements of the law, they failed to exercize due diligence. These cases set precedent in N.J.
See: National Check Cashing v. Laurence and Lisa DesRoches (NY2007),
Fairview Check Cashing v. Hilda Solworth (NY2003)