Deborah E. Riegel

Deborah E. Riegel joined Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. in 1994 and is a member with the firm's Litigation Department. Ms. Riegel's practice involves litigating matters involving cooperative shareholder disputes, rent regulatory issues, J-51 and Section 8, succession and non-primary residence, commercial lease disputes, tort and contract actions, and construction disputes. Ms. Riegel also provides counsel to cooperatives and condominiums on a wide range of matters. Ms. Riegel's client base ranges from small owners of residential property to major residential and commercial developers. Ms. Riegel's practice has given her a broad spectrum of experience in representing clients in every Court from the Civil Court of the City of New York to the New York State Court of Appeals, as well as the United States District Court, United States Bankruptcy Court, and the United States Court of Appeals. While her practice is primarily focused on litigation, Ms. Riegel works with clients on development issues, such as assemblage, and has successfully vacated a number of development sites in Manhattan. Ms. Riegel also works with clients, with the support of the firm's highly experienced Transactional Group, on purchase and sale agreements, leasing and construction management so as to provide a one-stop, integrated approach to managing clients' legal needs with an eye toward risk management and early dispute resolution.

Notable Work

• M&E Christopher LLC v. Lima's Taste Ceviche Bar, Inc.: Rosenberg and Estis, P.C. successfully represented the petitioner, M&E Christopher LLC ("Petitioner" or "M&E"), in securing a judgment against the respondent, Lima's Taste Ceviche Bar, Inc. ("Respondent"), after a commercial non-payment trial. The final judgment in favor of the Petitioner granted possession of the property as well as a money judgment for rent arrears in the amount of $437,961.98, including interest and late fees. The Court determined that M&E was the prevailing party and awarded attorneys' fees to be determined at a hearing.
• 68 74 Thompson Realty LLC vs. Carolyn Heard, Yvonne Tseng et al.: After the prime tenant defaulted in this non-primary residence holdover proceeding, Deborah Riegel, a member of Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. successfully represented the petitioner, 68 74 Thompson Realty LLC, in defeating a subtenant's demand for a rent-stabilized lease in her own name under an illusory tenancy theory. The petitioner was granted a judgment of possession and warrant of eviction against all respondents in this proceeding.
• 184 Joralemon LLC v. Brooklyn Law School, 31 Misc.3d 1201(A) (Sup. Ct. Kings Co. 2011)
• 184 Joralemon LLC v. Brklyn Hts Condos, LLC, et al.: In this action, Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. successfully enforced a liquidated damages provision of a contract of sale which permitted Brooklyn Law School's contract assignee to retain a $1,262,000.00 contract deposit due to a purchaser's failure to close. Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. also successfully moved for the dismissal of nine third-party claims asserted by the defendant against Brooklyn Law School and four other individual third-party defendants, including claims for breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, tortious interference with contract and prospective business opportunity, prima facie tort, misrepresentation and conversion. David Gordon, Jacqueline Swiskey v. Brian Palumbo, et al., 377 Fed. Appx. 39, 2010 WL 1909550 (C.A.2 (N.Y.)) (2010)
• Louise E. Dembeck v. 220 Central Park South, LLC, 33 A.D.3d 491, 823 N.Y.S.2d 45 (2006)
• TSI West 14, Inc. v. Samson Associates, LLC, 8 A.D.3d 51, 777 N.Y.S.2d 29 (2004)
• VNO 100 West 33rd Street LLC v. Square One of Manhattan, Inc., 22 Misc.3d 560 (Civ. Ct. N.Y. Co. 2008)
• Yenom Corp. v. 155 Wooster Street, Inc., 23 A.D.3d 259, 805 N.Y.S.2d 304 (2005)
• Flushing Expo, Inc. v. New World Mall, Queens County Clerk Index No. 28443/11
• S&P Associates of New York LLC v. Vera Salnikova and Ronald Stone: Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. successfully obtained a judgment of possession for a 2,777 square foot, five bedroom, four bathroom apartment with panoramic views of Central Park and the Time Warner Center.

Ms. Riegel received her bachelor's degree from Queens College of the City University of New York and her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Ms. Riegel is a member of the Bar of the State of New York and is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York and the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Riegel is a member of the Committee on Cooperative and Condominium Law of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York and previously served on its Housing Court Committee.

Ms. Riegel's approach to working with clients and resolving disputes was shaped by her work in private industry prior to attending law school, as well as her position as a legislative aide in the New York State Assembly. These experiences taught her the need to recognize the real world value of a case to a client, and that negotiation and compromise are often the most valuable skills in litigation.