Scott L. Lanin

Experience Matters. 32+ years’ experience helping individuals, and small & large business clients, with commercial litigation & appeals, foreclosure defense, lender liability, mortgage loan modification, business operating and shareholder agreements & advice, and Chapter 7 & 13 bankruptcy.

Scott understands all of these connected areas of law. Meet with Scott and review your options. Find your best solution. Get peace of mind from personal attention, competitive rates, flexible payment options, quality work, exceptional professional service, and a strategy to fit your budget. We strive to develop long-term relationships and help clients meet their goals.

Scott has appeared in State, Federal, Bankruptcy, and Appellate Courts in NY and the US. Outside counsel for 26+ years to a large corporation with $300 million annual revenues. Throughout his career, he has handled legal matters involving mortgages and loans totalling more than $500 million.

NY Metro SuperLawyers 2018-2022 (Top 5%); rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell; and 10/10 on Avvo. Big firm experience, small firm value & the highest qualifications. Formerly associated with a prestigious Manhattan firm and the largest Long Island firm. Former counsel to banks. NYU Stern School of Business (began at age 16; graduated 1986, Top 5%, Finance and Management). St. John’s University School of Law (1989; Law Review – Highest Honor). Pro bono extern mentor at law schools and colleges. CLE instructor (to teach other attorneys) Litigation and Foreclosure skils.

Scott Lanin is also an attorney who can fight for real. He is a certified martial arts instructor with two black belts (4th Dan in ITF Tae Kwon-Do and 2d Dan in karate). These are our core principles: avoid confrontation but fight fiercely when necessary; prepare, plan, and stay calm; negotiate from a position of strength, adapt and overcome adversity, think creatively; pay rigorous attention to details; and courtesy and integrity matter.

• Google Meet
• Zoom
• Microsoft Teams
• WhatsApp

• Free Consultation
  Please email or call us to ask if you qualify for a free 20 minute strategy session to review your alternatives. Certain complex cases may require a paid one hour consult to give your legal matter the attention it deserves.
• Credit Cards Accepted
• Contingent Fees
  We primarily handle legal matters on an hourly billing basis or for a flat fee. After we evaluate your matter, if we can assist we will quote you a fee. We require a signed written retainer agreement before we begin to provide legal services. We also offer contingency fees and hybrid fees arrangements (reduced hourly rates and reduced contingency fee percentages) for some cases.
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  We accept credit and debit cards, Zelle, Venmo, wire transfers, and checks. Cash payments may also be made in person.

New York

New York State Office of Court Administration

ID Number: 2329498

Since 1990

2nd Circuit

Pro hac vice appearances in Federal & Bankruptcy Courts in CT, DE, FL, OR, IL, MI, and NJ

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Eastern, Northern Southern & Western Districts of New York

United States District Court for the Eastern, Northern, Southern & Western Districts of New York

Law School & College Externship Instructor & Mentor

Law School Externship Programs

2009 - Current

Training students at Brooklyn Law School, St. John's University School of Law, Touro Law School, Hofstra Law School, Cardozo Law School, New York Law School, & Berkeley College. see https://laninlaw.com/legalassistants_interns/

Certified ITF Taekwon-Do & Kickboxing Instructor

Team USA Taekwon-Do Fitness & Kickboxing

2000 - Current

4th Dan Black Belt TaeKwon-Do & 2d Dan in Karate

Managing Attorney

Lanin Law P.C.

1999 - Current

Real Estate & Business Litigation, Foreclosure, Bankruptcy, Debt Collection, Corporate Law

Judge

Touro Law School, Law Student Oral Arguments

2020 - 2022

Senior Commercial Litigation Associate

Helfand & Associates

1996 - 1999

Judge

St. John's University School Of Law, Civil Trial Institute

1996

Commercial Litigation & Bankruptcy/Creditor's Rights Associate Attorney

Farrell Fritz, P.C.

1992 - 1995

Largest firm on Long Island

Associate (Corporate and Bankruptcy)

Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan LLC

1989 - 1991

Formerly know as Whitman Ransom, this law firm was an international firm with offices in Manhattan, London, Greenwich, Los Angeles, and Tokyo. It's NY office was located in the prestigious Pan Am Building on top of Grand Central Station (now the Met Life Building) at 200 Park Ave in Manhattan.

St. John's University School of Law

J.D. (1989) | Law

1986 - 1989

Honors: Law Review (Highest Law School Honor); Top 12.5% of class; Dean’s List; American Jurisprudence Award – Lawyer as Negotiator; John J. Murphy Memorial Scholarship; Law Professor/Faculty Research Assistant

New York University

B.S. (1986) | Finance and Management

1982 - 1986

Honors: Finance and Management; Entered at age 16; graduated at age 20; Top 5%, cum laude, GPA 3.64/4.0, Dean’s List; University Founders’ Day Scholar; Beta Gamma Sigma (Management Honor Society); Phi Alpha Kappa (Finance Honor Society)

10.0 Superb Rating (highest possible rating)

Avvo

2023

Super Lawyer

Super Lawyers

2023

2018-2023; Rated in top 5% of NY lawyers

Peer Rated AV Preeminent Rating

Martindale Hubbell

2023

For Highest Level of Professional Excellence

4.9/5.0 Client Rating

Nicejob Review Compilation (Google and Facebook)

2023

Based on 139 reviews as of April 2023

Top Rated Litigator

The American Lawyer Magazine and Martindale Hubbell

2021

New York State Bar Association

Member

Current

Activities: Commercial and Federal Litigation Section; Real Property Section

Bankruptcy Lawyers Network

Member

Current

International Tae Kwon-Do Federation

Certified ITF Taekwon-Do & Kickboxing Instructor - 4th Dan Black Belt TaeKwon-Do & 2d Dan in Karate

2000 - Current

New York State Bar  # 2329498

Attorney

1990 - Current

Manhattan BNI Chapter 54

Growth Coordinator - Leadership Team

2020 - 2022

Foreclosure Guide For The New York Homeowner

Avvo

2015

NY Business & Real Estate Litigator Blog – The Martial Art of Commercial Litigation

NY Business & Real Estate Litigator 1999-2015

2015

NY Foreclosure Law Blog – Solutions and Strategies for Mortgage Defaults

1999-2015

2015

Pre-Printed Invoice Terms, Course Of Dealing, And Possession Of Goods Did Not Give Creditor A Security Interest Under Articles 2 Or 9 Of The UCC

Commercial Law League Association, Bankruptcy and Insolvency Section Newsletter, Vol. 13, Issue 10, pp.1-4

1999

New York Recognizes Exception to Waiver of Attorney – Client Privilege

62 St. John’s Law Review 752

1988

Manhattan BNI Chapters 3, 53, and 54, New York, N.Y.

2022

Business Networking International

Frequent Featured Speaker for 10 years, 2012-2022

How To Handle New York Foreclosure Law

2018

CLE Course

Part 2: How to Handle Commercial Litigation and Keep Your Clients Happy

2016

CLE Course

Part 1: How to Handle Commercial Litigation and Keep Your Clients Happy

2015

CLE

Licensed New York Real Estate Broker

New York State Bar Association Department of Pro Bono Affairs

Internationally Certified TaeKwon-Do/Kickboxing Instructor

International Taekwon-Do Federation

Q. How do i stop collection agency harassment? In addition to calling me several times a day they also contact others

August 27, 2023

A: One thing you might consider doing is to write a letter to the collection agency to dispute the charge, request debt validation, and request copies of all underlying documents including the original credit agreement or contract, payment history, invoices and statements, and demand letters. They may not have the backup documentation to support the claim. You can notify them in the letter that if they do not comply you will seek all remedies available under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act which is a federal law that governs collection conduct for consumer debt. This might not stop them from harassing you but it will at least put them on notice in case you have to write a second letter. I hope this is helpful. Please note that my response here does not create any attorney-client relationship and my firm requires a signed written retainer agreement before we represent clients. Best of luck. ... Read More

Q. What happens after you default mortgage 120 days

February 3, 2023

A: After your default for 120 days, your lender or the lender's servicer may elect to send you a default notice or a letter of acceleration. Accelerating the loan means that they are calling it as fully due and payable now instead of over the regular loan term. They may also send you a 90-day pre-foreclosure notice under RPAPL 1304 which is the New York law requiring that. After they send out the necessary notifications, they might file a summons and complaint with the Supreme Court for the county where the real estate is located and a lis pendens, or notice of pendency, with the county clerk which is public notice that there is a foreclosure action pending on the property. Foreclosure can take quite a long time in New York but you should take immediate steps to address this. You should hire an experience attorney to assist you with a loan modification, foreclosure defense, or if you simply wish to get rid of the property, you may be able to surrender or sell it. There are options to consider but these options can be lost and time barred if you delay. Please note that this response does not create an attorney-client relationship with me or my firm as we do require a signed written retainer agreement to become someone's lawyer. Please feel free to reach out to us to schedule a consult if you are looking for help. I've handled many cases in Brooklyn over 30 plus years. ... Read More

Q. Does bankruptcy court have jurisdiction regarding a state judgment of foreclosure that is void?

December 28, 2022

A: If the state court issued a judgment of foreclosure, even if you believe that the note and mortgage were somehow void, your remedy would be to challenge that judgment in that court with a motion to reargue or an appeal to the higher state court. If you try to collaterally attack it in a bankruptcy court, you will likely fail. The bankruptcy court and all federal courts give state court judgments what is called full faith and credit and the prior proceeding in state court may bar subsequent litigation of the same issue under the doctrine called res judicata. This doctrine bars claims that were actually litigated before or could have been raised in the prior proceeding. There's also a federal doctrine that applies in the bankruptcy court called the Rooker-Feldman doctrine which basically works to prevent lower federal courts from hearing appeals of state court decisions. Please note that this is provided for general information only and does not create any attorney-client relationship. Our firm requires a signed retainer agreement to create such a relationship. Laws can vary in different jurisdictions. You should consult with a local attorney for specific legal advice about your case. Best of luck. ... Read More