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Steven Warren Smollens
New York County Lawyers' Association
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Claimed Lawyer ProfileQ&A
Practice Areas
- Real Estate Law
- Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Land Use & Zoning, Residential Real Estate
- Landlord Tenant
- Evictions, Housing Discrimination, Rent Control, Tenants' Rights
Fees
- Free Consultation
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- New York
- New York State Office of Court Administration
- ID Number: 1564673
- U.S. Supreme Court
- US District Court, Eastern District
- US District Court, Southern District
Languages
- English: Spoken, Written
Professional Experience
- Member Civil Court Practice Section
- New York County Lawyers' Association
- Current
- Member Real Property Law Section; Incoming Co-Chairperson Landlord and Tenant Proceedings Committee effective February 2024
- NYSBA
- Current
- Co-Chairperson Civil Court Practice Section 2023-2026
- New York County Lawyers' Association
- - Current
- Co-Chairperson, Civil Court Practice Section, New York County Lawyers Association
- Correspondent
- New York County Landlord and Tenant Bar Association (NYCLTBA)
- - Current
- Private Practice of Law
- Law Office of Steven W. Smollens
- - Current
- Partner
- Law Office of Smollens Guralnick & Frazer
- -
- Partner
- Law Office Steven W Smollens
- -
- Manager Single Practice Law Office
- Law Office Steven W Smollens
- -
- Staff Attorney Legal Aid Society New York City Harlem Neighborhood Office
- The Legal Aid Society
- -
- Attorney Law Office of Steven W. Smollens 2000 - Present Partner Smollens Guralnick & Frazer 1990 - 2000 Partner Smollens & Guralnick 1984 - 1990 Attorney Steven W. Smollens 1982 - 1984
- United States Army (Reserve)
- -
- USAR (Reserve) Honorable Discharge 1972
Education
- Brooklyn Law School
- J.D.
- -
- City University of New York - City College
- B.A. | Political Science
- -
Awards
- CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
- New York County Lawyers' Association
- Recognition of outstanding contribution to the Association's Continuing Legal education program
- CERTIFICATE
- NYSBA
- Co-Chairperson CLE Program Residential Landlord and Tenant Practice Update
- CERTIFICATE
- NYSBA
- Speaker Residential Landlord and Tenant Practice Update
Professional Associations
- New York State Bar  # 1564673
- Member
- - Current
Publications
Articles & Publications
- Advanced Issues in Cooperative and Condominium Law,New York County Lawyers' Association CLE Nonpayment Proceedings, Warranty of Habitability, Objectionable Conduct, Nuisance, Pets and Noise
- Jack Newton Lerner Lecture Series, NYCLA Nonpayment Proceedings, Bed Bugs, Warranty of Habitability
- New York County Lawyers' Association, CLE, Jack Newton Lerner Lecture Series Objectionable Conduct, Nuisance, Pets and Noise Nonpayment Proceedings, Warranty of Habitability
- New York County Lawyers' Association, CLE, Landlord and Tenant Practice: The Jack Newton Lerner Lecture Series Non-Payment Proceedings and the Warranty of Habitability
Speaking Engagements
- NEW YORK COUNTY LAWYERS ASSOCIATION, VARIOUS CLE PROGRAM, NEW YORK
- NYCLA
- 2007 CLE entitled Jack Newton Lerner Lecture Series Bed Bugs, Warranty of Habitability 2005 Jack Newton Lerner Lecture Series Warranty of Habitability and Non Payment Proceedings 2004 Jack Newton Lerner Lecture Series Objectionable Conduct, Nuisance, Pets and Noise 2004 Advanced Issues in Coop & Condo Law 2003 Jack Newton Lerner Lecture Series Techniques in Defending and Prosecuting a Non Payment Proceeding 2002 World Trade Center Owner and Tenant Forum in Commercial Tenant Issues
Websites & Blogs
- Website
- SmollensLawOffice
Legal Answers
304 Questions Answered
- Q. Can a landlord void a lease if tenant passes away?
- A: Dear Valley Stream Tenant:
Generally, there is a right of family member succession tenancy for Rent Stabilized tenancies. These are more complex when the remaining family member lives with a non-purchasing tenant after a cooperative conversion.
Generally, a lease, even a rent-stabilized lease, is conveyed instantly as a matter of law from the deceased tenant to the decedent estate--so a landlord has no legal basis to end a tenancy upon the passing away of the tenant.
The Offering Plan should state if a non-purchasing tenant has a right as an insider to purchase the shares allocated to the apartment after a cooperative conversion and after the tenant declined to purchase during the initial ... Read More
- Q. Should I list the governing agency on the summons and complaint? Should I add on to the complaint?
- A: No. New York State (Department of State) is not a proper party. All New York domestic corporations and LLCs are registered with DOS. Amending a summons is far more complex than amending a complaint--although recent changes in the CPLR make amendments to complaints more difficult than before.
- Q. Landlord's cleaner took 5 days to take pic of wall hole they say I caused. Is their 5 day delay strong argument for me?
- A: Dear Manhattan Tenant:
A New York landlord has 14 days to present a former tenant with the written itemization of damages the landlord will charge against the tenant's security deposit and to refund the balance of the security deposit. A tenant has no right to return after moving out to make repairs. A tenant does have a right to a final walkthrough inspection of the apartment before moving out--to have time to make that type of repair.
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