LIEB BLOG

Legal Analysts

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Court of Appeals Clarifies Trivial Defect Doctrine

The Court of Appeals in Beltz v. City of Yonkers effectively established the Trivial Defect Doctrine in 1895, a staple in the modern defense attorney’s playbook. Therein, the court recognized that no walkway could be kept so perfectly safe so as to preclude the possibility of an accident and accordingly held that “when … the defect is so slight that no careful or prudent man would reasonably anticipate any danger from its existence … the question of defendant’s responsibility is one of law.” Perhaps shocking to a modern practitioner, the Beltz court found that a two and a half inch deep, 26 inch long and seven inch wide depression in a sidewalk was not an actionable defect. Ever since, New York courts have struggled to define when a defect in a walkway is actionable.

The full article written by Dennis C. Valet, Esq. has been published in The Suffolk Lawyer and can be found here

Lieb at Law Seeks 2016 Law School Graduates To Join Complex Litigation Team

Position: Associate Attorney (Entry Level)

Lieb at Law, P.C., is seeking the next Associate Attorney to help raise the bar and lead our profession in a collaborative, inspiring and technologically advanced setting. 

This position is ideal for an aspiring litigator with a winning attitude.  Gain hands-on litigation experience inclusive of appearances at conferences, oral arguments, depositions, trials, negotiations, mediation, arbitration, motion practice and appeals.  You will be exposed to Complex Commercial, Corporate and Real Estate Litigation; Plaintiff Personal Injury; Outside Counsel Corporate Representation; Real Estate Brokerage Litigation; Foreclosure Defense, Estate Litigation and more.  

The firm offers an educational environment that supports personal and professional growth without micromanagement or dogmatic resistance to fresh and innovative ideas.  Attorneys who prove their competence are quickly rewarded with responsibility and opportunities beyond that offered for similarly experienced attorneys at major firms. Competence trumps experience and career growth is limited only by your own ability, ambition and desire to learn and evolve. Career advancement includes partner track. 

We are looking for a potential star that is intellectually driven, who does not cut corners, fresh approach, outside-the-box thinking, and who can provide tangible fact-driven support. Our firm motto is “no case, no statute, no talk”. This means that fluff will not get you far in our firm. We challenge you to provide supporting anecdotal evidence of why you would thrive in a collaborative litigation firm that consists of 6 Attorneys, 3 Law Clerks, 2 Business Managers and 1 Paralegal.


This position is in Center Moriches which is located in Suffolk County in the Riverhead / Westhampton Area. Clients span across Long Island, New York City and Westchester. 

About The Firm: Lieb at Law’s mission is to serve as an indispensable strategic advisor to our clients, helping to minimize risk while maximizing profitability, and aggressively litigating with leading solutions. The firm’s transactional team ensures that contractual language is driven by qualitative data from the litigation field. Lieb at Law’s work product is a derivative of embracing education and technology.  Lieb at Law is fully committed to our technology based collaborative approach and believe that this operational model drives our success.

Beyond utilizing multiple legal research platforms to enable immediate access to the most recent case law and publications, the firm’s systems include cloud-based file and time management software with additional proprietary programs. As a result, Lieb Attorneys have instantaneous access to client records anywhere, even on their smartphones in court. 

Compensation: Commensurate with experience. Full benefits package.


To apply, email your resume and cover letter to careers@liebatlaw.com 

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Fair Housing Act ONLINE | 4 CE Credits | ONLINE Video Class | Instructed by Andrew Lieb, Esq.

We know that you will never want education from anywhere else after you try it!
FINALLY A FAIR HOUSING CLASS THAT IS ENTERTAINING!!!

4 CE Credits
Satisfies DOS Licensing Requirement
Instructed by Andrew Lieb, Esq.
* Works on PCs, MACs, IPADs, Tablets

Summary: Be warned - Discrimination in housing is very serious and exposes real estate agents to immense liability and the potential loss of their license. In fact, discrimination is so serious that the Department of State only requires this topic to be included in the requisite 22.5 hours of continuing education, but requires no other topic. This course is not a general survey course on discrimination, instead it explains a very specific law: The Fair Housing Act, which sets the nationwide standard for anti-discrimination laws in residential housing. The seminar will detail specific cases involving real estate agents who violated the Act. Be prepared for this course to hit home.

The Fair Housing Act ONLINE is an adaptation of the live class The Fair Housing Act offered by Lieb School. This 4 hour distance education course is designed to teach New York real estate brokers and salespersons how to perform their job without exposure to lawsuits.

This course is instructed by premiere lecturer and attorney Andrew M. Lieb, Esq., MPH, who combines video footage of live class segments with visuals, study guides, and quizzes in order to optimize your understanding of the intense materials. It is delivered in an asynchronous model to allow for accessibility whenever and wherever you find convenient while also offering note-taking and in-class comment features to provide opportunities for feedback, questions, and discussions.

Unlike the 3-credit live class, this course accounts for 4 credits of the total 2-year requirement of 22.5 credits for license renewal, thereby allowing you to satisfy more credits with just one class.

*** THIS COURSE SATISFIES THE ONLY MANDATORY CLASS REQUIREMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE OF NY (DOS) FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION PERTAINING TO FAIR HOUSING AND / OR DISCRIMINATION ***