Bio
Before joining Becker as a shareholder, Steve Anderson has been representing cooperatives, condominiums and homeowners associations as a member of his own law firm for 35 years; following a seven year career start as a litigator in the construction litigation and real estate litigation divisions of the New York City Law Dept, and several years in private firms.
Mr. Anderson’s practice is focused substantially on buildings/real estate in Manhattan and Brooklyn, but historically, has spanned all NYC boroughs, Westchester County, and Long Island. He has represented all types and sizes of properties and buildings: small, medium, large (up to 1,700 units), old, luxury construction, and suburban. Unlike many “Coop/Condo” attorneys, Mr. Anderson has30+ years’ experience serving as both general and litigation counsel to his clients. Indeed, his litigation, in court, negotiating skills and expertise make him particularly adept at litigation avoidance—but always ready for the vicissitudes and uncertainties inherent in litigation, as necessary in his clients’ best interests.
Mr. Anderson and his long-time partner Mitchel Ochs have built a reputation in the field, known by managing agents and attorneys inside and outside of the Coop/Condo bar, as the go-to lawyers for representation involving the most serious and intractable legal/business problems (that can take years to resolve) —always at the ready to offer pragmatic, realistic, goal-oriented legal advice.
As both general and litigation counsel for cooperatives/condominiums, Mr. Anderson has dealt with the full gamut of the practice:
- review of all agreements necessary for Boards to enter into;
- review and interpretation of constituent documents, applicable statutes, and regulatory authority;
- all manner of construction, engineering, and architectural issues and disputes;
- sponsor/holder of unsold shares issues and disputes;
- proxy fights: both defending boards and representing insurgents to obtain Board control;
- managing agent-related issues;
- objectionable conduct and related and other issues involving disputes with shareholders and unit owners;
- financial disputes with and claims against third parties and shareholders/and unit owners;
- discrimination and related issues and proceedings brought by federal, state and city agencies;
- issues involving governmental agencies spanning all aspects of building/property representation;
- served on a panel of insurer-appointed counsel to defend Boards against wrongful conduct and breach of fiduciary duty claims; and
- lecturing at seminars on cooperative issues.
Mr. Anderson received his B.A. from Brandeis University in 1979, where he graduated summa cum laude Phi Beta Kappa, received his J.D., with honors, from George Washington University Law School in 1982, was admitted to the Bar in 1982. He was initially in the Construction Litigation Division, and then the Real Estate Litigation Division of the New York City Law Department from 1982 to 1987, serving as Assistant Chief from 1985 to 1987. He was associated with the firm of Tenzer Greenblatt, and then with Mandel Resnik. from 1987 to 1989. Since 1989, Mr. Anderson has been a name partner practicing in his own firm.