Other Information

Pandemic = Force Majeure?

Force Majeure is one of those cool sounding legal words that means “superior force” in latin or “some crazy unforeseen shit” in our world.  Force Majeure clauses pop up in your leases, catering contracts and insurance policies and they are supposed to grant relief in times like these when some unexpected thing happens.  

Sounds great, but here’s the key: no force majeure clause is exactly the same.  These provisions be read and interpreted on a case-by-case basis as the language used in these contracts ranges in scope and specificity. So while some of the more general provisions define a force majeure event as an “act of God” – which have customarily included natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes – the more specific iterations of this provision will include a detailed list of events that trigger these protections. Some contracts even specifically list “pandemic” as a force majeure event.

Last Update: March 16, 2020

Courts Are Closed

Effective Monday, March 16, 2020 all New York State and City Courts will effectively be closed with limited exceptions for certain criminal matters.  We are told that each courthouse and judge will distribute specific instructions for when and how normal operations will resume. If you have a current legal matter before a Court, your attorneys will contact you next week to discuss any specific impacts to your case.  Also, while we do not know the full scope of this yet, the Chief Judge of the State has ordered that the NYC Housing Court has imposed a one-week moratorium on all evictions in NYC, subject to further extensions. How this applies to commercial spaces is something we are paying close attention and will keep you updated.

Last Update: March 12, 2020

Links for staying updated and other resources

• World Health Organization
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
• U.S Department of Labor 
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• New York State Department of Health 
• New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Last Update: March 12, 2020