Attorneys
Michal Falkowski
Background:Michal Falkowski is a partner at Richland & Falkowski, PLLC. Focusing on real estate litigation, commercial litigation, landlord/tenant matters, and criminal defense. Originally from Poland, Michal grew up in New York City and takes exceptional pride in having the opportunity to provide legal services to the diverse residents of the City of New York and surrounding areas, including the Polish community.
Mr. Falkowski completed his Juris Doctorate at Albany Law School, graduating cum laude with a concentration in Criminal Law. While in law school, Mr. Falkowski served as Executive Editor for Coordinating on the Albany Law Review.
Admitted to practice in New York State as well as the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Mr. Falkowski is currently a member of the New York State Bar Association as well as the Queens County Bar Association.
Practice Areas:
Litigation, Real Estate, Commercial, Criminal
Daniel H. Richland
Background: An experienced civil and appellate litigator, Mr. Richland has been practicing law since 2007 and has extensive practical experience in a broad range of real estate, mortgage and tax foreclosure, civil, and commercial litigation throughout New York State as well as all manner of real estate transactions and title issues. Mr. Richland is a former Claims Counsel for Old Republic National Title Insurance Company and previously worked for First American National Title Insurance Company, before starting his own practice with Mr. Falkowski.
Education: Hofstra University School of Law; Western Connecticut State University.
Bar Admission: NY, 2008.
Practice Principle: “Know yourself, know your adversary, and you will win every time.” - Sun Tzu, the “Art of War.”
Notable Appellate Decisions:
Shukla v. Sharma, 586 Fed.App. 752 (2nd Cir. 2014) (summary decision reversing fee award in favor of law firm against client where attorney fee shifting provision in retainer was unenforceable, but declining to consider new usury argument as waived because it would have “potentially significant ramifications for attorney-client relations in New York“).
Chambers v. Weinstein, 135 A.D.3d 450 (1st Dept. 2016) (unanimously affirming lower court decision that cause of action for aiding and abetting fraud was properly pled and confirming substantial assistance element includes aider and abettor’s post-fraud efforts to conceal or launder fraudulent proceeds)
Matter of 345 W. 70th Tenants Corp. v. New York City Environmental Control Board, 143 A.D.3d 654 (1st Dept. 2016) (unanimously reversing ECB Appeal Board decision that cellar apartment in cooperative apartment building was unlawful as without substantial evidence and affected by error of law).
Franklin Credit Management Index Corp. v. Theresa Striano Revocable Trust, 152 A.D.3d 428 (1st Dept. 2017) (after granting permanent injunction previously, First Department held that first mortgagee’s successor in interest had superior ownership and possessory interest vis-à-vis court-appointed receiver from second mortgagee’s foreclosure action).