fineandblock/brochure

Real Estate	Since its founding, commercial real estate has been a principal and major activity of Fine and Block, long recognized as a highly qualified and skilled real estate firm. We have been extensively involved in commercial lending arrangements, representing both borrowers and institutional lenders, and have expertise in every aspect of the purchase, sale, leasing, landlord/tenant relations, construction, financing and development of commercial, industrial, retail and residential property. Our clients include developers, builders, investors, asset managers, property managers, contractors, banks, lenders, landlords, tenants, real estate brokers, and other real estate professionals. We have a strong practical knowledge of real estate, a depth of resources, and the capability to provide prompt and efficient service to negotiate and consummate transactions effectively and without unnecessary delay and expense in local, national and international markets.Our attorneys are experienced transactional lawyers, involved in the formation and structuring of real estate ventures and transactions; negotiating and closing real estate acquisitions, sales and exchanges; project financing; and all other components of a real estate transaction. The size and diversity of our clients provide us with a broad base of experience and significant involvement in complex and sophisticated real estate transactions in Georgia, throughout the country and internationally.
Environmental Law	Our attorneys have significant experience in environmental law issues that relate to the purchase, sale, leasing and use of real estate, having developed comprehensive environmental management strategies for entities that buy, sell, lease, manage and conduct operations upon real estate. We also have experience with the evaluation and remediation of former service station properties under both federally(c)approved and state underground storage tank (UST) programs, and under RCRA and related federal statutes, both in Georgia and in a number of other states, including Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, and Texas. Such experience extends to the counsel to clients concerning asbestos remediation and proper disposal of restaurant and other wastes.
Zoning and Land Use	The firm represents both local and national investors, developers and property owners in the metropolitan Atlanta area in the analysis of applicable zoning and land use requirements. Though analysis of legal issues, and an understanding of community and governmental standards, our attorneys develop comprehensive strategies to assist our clients to achieve their land use goals. In the complex legal issues of zoning, variances and special use permits, our attorneys have developed extensive experience and success through the administrative process and in litigation before trial and appellate courts Our participation in community affairs affords to our firm and our clients relationships with governmental and civic leaders to assist our clients to attain their goals.
Corporate/ Business	Fine and Block's corporate and business department encompasses multiple areas of practice, providing a full range of services to businesses of all kinds. We seek to be involved at the inception of a business entity, and on an ongoing basis, advising on the structure of organization through operating contracts, representation in acquisitions and mergers, and consultation on debt and equity offerings. The breadth of our experience enables us to handle legal problems and transactional projects for clients ranging from individuals and small closely held corporations to major public corporations.While larger law firms typically assign overall responsibility for business transactions to junior attorneys, Fine and Block's senior corporate attorneys personally supervise transactional work with efficient and competent support. We staff transactions with a team approach, affording depth and balance in addressing legal and practical issues and effectively utilizing attorneys with relevant expertise. In approaching each assignment, we strive to be cost(tm)conscious, staffing as efficiently as possible to achieve the client's objectives.
Liquor Licensing	One of Fine and Block's most active and fastest growing practice areas is the specialized field of liquor licensing for local and national(c)chain restaurants, nightclubs, and hotels in the metropolitan Atlanta area, together with the rendition of consulting and monitoring services in other geographical areas throughout the United States. We analyze compliance by our clients with the applicable laws, prepare and file applications, secure the requisite governmental and judicial certifications, and negotiate with and appear at administrative hearings and proceedings through, if required, litigation and appellate actions. Based upon our long experience in this area, Fine and Block has developed a working relationship with and the respect of the personnel of the applicable governmental agencies, together with a particularly useful and meaningful understanding of the businesses involved in such licensing requirements, helpful in guiding a client through organization, licensing, financing issues, and risk management.
Estate Planning and Administration	We provide estate, gift tax, and personal planning services for individuals, as well as integrated planning for corporate owners and business partners. Further, we have a depth of knowledge and experience in counsel to and service in the administration of trusts and estates. Following a detailed analysis of all appropriate legal disciplines and in coordination with independent accountants and other professionals, we structure wills and trusts with the goal of meeting each client's individual and family requirements, preserving business interests and simplifying the transfer of property to create a smoother transition of management and ownership with pre(c)mortem and post(c)mortem tax planning to minimize income, gift and estate taxes.
Litigation	Our trial attorneys offer a broad range of skills, committed to aggressively and effectively pursuing and expeditiously resolving litigation on a cost effective basis. Our experience includes a broad range of historically favorable results in commercial litigation matters before state and Federal trial and appellate courts, as well as administrative agencies and arbitration tribunals, throughout the country, including litigation in the areas of family law, landlord/tenant disputes, employment law, and wills and trusts.Our trial attorneys are integrated with all other practice groups in the firm, utilizing the resources and expertise necessary to provide vigorous and aggressive advocacy in litigation matters involving interrelated areas of the law. We have the experience, expertise and depth of support to handle complex litigation on behalf of our local, national and international clients.Our goal is to provide clients with personalized representation on a cost efficient basis. Such matters are staffed with the most economic combination of senior and junior attorneys who work closely together, making extensive use of legal assistants and support staff whenever feasible. Our firm has immediate access to all computer(c)assisted research available and computerized litigation database programs, including document organization, storage and retrieval. Recognizing that in today's environment litigation can become an expensive and time(c)consuming problem, we, therefore and when appropriate, seek to avoid protracted litigation by achieving prompt, economical and positive legal solutions through alternatives to full scale litigation, such as summary trials, arbitration, mediation, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
International Law	Our international practice involves a multi(c)faceted representation of United States companies expanding abroad and foreign nationals and corporations entering or proposing investment in the United States or already operating or investing within its borders. The firm's international practice includes involvement in structuring international transactions, joint ventures, contracts and documentation relating to assets in the United States and abroad, with involvement in the required tax analysis and the legal limitations imposed by various governments in multinational transactions. We maintain an affiliated office in the Principality of Liechtenstein and associate counsel and professionals as required to serve our clients throughout the world.