CENTER FOR REAL ESTATE STUDIES

ASSOCIATES PROGRAM

A Professional Pathway in Real Estate

Information Session:

CRES will host information sessions about the Associates Program and real estate course offerings during the Spring 2013 semester. Please check back at the beginning of the Spring term for exact dates and locations.

In addition to the group information session, students interested in learning more about the Center and the Associates Program can schedule an individual meeting with Associate Director, Erin Bond, or Professor Andrew Berman at any time. Please contact each of them directly to schedule your meeting.

Application for CRES Associates Program:

There is a new application for the CRES Associates Program. To access it, please click on the red button in the left column of this webpage titled "Associates Application." Follow the instructions in the pop-up box.

Once you have submitted your complete application, expect to hear from us in about a week.

NOTE: The Center now accepts applications on a rolling-basis.

CRES Associates Program

"A Professional Pathway in Real Estate"

Click HERE to download a PDF of this Program Description

The Center for Real Estate Studies (CRES) launched the CRES Associates Program in 2008 for students who would like to focus their studies in real estate law and become affiliated with the Center for Real Estate Studies. The following is a description of the CRES Associates program for academic year 2012/13.

Background. CRES Associates will have the unique educational opportunity to examine a broad array of real estate issues in the private markets and in the public sector through an extensive selection of classroom courses, advanced seminars and independent
study projects, externships in governmental offices and real estate firms, as well as, other opportunities to participate in and attend lectures, symposia and CLE programs. Each CRES Associate will be required to complete a major project during their 3rd year (or 4th
year for evening students). The required 3rd year projects are discussed in detail below.

In completing the CRES Associates Program, you will:

Develop a coherent approach to your studies in real estate;
Obtain a deep understanding of the private practice and public regulation of real estate law;
Network with real estate practitioners and build professional contacts; and
Gain valuable skills in researching and writing about real estate law and drafting transactional documents.
Receive a notation on your transcript that you have successfully completed the requirements of the CRES Program (pending NYLS faculty approval)
Obtain the background and experience for an accelerated LL.M. in RealEstate, with credits from the Associates Program applied toward the LL.M. degree. Students interested in this option should discuss their goalsand academic planning with Professor Tracht.

Eligibility. The CRES Associates Program is separate and distinct from the CRES Harlan Scholars Program. All 1L and 2L students (Harlans and non-Harlans alike) are invited to apply to become CRES Associates. We also welcome Evening students to apply. If any of the required courses are not offered in the evening schedule, please contact Professor Berman to make alternate arrangements.

Curricular Requirements. In addition to first-year Property (4 credits in the Spring of the 1st year for Day students or 4 credits in the third term for Evening students), CRES Associates are required to complete the following courses:

Basic Gateway Course to the Study of Real Estate: Real EstateTransactions & Finance. This 3-credit upper-class elective provides thefoundation for the further study of real estate and land use related topicsand is a co- or pre-requisite for many other upper-level electives (2nd year,Fall or Spring) [3 credits];
Advanced Doctrinal Courses: A minimum of 3 courses in upper-class electives dealing primarily with real estate, environmental law, real estate finance, the public regulation of real estate, urban affairs or other courses as approved by Professor Berman [see Exhibit A for the list of approved courses] (2nd or 3rd year) [6-9 credits];
Core Courses in Related Fields: Any three (3) of the following upper-level courses: Commercial Law (3 credits); Corporations (4 credits); Wills, Trusts & Future Interests (4 credits); Federal Income Tax: Individual (4 credits); Secured Transactions (3 credits); Bankruptcy (3 credits); OR Securities Regulation (3 credits) (2nd or 3rd year) [9-12 credits];
Skills Course: At least one course that focuses on drafting, negotiation, interviewing and/or other related transactional skills [see Exhibit B for the list of approved courses] (2nd or 3rd year) [2 credits].

PARTICIPATION IN MASTER CLASSES, SYMPOSIA & OTHER SOCIAL EVENTS
CRES Associates are required to attend and to assist at all Breakfast Forums, Master Classes, symposia, public lectures and other special events hosted by the Center for Real Estate Studies. Students with scheduling conflicts should notify the Center’s Associate
Director prior to the event.

REQUIRED INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
CRES Associates are expected to set up a meeting with the CRES Associate Director prior to course selection for the upcoming academic year. This is a brief meeting where each associate is given individual time to meet with the Center’s Associate Director and
ask academic advice, as well as, confirm that they are working toward meeting all CRES-related curriculum requirements.

SAMPLE PROGRAMS:

Focus: Transactional Practice in Real Estate
The following is a sample program (25 credits excluding the required course, Property) for a student interested in a transactional real estate practice in order to comply with the curricula requirements for the CRES Associates program:

1st Year: Property (4 credits, Spring) [Required NYLS course]
2nd Year: Real Estate Transactions & Finance (3 credits, Fall) [Gateway Course] Corporations (4 credits, Fall) [Core Course in Related Field] Secured Transactions (3 credits, Fall) [Core Course in Related Field] Real Estate: Transactional Skills (2 credits, Spring) [Skills Course] Workouts, Foreclosure & Bankruptcy (3 credits, Spring) [Advanced Doctrinal Courses] Corporate Real Estate (2 credits, Spring) [Advanced Doctrinal Courses]
3rd Year:Federal Income Tax (4 credits, Fall) [Core Course in Related Field] International Real Estate (2 credits, Fall) [Advanced Doctrinal Courses] Ethical Issues in Transactional Practice (2 credits, Spring) [Advanced Doctrinal Courses]

Focus: Public Policy and Regulation of Real Estate

The following is a sample program (28 credits excluding the required course, Property) for a student interested in the public regulation of real estate in order to comply with the curricula requirements for the CRES program:

1st Year: Property (4 credits, Spring) [Required NYLS course]
2nd Year: Real Estate Transactions & Finance (3 credits, Fall) [Gateway Course] Corporations (4 credits, Fall) [Core Course in Related Field] Land Use (3 credits, Fall) [Advanced Doctrinal Courses]; Wills, Trusts & Future Interests (4 credits, Spring) [Core Course in Related Field]
3rd Year: Externship with a not-for-profit or governmental agency and co-requisite Real Estate Externship Seminar (3 credits total for Fall) [Skills Course]; Federal Income Tax (4 credits, Fall) [Core Course in Related Field]; Ethical Issues in Transactional Practice (2 credits, Spring) [Advanced Doctrinal Courses]; NYC Land Use Law (2 credits, Spring) [Advanced Doctrinal Courses]

Exhibit A

CRES Associates Program- Approved Doctrinal Courses

[Note: if any of these courses are not offered in the evening schedule, alternate
arrangements will be made for CRES Associates in the Evening Division.]

Elective Courses Dealing Primarily with Real Estate:

Drafting: Real Estate Documents
Ethical Issues in Transactional Practice
Legal Research: Real Estate
RE: Advanced Real Estate Transactions & Finance
RE: Advanced Topics
RE: Brokerage Law
RE: Capital Markets
RE: Capstone Course
RE: Commercial Leasing Law
RE: Construction Law
RE: Corporate Real Estate
RE: Co-ops & Condos Law
Real Estate Development
Real Estate Externship Placement & Seminar
RE: Financial & Economic Analysis of Real Estate (Permission req’d for JDs.)
RE: Ground Leasing Law & Practice
RE: International Real Estate
RE: Landlord & Tenant Law
RE: Shopping Center Leases – Law & Practice
RE: Title Insurance, Law of
Real Estate Transactional Skills
Real Estate Transactions & Finance
Real Estate Transactions in a Global Marketplace (London Summer Abroad)
RE: Tax Issues in Real Estate Transactions
RE: Valuations & Appraisals
RE: Workouts, Foreclosure & Bankruptcy

Elective Courses Dealing Primarily with Environmental Law and Real Estate:

Environmental Law & Policy
RE: Brownfields Redevelopment
RE: Climate Change Issues in Real Estate & Business Transactions
RE: Conservation Law & Policy
RE: Environmental Issues in Real Estate & Business Transactions
RE: Preservation Law
RE: Sustainable Development, Law of

Elective Courses Dealing Primarily with Issues of Significance to Public Policy, the Regulation of Real Estate and/or Urban Areas:

NYC Land Use Law
NYC Law Seminar
RE: Affordable Housing and Community Development
RE: Land Use Regulation
RE: Public/Private Joint Ventures
Real Estate Development
Role of the Governmental Attorney

Exhibit B

CRES Associates Program- Approved Skills Courses

[Note: if any of these courses are not offered in the evening schedule, alternate
arrangements will be made for CRES Associates in the Evening Division.]

Real Estate: Transactional Skills**
Drafting: Real Estate Documents
Drafting: Contracts
Any Project-Based Learning Course taught by a member of the Real Estate Faculty
Real Estate Externship Placement and co-requisite Real Estate Externship Seminar (2 credit externship plus 1 credit seminar)
Independent Study focused on some aspect of real estate law (Preference for interested Evening Division students.)

**With the Director’s approval, any other upper-level that involves substantial experience with negotiation, counseling, interviewing, drafting or other related skills.

Associates Application