Third generation member lectures on real estate to Columbian Lawyers

February 3, 2016 By Rob Abruzzese Brooklyn Daily Eagle

RoseAnn C. Branda and the Columbian Lawyers Association hosted Mark Caruso for a real estate transactions CLE seminar in Brooklyn on Tuesday. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese

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The Columbian Lawyers Association of Brooklyn hosted real estate lawyer Mark J. Caruso for a Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminar titled “Navigating a Real Estate Transaction” at the Red Manor in Dyker Heights on Tuesday.

“Mark Caruso has been my law partner for over 30 years and a very good, dear friend of mine,” said RoseAnn C. Branda, president of the Columbian Lawyers Association (CLA). “He is also an amazing real estate attorney in both transactional and litigation areas. I can vouch that he puts his whole heart and soul into representation of all of his clients and usually gets a very wonderful outcome.”

Caruso graduated from Hofstra University School of Law in 1977 and joined his father at Caruso and Caruso PC straight out of college. As of Jan. 1, however, Caruso joined the law firm Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Wolf, LLP. He is also chair of the Real Property Committee at the Brooklyn Bar Association.

As Branda introduced Caruso, she focused on the fact that he and his family have been members of the CLA for four generations. His grandfather, Joseph Spagna, was a founding member and the third president of the association. Caruso’s father was a member, Caruso himself joined the CLA in 1978 and his daughter Andrea Caruso is also a member.

“My daughter just tapped me on the shoulder to ask if I was nervous,” Caruso said. “I’m not, though. Everybody here is a friend. I’ve been a member of this organization since 1978 and I know everyone here so well that I’m not nervous at all.”

He did say, however, that it was a hard task coming up with new material for a group that included so many distinguished lawyers.

“I have to make sure that everybody takes at least one thing that they can leave with, that they can use or didn’t already know,” Caruso said. “This is a tough crowd, though. I have people here, like Larry DiGiovanna, who could stand here and teach me something, so it’s a tough crowd.”

Caruso, who has been practicing law for 38 years, managed to find a way to engage the audience with new information. After all, he estimated that he easily has had more than 3,000 transactions under his belt during his career.

In his lecture, Caruso described how he draws up a contract from start to finish, and described in great detail questions attorneys need to ask their clients to prepare a real estate transaction, common mistakes that can be made and things to watch out for.

“A contract is not something to be taken lightly,” Caruso cautioned. “You want to take care in making sure the contract is clear, unambiguous [and] it potentially goes into every area you need to go into. Having a well-drafted contract will avoid problems and if problems arise it will help you resolve those problems.”

The CLA will meet again at the Rex Manor on Tuesday, March 1 when Hon. Barry Kamins will give a lecture titled “The New Uniform Disciplinary Rules.” Reservations are required — call (718) 875-0158.