Lawson represented Q Management Properties LLC in litigation arising from its $1.825 million purchase of a distressed Water Mill property. The transaction allowed the sellers to remain for 18 months and retain the upside from a subsequent sale above an agreed return. After reacquiring the property through their LLC for approximately $2.78 million, the sellers sued, seeking to recast the arrangement as unlawful lending and asserting eight claims involving home equity theft, predatory lending, and usury.

Obtained dismissal of all claims against Q Management at the pleading stage. The defense identified broad general releases exchanged at the reacquisition closing and demonstrated that they barred the claims. Justice Linda Kevins enforced the releases and rejected the sellers’ duress argument, finding that they had assistance of counsel and failed to establish circumstances sufficient to invalidate their agreement.