Howard S. Koh

Howard has built his career on one principle: when businesses face high-stakes real estate disputes in New York City, they deserve a relentless advocate in their corner. Known as The Guardian of Real Estate Rights, Howard has spent more than 30 years protecting and enforcing the real estate rights of business clients across the full spectrum of disputes — commercial landlord-tenant conflicts, commercial mortgage foreclosures, mezzanine debt, mechanic’s liens, construction disputes, and partnership disagreements.

Howard represents both sides of the table with equal command. Whether advocating for landlords or tenants, lenders or borrowers, owners or contractors, Howard brings a strategic, aggressive approach that consistently delivers results. Howard’s clients trust him not only to fight hard in the courtroom, but to negotiate with precision and advise with clarity.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell Law School, Howard began his career at Proskauer Rose, an AM Law 100 firm, and now practice at Meister Seelig & Schuster, PLLC where he has built his practice and reputation over the past 25 years.

EDUCATION

J.D., Cornell Law School (Cum Laude)

B.S., University of Pennsylvania (Cum Laude)

ADMISSIONS

State of New York

Southern District of New York

Eastern District of New York

Second Circuit Court of Appeals

Before joining MSS in 2000, Mr. Koh practiced at Proskauer Rose LLP, Gordon Altman Butowsky Weitzen Shalov & Wein LLP, and Silberman & Platte LLP.

• Representation of real estate owner/manager in fiduciary duty and accounting arbitration resulting in successful buyout of minority partner and restoration of the property to financial stability.
• Successful defense of borrower in multimillion dollar mortgage foreclosure action resulting in significant discounted payoff for borrower.
• Representation of real estate owner/developer in dispute with commercial tenant at the development site resulting in successful buy-out and relocation of tenant allowing development project to proceed.
• Representation of partner in a consumer products company in an owner lock-out dispute successfully restoring partner’s management authority.
• Representation of developers and owners in defective construction cases.
• Representation of prominent restaurant operator in constructive eviction case achieving significant settlement for restaurant operator.
• Defeated fraud claims by seller of real property seeking to rescind sale based upon alleged fraud by purchaser.
• Representation of partners of a fashion company in case challenging removal of a partner’s management authority resulting in favorable settlement.
• Successful defense of former employee in trademark and unfair competition case after the employee founded a new company.
• Successfully represented business owner in preventing her former partner from obtaining ownership of the business trademarks.

HONORS

New York Metro Super Lawyers, 2020 – Present