Irving S. "Irv" Firman - Lawyer in Pittsburgh, PA

Irv concentrates his practice onland use, zoning and real estate litigation. Prior to joining Tucker Arensberg,P.C., he served as in-house counsel to the Housing Authority of the City ofPittsburgh. He has represented land owners and developers before planningcommissions, zoning hearing boards, governing bodies, administrative agenciesand the Court of Common Pleas.

In addition, Irv serves as counsel to numerousfood service and restaurant corporations. His broad range of experience allowshim to apply creative and practical approaches in order to resolve issues in atimely and cost effective manner.Irv regularly representsrestaurants, private clubs, and hotels in matters relating to liquor licensetransfers, citation and other regulatory matters.

Irv is a shareholder and co-chair ofthe Real Estate Practice Group.

Areas of Practice:Land Use and Zoning, Real Estate, Litigation, School and Municipal

Irv works with land owners anddevelopers to meet their goals, leading to project completion. Examples ofspecific cases in this area include:

• Representationof a developer in a municipality which was openly hostile to the project. Thedeveloper wanted to construct a facility that the municipality claimed was aconditional use which would require a public hearing and would take at leastnine months for a decision. Irv worked with the developer to set forth facts inorder to classify the use as a permitted use. Irving filed an action inmandamus and was able to obtain the applicable permits within 40 days from thefiling of the action. Additionally, the municipality was ordered to pay counselfees to the client.
• Aclient sought to construct a medical office building but was unable to meetzoning requirements. Irv worked with the developer, the municipality and thecommunity and presented the project in a non-threatening way thereby obtainingthe approval with virtually no opposition.
• Representationof a prominent non-profit corporation in its expansion of its operation indowntown Pittsburgh. The client sought to consolidate its business operationsfrom two separate locations into single use building. The client required thePittsburgh City Council to enact an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance whichwould meet the clients needs. Irv worked with the client and the Cityselected officials to obtain a temporary solution. Irv was able to obtain allnecessary approval permits from the City of Pittsburgh. The client now owns andoperates their programs in their own 8 story building.
• Real Estate Litigation andNegotiationsSuccessfullydefended a Fortune 500 Company in a real estate title issue. The case hinged onwhether language in a deed created a fee simple determinable or a fee simplewith condition subsequent. Irv was able to explain this complicated issue tothe Trial Court and successfully obtained a Motion for Judgment on thePleadings which saved the client the significant cost of discovery and a trial.
• Irvobtained injunctive relief for a client who had a problem with anindustrial/commercial tenant, the tenant refused to comply with certain keylease provisions. Irv attempted to resolve the issue amicably, but the tenantwould not cooperate. After a 3-day injunction proceeding initiated by the client, thetrial court ordered the tenant to comply with all of the requested terms andconditions of the lease. The tenant immediately complied with the CourtsOrder.
• Irvs background in litigation makeshim an excellent negotiator of leases and other real estate agreements. He hasnegotiated favorable agreements on behalf of clients ranging from smallbusiness owners to large non-profit organizations