Michael G. Louis
Real Estate
Real Estate
For generations, MacElree Harvey has guided clients through every stage of real estate ownership, investment, and development across Pennsylvania and Delaware.
At MacElree Harvey, our real estate attorneys represent builders, developers, investors, and property owners in a full range of real estate transactions and disputes. Whether you are acquiring, financing, developing, leasing, or selling property, our team provides the practical guidance and legal insight needed to protect your investment and achieve your goals efficiently.
Our clients include private landowners, entrepreneurial developers, lenders, and institutional investors. We handle projects of every scale, from single-family properties and residential subdivisions to large commercial, industrial, and mixed-use developments.
Comprehensive Real Estate Services
Our real estate practice covers all aspects of property ownership, management, and transfer, including:
- Real estate acquisition and sales — drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, due diligence, and title review
 - Leasing — representing landlords and tenants in commercial and residential lease negotiations
 - Financing and lending — advising borrowers and lenders in real estate financing and secured transactions
 - Development agreements and contracts — negotiation, drafting, and enforcement of complex real estate agreements
 - Condominium and homeowners’ association matters — formation, governance, and compliance
 - Easements, covenants, and property rights — creation, interpretation, and enforcement
 - Real estate litigation — resolving disputes related to ownership, title, contracts, or development
 - Tax assessment appeals and exemptions — representing property owners in challenging over-assessed property values
 
Industry Experience
Our attorneys have successfully guided clients through transactions involving:
- Shopping centers and retail developments
 - Office buildings and business parks
 - Apartment complexes and condominium conversions
 - Industrial warehouses and manufacturing facilities
 - Hotels, resorts, and hospitality projects
 - Planned residential communities and mixed-use developments
 
Why Choose MacElree Harvey
- Local knowledge: decades of experience with Pennsylvania and Delaware property laws, title issues, and closing procedures
 - Strategic advocacy: from negotiating contracts to litigating disputes, our attorneys protect your interests at every stage
 - Multi-disciplinary support: collaboration with our business, tax, and litigation teams ensures comprehensive counsel for every transaction
 - Proven results: trusted by clients for efficient closings, complex development deals, and long-term property strategies
 
Commercial Litigation
Your business is business. Ours is litigation.
A critical tool in protecting your company’s interests, litigation can also be used to attack those same vital interests – often putting your entire life’s work at risk, and leaving your future uncertain.
At MacElree Harvey, our Commercial Litigation Practice is uncompromisingly committed to providing clients with the upper hand – utilizing the advantage that comes from our years of experience, and our dedication to helping you achieve your overall goals.
With a depth of expertise and the resources expected of large firms without sacrificing the responsiveness and personal attention typically found in much smaller firms, our experienced commercial litigators advise and advocate for the rights of businesses and individuals engaged in sales, trades, and commerce.
Whether you’re an industry leader with high visibility, or a smaller family-owned franchise, from onset to closing, our attorneys are equipped with the sophisticated knowledge and training to ensure you have the right team on your side.
Our clients know that it doesn’t matter if they’re a large business involved in breach of contract dispute, a business or individual seeking to protect his or her intellectual property, or a shareholder seeking to protect his or her rights in a corporate dispute, our commercial litigators approach each matter the exact same way – with the expertise required to properly advise you on the next steps, the skill to unrelentingly fight for, or defend you – and – most importantly – the initiative to obtain the result desired.
If you would like to schedule a consultation, please call the firm at 610.436.0100 or submit the contact request form.
Banking & Finance Litigation
MacElree Harvey’s Banking and Finance Litigation practice group provides legal services to clients who encounter business or personal problems that create financial distress. Whether the financial stress relates to a customer, tenant, competitor, related company, family member, or the client itself, our attorneys are ready to provide counseling, workout solutions and litigation services.
Our Banking and Finance Litigation attorneys have decades of experience regularly working on the following types of matters:
Bankruptcy
Secured and unsecured creditor representations; relief from automatic stays; discharge objections; creditor lien preservation; and defense against debtor or bankruptcy trustee claims for preferences and fraudulent transfers.
Loan Enforcement and Collection
Lender and borrower representations in collection actions, suits on promissory notes, foreclosure actions, confessions of judgment, garnishments, loan default and delinquency proceedings; creditor representations for breach of contract; and purchaser of goods representations for breach of contract.
Real Estate Leases
Landlord representations for lease enforcement; landlord representations for renegotiation of leases in default; landlord representations for collection of delinquent rent; landlord representations for recovery of leased premises possession; landlord representations for evictions; and tenant representations and defense for breach of lease claims.
Loan Workouts
Advise lenders and borrowers regarding debt restructuring, debt consolidation or alternative financing arrangements; and negotiation of loan restructuring to fit the client’s current financial situation.
Liens
Contractor and subcontractor representations for filing of mechanic liens on residential and commercial projects; homeowner or business owner defense representations where mechanics liens have been filed against their property; repairman representations for repairman’s liens; garage representations for garage liens; and warehouse representations for warehouse liens.
Business Disputes and Complex Litigation
Business and individual representations in disputes involving complex commercial transactions and claims including but not limited to fraud, piercing the company veil, successor liability, fraudulent transfers, civil conspiracy and guarantor or personal liability.
Banking and Lender Liability Defense
Bank and other financial institution defense against claims of Uniform Commercial Code Article 3 and 4 violations, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and fraud allegations; and lender liability representations.
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Arbitration Litigation
Client representations against brokers or brokerage firms for unsuitable investments and “churning” (excessive buying and selling of securities to generate commissions for the broker) before FINRA.
Executions and Garnishments
Creditor representations to enforce judgments through sheriff sales of real estate, attachment of bank accounts and levy and sale of personal property; advise financial institutions on the attachment of customers’ accounts by creditors; and creditor and debtor post-judgment representations to stay or contest executions.
If you would like to schedule a consultation, please call the firm at 610.436.0100 or submit the contact request form.
Litigation Law
Litigation Law
From its inception, MacElree Harvey has been the home of accomplished trial lawyers serving clients in Southeastern Pennsylvania and Northern Delaware.
Our attorneys are known for their efficient and effective representation of a broad range of clients.
The firm has continued that tradition by recognizing that the legal challenges facing individuals, families, businesses, professionals, and charities can have devastating consequences if not properly prosecuted or defended.
To meet the challenges of today’s legal climate, while MacElree Harvey continues to have a broad range litigation practice, the firm has also begun to concentrate its practice areas so that clients who face a particular legal challenge in these areas can expect quality representation by the right litigation lawyer with the right level of experience.
PRACTICE AREAS
ATTORNEYS
OFFICES
ARTICLES
ALL PRACTICE AREAS
If you would like to schedule a consultation, please call the firm at 610.436.0100 or submit the contact request form.
West Chester, PA
Centreville, DE | Hockessin, DE | Kennett Square, PA | West Chester, PA
17 West Miner Street
West Chester, PA 19382
610-436-0100
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