News & Articles | Marano Law P.C.

When Words Become Crimes: The Yasiel Puig Federal Verdict

On February 6, 2026, a federal jury in Los Angeles returned guilty verdicts against former Major League Baseball player Yasiel Puig, finding him guilty on two felony charges: obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators in connection with an illegal sports gambling investigation. While the case...

Collective Bargaining Agreements in Sports: How Labor Rules Shape the Business of Competition

Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) form the legal backbone of professional sports. These agreements—negotiated between leagues and players’ unions—govern compensation, working conditions, competitive balance, and dispute resolution. As a result, CBAs shape how money flows, how careers develop, and how leagues maintain long-term operational stability. By contrast, college athletics operate...

Jordan vs. NASCAR: A Dispute That Reached Beyond the Racetrack

In professional sports, competition does not end when the checkered flag falls. League structure, governance authority, and the division of revenue often become contests of equal importance, with outcomes that can reshape an entire industry. The recent antitrust confrontation between 23XI Racing—co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin—and NASCAR...

Transfer-on-Death Deeds: The New Way to Pass Real Estate Without Probate

Owning real estate in New York is a major financial milestone. However, planning how that property will pass to loved ones after death often raises difficult legal and practical questions. Traditionally, many homeowners relied on wills or trusts to address these concerns. Recently, however, New York introduced a new planning option that...

Who Pays Closing Costs in a New York Real Estate Transaction?

One of the most common—and most misunderstood—questions in a New York real estate transaction is who pays the closing costs. While buyers and sellers naturally focus on the purchase price, closing costs often determine the true financial impact of a deal. In New York, closing costs follow a combination...

The End of Traditional Real Estate Commissions

Recent nationwide litigation has triggered one of the most significant shifts in residential real estate practice in decades. Although the lawsuits originated outside New York, buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals across the state now feel their effects directly. Following the National Association of Realtors (NAR)...

Flood Zones & New York Real Estate: What Buyers Need to Know

Flood risk has shifted from a secondary concern to a central issue in New York real estate transactions. Today, flood zone classifications directly affect financing, insurance costs, property value, and long-term ownership viability. As a result, buyers can no longer afford to treat flood exposure as an issue discovered late in the...

PGA Tour’s ‘Returning Member Program’

The PGA Tour Returning Member Program allows players who previously departed for LIV Golf to apply for reinstatement. However, the Tour controls the terms of return. Brooks Koepka’s reinstatement shows how those terms operate in practice and the significant financial consequences tied to reentry. Although Koepka may once again...

‘COPA’ Laws | New York City

What Property Owners Need to Know New York City’s proposed Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA) has become a significant topic in real estate and housing policy discussions. As of early 2026, the law remains at a critical stage, with its final form dependent on further action by...

NBA Gambling Investigations: Betting, Insider Info & Legal Risk

On October 23, 2025, federal authorities announced a series of arrests arising from two related but legally distinct criminal investigations involving professional basketball figures. The cases focus on (1) the misuse of non-public information in sports betting markets and (2) an alleged illegal high-stakes gambling operation tied to organized crime.

Presidential Pardon of Changpeng Zhao: Legal Impact & Compliance Implications

Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao received a full presidential pardon issued by former President Donald Trump on October 23, 2024, removing the federal criminal penalties associated with his prior conviction for anti-money laundering compliance failures. While the pardon has generated significant public discussion, its legal effect is narrow and does not rewrite...

SEC v. Richard Heart: Jurisdiction Limits in Federal Crypto Enforcement

In SEC v. Richard Heart, a federal court dismissed a high-profile crypto enforcement action, underscoring the limits of U.S. jurisdiction in digital asset regulation. The SEC’s lawsuit, filed in July 2023, alleged that Heart raised more than $1 billion through unregistered offerings and misappropriated investor funds. On February 28,...