Volume 4 Issue 1

Quarterly Newsletter

April 2026 minute read

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Industry News

Bankruptcy/Corporate Restructuring
U.S. banks are expecting stronger loan demand in 2026, according to a recent Federal Reserve survey. Read more about the survey in this article.
 
According to this article, private credit’s “zero-loss fantasy” is coming to an end as defaults and fund exits rise, prompting comparisons to the Global Financial Crisis in 2008. 
 
Corporate/M&A
For the first time in over a decade, two blockbuster mergers involving U.S. food companies ranked among the biggest global transactions in the first quarter of 2026, while megadeals across all sectors have reached record highs, as companies seek to address shifting consumer tastes, rising tariffs, and slowing growth. Read more here. Relatedly, a $64 billion deal has the potential to bring the world’s biggest music label, Universal Music Group, to New York. The details of the possible acquisition are reported in this article.
 
Commercial Litigation/ADR
On February 10, 2026, in United States v. Heppner, No. 25-cr-00503-JSR (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 28, 2025), U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff ruled that a defendant’s use of the generative AI tool to analyze legal exposure is not protected by attorney-client privilege or the work product doctrine. Read more here.
 
Real Estate
In March, a federal court vacated the FinCEN rule requiring reporting certain information of any non-financed residential real estate transaction within the U.S. when the transaction involves transferring real estate to an entity or trust. Read here for more information.
 
Trusts and Estates
Check out this article, authored by M&B’s own Juliya Ismailov, exploring (i) the status of digitizing the process of signing a last will and testament in New York and (ii) the ways to use trust planning and other mechanisms to avoid probate of a will or plan for real estate investment in retirement. 

We're Hiring

​We’re seeking talented and friendly attorneys.

​If you are interested in working at M&B, please contact us at [email protected].

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M&B Life

Our Trusts and Estates team has grown with the addition of Sarah Gleit!  Sarah is an experienced attorney who spent years at Kramer Levin and Clifford Chance, bringing a strong corporate background and a passion for helping NYC individuals and families achieve customized, comprehensive, and efficient estate planning across multiple generations.

​Last month, M&B hosted its annual March Madness/cocktail event at Tabernacle NYC. Colleagues, clients, and friends alike enjoyed great food and drinks while taking in some exciting college basketball! 

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M&B News

Bankruptcy/Corporate Restructuring
Dave McGrail, Mona Kaplan, and Pearl Shah Dalsania assisted a distressed client in selling its family-owned retail clothing brand business to a major industry strategic buyer, providing a new customer to vendors and ongoing employment to many members of its team.
Ilana Volkov, Pearl Shah Dalsania, and Cynthia Botello are representing a debtor that operates a diversified multi-brand ecommerce platform serving consumers, businesses and institutional buyers across in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case before the New Jersey Bankruptcy Court.
For the past seven years, Ilana Volkov has been representing the holder of the largest mortgage against Oleg Cassini’s former Upper East Side mansion in a commercial foreclosure action and subsequent Chapter 11 proceeding of one of the owners. The sale of the townhouse closed last month and our client finally got paid. Read this article for more details.

Corporate/M&A 
Mendy Bensinger, Kate McGrail, Jason Bitsky, Pearl Shah Dalsania, and Steven Roz have been advising a client in the healthcare insurance industry as outside general counsel regarding compliance regulations, HR matters, and other strategic opportunities.
Pearl Shah Dalsania counseled a small business owner in (i) protecting its intellectual property, (ii) vendor disputes, and (iii) business growth strategies.
 
Commercial Litigation/ADR
Ephraim Glatt successfully defeated a motion seeking to remove a trustee in an estate litigation matter.
Ephraim Glatt and Cynthia Botello successfully defeated a motion for default judgment and motion for leave to amend the complaint on behalf of an accountant client.

Real Estate
Joshua Hager is representing a client purchasing multifamily properties for redevelopment in New Jersey.
 
Trusts and Estates
The first few months of 2026 were busy, as Juliya Ismailov wrapped up several estate planning matters involving transfers of NYC coops and condos into revocable trusts and kicked off discussions regarding the NY estate tax cliff affecting those with assets over the NY exemption (currently $7.35M per spouse). Check out our latest article on these topics.