Ruta Behrend

RUTA BEHREND was born in Panevezys, Lithuania and now resides in New York City. She obtained her degrees from Concordia International University, Tallinn, Estonia (B.A. International Law & Jurisprudence 2000) and New York Law School (J.D. 2011). With over a decade of experience in real estate law, Ruta concentrates her practice on cooperative and condominium law, including the corporate practice of boards governing co-ops and condominiums. She also maintains a focus on transactions ranging from purchases and sales to underlying mortgage financing.

Ruta serves as general counsel to a diverse range of cooperatives and condominiums. She is a trusted advisor, counseling boards as they navigate the intricacies of New York’s highly regulated real estate and commercial environment. Her experience allows her to tailor solutions to meet the distinct needs of various types of housing communities including large multi-building cooperatives, small self-managed cooperatives, condominiums, Mitchell-Lama co-ops, and HDFC cooperatives.

Ruta provides guidance to cooperative and condominium boards on corporate governance, including governing document review, revisions, compliance, interpretation, and enforcement. She has extensive experience in underlying mortgage financing and in contract drafting and negotiations, handling a diverse range of contracts vital to cooperative and condominium operations such as construction and repair, service, property management, telecommunication provider contracts, antenna leases and licenses, and laundry vendor agreements.

Ruta also oversees the cooperative transfer division within the firm, streamlining transactions and maintaining legal compliance throughout the apartment transfer process. In addition, she represents clients in residential and commercial real estate transactions. Her insights have been featured in the New York Times' "Ask Real Estate" section.

Ruta’s interests out of the office include art and classical music.

She is a member of the New York City Bar Association.