Preview
FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 10/01/2018 05:13 PM INDEX NO. 60767/2018
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 172 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/01/2018
EXHIBIT 12
FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 10/01/2018 05:13 PM INDEX NO. 60767/2018
7/3/2018 - Christopher A. Meyers The New York Times
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 172 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/01/2018
511eNetu§orksimes
THE 30-MINUTE INTERVIEW
Christopher A. Meyers
By Vivian Marino
Sept. 30, 2014
Mr. Meyers, 46, is the managing principal of Houlihan Lawrence, a family-owned residential real
estate brokerage firm that focuses on the northern suburbs of Westchester, Dutchess and Putnam
Counties in New York and Fairfield County in Connecticut.
The company, based in Rye Brook, N.Y., is owned by Mr. Meyers, along with his brother Stephen
Meyers, the chief executive, and his sister, Nancy Seaman, the chairwoman. Mr. Meyers joined
the company in 2003.
Interview conducted and condensed by
VIVIAN MARINO
Q. How does your role in the firm differ from that of the C.E.O. and chairman?
A. In my role as managing principal, I oversee the day-to-day operations of our 26 offices and
1,200 agents and I also spearhead the growing role that technology is playing in our business.
Nancy is kind of the architect of the brand, and Stephen is responsible for the growth strategy.
Q.You perform many of the duties of a C.E.O.
A. Yes, but you know, in a family business those lines tend to get somewhat blurred.
Q. What's it like working so closely with your brother and sister?
A. Generally, it's a very positive thing. There's complete trust and intimate knowledge of one
another. Certainly no one can quite get under your skin like your siblings can, but we keep that to
a minimum.
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FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 10/01/2018 05:13 PM INDEX NO. 60767/2018
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 172
7/3/2018 Christopher A. Meyers - The New York Times RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/01/2018
I came into the business a little by accident, at least from my standpoint. I had been living in
Boston for 10 years and I worked in consulting with McKinsey, and I was in private equity when
Nancy and Stephen asked me to come do a consulting project for them. The business had grown
very rapidly, and they wanted to make sure that they had systems to support the size of the
business.
I did not realize that they were actually recruiting me. So when I presented them with my
recommendations, they invited me to join them as a partner and to come and implement some of
my ideas.
Q. Have you all ever thought about changing the company name to your family name?
A. No. For one thing, it's a name that has a legacy, and it's also kind of nice to keep a little bit of
the anonymity that comes from not having your name on the door.
Q. Do you have a broker's license?
A. When I first came into the business, my role was focused in the back office, in finance and
technology. But I did get a broker's license, and I
pretty quickly got my hands dirty in the sales
offices.
Q. Have you brokered any deals?
A. I have.
My first deal was 11 years ago. It was a transaction, about $1.5 million, in Bronxville, which is the
ancestral home of Houlihan Lawrence. I worked with a couple moving up from New York City
looking for their first home in the burbs. It ended up taking about six months before we got them
in.
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FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 10/01/2018 05:13 PM INDEX NO. 60767/2018
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 172
7/3/2018 Christopher A. Meyers - The New York Times RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/01/2018
Earl Wilson/The New York Times
Q. Houlihan Lawrence focuses on the northern suburbs of Westchester, Dutchess, Putnam and
Fairfield Counties. Are there any plans to move into New York City?
A. We do a little dabbling in the Bronx, in Riverdale. But we really see ourselves as being
specialized for the suburban markets north of New York City.
Q. How is business so far this year?
A. We're on track to exceed $5 billion in home sales this year, which will be a new milestone. We
opened our Greenwich office almost exactly a year ago, which is our first office in Connecticut,
and we'll do close to $600 million in sales there in our first year. We closed a deal for about $16
million. It was a roughly 18,000-square-foot home in the northern part of Greenwich with stone
colonial architecture.
Last year we were just under $4.7 billion. We target about 10 to 15 percent growth per year.
Q. Do you expand by opening up new offices or acquiring existing ones?
A. We've done all of the above over the years, although we have not acquired a company in over
10 years.
Q. Do you think the prevailing seller's market will continue through next year?
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FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 10/01/2018 05:13 PM INDEX NO. 60767/2018
7/3/2018 - Christopher A. Meyers The New York Times
NYSCEF DOC. NO. 172 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/01/2018
A. The market seems to be a little bit at an inflection point. We really saw a rapid recovery
coming out of the downturn, and that really ran from 2011 to 2013. It feels like the momentum
that's that - the demand, the of the of the buyer - has kind
feeding pent-up recovery psychology
of run its course. We're looking for the next catalyst that's going to kick the market to the next
gear.
Q. What are suburban buyers looking for?
A. in-town - want to live closer to the village near train lines
They really enjoy living they center,
and near access to the city. And want new - new construction or renovated homes
they really
that are like new. The old adage of real estate used to be to buy the worst home in the best
neighborhood and fix it up. People don't seem to want to do that. Part of that reality is it's not very
easy to finance that kind of renovation work today.
Q. Is credit still difficult to come by?
A. It's been loosening gradually over the last three to four years.
We actually opened up our own mortgage bank at the beginning of this year, and one of the
reasons we did that was, we wanted to be able to control all aspects of the process for our buyer
clients. We're on track this year to lend out about $150 million. We use our own capital, and we
have warehouse lines of credit with some banks.
Q. I understand the company is involved in a major rebranding campaign.
A. The process of the rebranding started in 2013 when we began preparations to commemorate
the 125th anniversary of Houlihan Lawrence. To have a 125-year history can be a little bit of a
double-edged sword, because everybody knows the brand but sometimes people's perceptions of
the brand can become fixed. A lot of the rebranding was designed to help retell our story to the
market. We've modernized the look and feel of the logo and the image. We launched a new
website and a new mobile app. We've brought so much technology into the marketplace. It's not
parents'
your Houlihan Lawrence.
Q. Where do you and your family live?
A. I live in Old Greenwich with my wife, who's a doctor, and three children, who are 12, 10 and 6.
- patients' -
My 6-year-old has already figured out that what mommy does helping save lives is
probably a little bit more serious than what daddy does, which is go out and look at pretty houses.
A version of this article appears in print on Oct. 1, 2014, on Page B10 of the New York edition with the headline: Christopher A. Meyers
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/realestate/commercial/christopher-a-meyers.html?_r=0&mtrref=www.houlihanlawrence.com&gwh=6DF61704122... 4/4
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DALILAH VILLALOBOS, ET AL. VS FINAL TOUCH CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN, ET AL.
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20STCV40002
Case Number:
20STCV40002
Hearing Date:
July 10, 2024
Dept:
28
Having set an order to show cause re: dismissal (settlement), the Court rules as follows.
BACKGROUND
On October 19, 2020, Plaintiffs Dalilah Villalobos, by and through her guardian ad litem Laura Eggleston, and Catalina Villalobos, by and through her guardian ad litem Maria Dominguez, filed this action against Defendants Final Touch Construction & Design, Luis Anthony Echeverria, Luis M. Echeverria, Chantra Sun, Lorraine Garcia, Gus Garcia, and Does 1-50 for wrongful death (motor vehicle negligence).
On October 20, 2020, the Court appointed Laura Eggleston to serve as guardian ad litem for Plaintiff Dalilah Villalobos.
On October 29, 2020, the Court appointed Maria Dominguez to serve as guardian ad litem for Catalina Villalobos.
On May 6, 2022, Defendants and Cross-Complainants
Final Touch Construction & Design, Luis Anthony Echeverria, and Luis M. Echeverria
filed an answer and a cross-complaint against Cross-Defendants Roes 1-25 for equitable/implied indemnity, apportionment and contribution, and declaratory relief.
On May 31, 2022, Defendant Chantra Sun filed an answer.
In addition, Cross-Complainant Chantra Sun, individually and as successor-in-interest to the Estate of Katrina Ariana Wilkins-Sun, filed a cross-complaint against Cross-Defendants
Final Touch Construction & Design, Luis Anthony Echeverria, Luis M. Echeverria, and Roes 1-100 for
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On August 28, 2023, Plaintiffs counsel asked the Court for additional time to submit petitions for approval of minors compromises.
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On November 28, 2023, Plaintiffs counsel asked the Court for a continuance to finish negotiations on the Medi-Cal lien and to file petitions to approve minors compromises.
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On March 8, 2024, Plaintiffs counsel did not appear, contact the Court to explain the non-appearance, file a petition to approve minors compromise, or submit a declaration showing good cause.
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Counsel stated: (1) the matter had settled, (2) he was filing petitions to approve minors compromises, and (3) he had reserved hearings on the petitions for May 21, 2024.
Counsel asked the Court to continue the order to show cause re: dismissal (settlement) and status conference re: filing of a petition to approve minor's compromise for 90 days.
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On
May 28, 2024
, the Court continued the order to show cause re: dismissal (settlement) and status conference re: filing of a petition to approve minor's compromise to July 10, 2024.
Plaintiffs have not filed petitions to approve minors compromises and have not submitted a new declaration showing good cause why the Court should not dismiss the action.
LEGAL STANDARD
Code of Civil Procedure section 583.410 provides:
(a) The court may in its discretion dismiss an action for delay in prosecution pursuant to this article on its own motion or on motion of the defendant if to do so appears to the court appropriate under the circumstances of the case.
(b) Dismissal shall be pursuant to the procedure and in accordance with the criteria prescribed by rules adopted by the Judicial Council.
(Code Civ. Proc., § 583.410.)
A discretionary dismissal under [Code of Civil Procedure section 583.410] (or for other delay in prosecution) is without prejudice to renewed litigation.
(L. Edmon & C. Karnow, Cal. Practice Guide: Civil Procedure Before Trial (Rutter 2023) ¶ 11:190.2, p. 11-83.)
California Rules of Court, rule 3.1385, provides in part:
(b) Dismissal of case
Except as provided in (c) or (d), each plaintiff or other party seeking affirmative relief must serve and file a request for dismissal of the entire case within 45 days after the date of settlement of the case. If the plaintiff or other party required to serve and file the request for dismissal does not do so, the court must dismiss the entire case 45 days after it receives notice of settlement unless good cause is shown why the case should not be dismissed.
* * *
(d) Compromise of claims of a minor or disabled person
If the settlement of the case involves the compromise of the claim of a minor or person with a disability, the court must not hold an order to show cause hearing under (b) before the court has held a hearing to approve the settlement, provided the parties have filed appropriate papers to seek court approval of the settlement.
(e) Request for additional time to complete settlement
If a party who has served and filed a notice of settlement under (a) determines that the case cannot be dismissed within the prescribed 45 days, that party must serve and file a notice and a supporting declaration advising the court of that party's inability to dismiss the case within the prescribed time, showing good cause for its inability to do so, and proposing an alternative date for dismissal. The notice and a supporting declaration must be served and filed at least 5 court days before the time for requesting dismissal has elapsed. If good cause is shown, the court must continue the matter to allow additional time to complete the settlement. The court may take such other actions as may be appropriate for the proper management and disposition of the case.
(Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1385, subds. (b), (d), (e).)
DISCUSSION
As noted, on June 14, 2023, Cross-Complainant Chantra Sun filed a notice of unconditional settlement of the entire case.
On August 28, 2023, Plaintiffs counsel confirmed the settlement by asking the Court for additional time to submit petitions to approve minors compromises.
The Court granted the continuance request and granted counsels subsequent continuance requests on November 28, 2023, April 24, 2024, and May 28, 2024.
It is now more than one year after the parties settled the case.
Under California Rules of Court, rule 3.1385(b), except as provided in subdivisions (c) or (d), the Court must dismiss the entire case 45 days after it receives notice of settlement unless good cause is shown why the case should not be dismissed.
(Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1385(b).)
Subdivision (c) of California Rules of Court, rule 3.1385, applies only to conditional settlements.
The notice of settlement here states the settlement was unconditional.
Therefore, subdivision (c) does not apply here.
Subdivision (d) of California Rules of Court, rule 3.1385, states that [i]f the settlement of the case involves the compromise of the claim of a minor or person with a disability, the court must not hold an order to show cause hearing under (b) before the court has held a hearing to approve the settlement,
provided the parties have filed appropriate papers to seek court approval of the settlement
.
(Cal. Rules of Court, rule 3.1385(d), emphasis added.)
Here, Plaintiffs have not filed appropriate papers to seek Court approval of the settlement.
Therefore, subdivision (d) does not prevent the Court from holding an order to show cause hearing.
The Court set the July 10, 2024 order to show cause hearing on May 28, 2024.
Plaintiffs have submitted no papers since May 28, 2024 demonstrating good cause why the case should not be dismissed.
The Court dismisses the case
under
Code of Civil Procedure section 583.410 and California Rules of Court, rule 3.1385(b).
CONCLUSION
Having issued an order to show cause re: dismissal (settlement) on May 28, 2024, and no good cause having been shown, the Court dismisses the case without prejudice
under Code of Civil Procedure section 583.410 and California Rules of Court, rule 3.1385(b).
The Court will give notice of this ruling.
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WASHBON vs STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
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DEMURRER ON COMPLAINT FOR
OTHER NON-PERSONAL
INJURY/PROPERTY
WASHBON VS STATE FARM
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(OVER $35,000) OF STEVE
INSURANCE COMPANY
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Dept:
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(January 23, 2024 Minute Order.) On April 24, 2024, Plaintiffs filed a Third Amended Complaint (TAC) more than two months after the Courts January 23 order. Meet and Confer Defendant Volleros counsel states that he sent a meet and confer letter to Plaintiffs counsel on May 17, 2024 detailing issues with the TAC and his availability for a telephonic meet and confer at least 5 days prior to filing the instant motions. (Rasmussen Decl.1, ¶ 5, Exh. B.) Defendant Volleros counsel states that Plaintiffs counsel did not respond to the meet and confer attempt. (Id., at ¶ 6.) In opposition, Plaintiffs counsel argues Defendant Volleros counsel failed to meet and confer because the issues were not discussed in person or by telephone as required under Code Civ. Proc., §§ 430.41, 435.5. Notwithstanding the parties conflicting ideas of meet and confer, it is very likely an informal attempt to resolve the matter would have been unsuccessful. Analysis 1. Delay in Filing of Third Amended Complaint Code Civ. Proc., § 472b, states that: [w] hen a demurrer to any pleading is sustained or overruled, and time to amend or answer is given, the time so given runs from the service of notice of the decision or order, unless the notice is waived in open court, and the waiver entered in the minutes. (Weil & Brown, Cal. Practice Guide: Civil Procedure Before Trial (The Rutter Group 2024) ¶ 7:145; Cano v. Glover (2006) 143 Cal.App.4th 326, 329-330.) After expiration of the time in which a pleading can be amended as a matter of course, the pleading can only be amended by obtaining the permission of the court. (Leader v. Health Indus. of Am., Inc. (2001) 89 Cal. App. 4th 603, 613.) While a court has discretion to require a noticed motion before permitting a plaintiff to file an amended complaint late, a court also has the discretion to accept a filing without a noticed motion. (Harlan v. Dep't of Transportation (2005) 132 Cal. App. 4th 868, 873.) The Court exercises its discretion and accepts Plaintiffs untimely filed Third Amended Complaint without a noticed motion. 2. Second Amended Complaint Holding (Alter Ego) On January 23, 2024, Judge Mark Kim sustained Defendant Volleros Demurrer to the Second Amended Complaint with leave to amend. Judge Kim ruled: All claims against Volero are plead on an alter ego theory. Plaintiffs alter ego allegations are found at ¶6 of the SAC, and merely allege that each defendant was acting as the alter ego of each other defendant. Relying on Rutherford Holdings, LLC v. Playa del Rey (2014) 223 Cal.App. 221, 236, Judge Kim held: Plaintiffs herein failed to allege any of the ultimate facts showing alter ego liability. They failed to allege unity of interest, domination and control, inadequate capitalization, etc. Voleros demurrer is therefore sustained with leave to amend. Plaintiffs must allege ultimate facts showing imposition of liability against Volero would be proper. (See January 23, 2024 Minute Order, Legal Standard on Demurrer, Alter Ego Liability, 3(h)). 3. Demurrer to the Third Amended Complaint (Alter Ego) A demurrer is a pleading used to test the legal sufficiency of other pleadings. It raises issues of law, not fact, regarding the form or content of the opposing partys pleading. It is error for the trial court to sustain a demurrer if the plaintiff has stated a cause of action under any possible legal theory, and it is an abuse of discretion for the court to sustain a demurrer without leave to amend if the plaintiff has shown there is a reasonable possibility a defect can be cured by amendment. California Logistics, Inc. v. State of California (2008) 161 Cal. App. 4th 242, 247. The burden is on the complainant to show in what manner and how that amendment will change the legal effect of the pleading. (Goodman v. Kennedy (1976) 18 Cal.3d 335, 349.) Plaintiffs allegations of alter ego in the TAC are found at ¶ 3 and 6. These allegations are identical to the alter ego allegations found at ¶ 3 and ¶6 of the SAC. No additional facts or allegations have been added by Plaintiffs. As discussed, Judge Kim found those allegations deficient as Plaintiff failed to allege any of the ultimate facts showing alter ego liability and failed to allege unity of interest, domination and control, inadequate capitalization. (January 23, 2024 Minute Order). In sum, Plaintiffs completely failed to amend or modify their operative pleading in any manner or in compliance with Judge Kims ruling. In Plaintiffs opposition, Plaintiffs request leave to amend by suggesting three new facts, previously unknown, support the theory of alter ego between Vollero and Ivory Holdings. These facts are: (1) and (2) on August 16, 2016, two separate Deeds of Trust were recorded against the subject premises with Vollero as the Beneficiary and (3) Vollero, as an individual, performed the alleged remediation of the toxic chemicals which are alleged to have harmed Plaintiffs. Assuming the new facts found in Plaintiffs Opposition are true, Plaintiffs have not met their burden demonstrating how or in what manner these new allegations support of finding that a reasonable possibility exist for Plaintiffs to cure the defects and successfully pled a theory of alter ego. (Reeder v. Specialized Loan Servicing LLC (2020) 52 Cal.App.5th 795, 805.) These additional facts show no connection between Vollero and Ivory Holdings. Even with the inclusion of those three allegations, Plaintiffs operative pleading would fail to allege any of the ultimate facts showing an alter ego theory as set forth in Rutherford (e.g. allegations of unity of interest, domination and control, inadequate capitalization). 4. Ruling The Court sustains Defendant Volleros Demurrer without leave to amend. Defendant Volleros motion to strike is now moot.
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151195/2019
Document
Howard Shock, Grace Shock v. Michael Kalina Md, Vijeyaluxmy Motilal Nehru M.D., Ali Shueib M.D., Neville Mobarakai M.D., Edward Haosheng Yu M.D., Christopher Lafferty M.D., Edwin M. Chang M.D., Staten Island University Hospital, Northwell Health, Jurdan B. Glaser, M.D., P.C., Nhpp Neurology Physicians Of Staten Island, Northwell Health Physician Partners Neurosurgery At Staten Island
May 17, 2019 |
Charles M. Troia
|
Torts - Medical, Dental, or Podiatrist Malpractice |
Torts - Medical, Dental, or Podiatrist Malpractice |
151195/2019
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FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 10/01/2018 05:13 PM INDEX NO. 60767/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 172 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/01/2018 EXHIBIT 12 FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 10/01/2018 05:13 PM INDEX NO. 60767/2018 7/3/2018 - Christopher A. Meyers The New York Times NYSCEF DOC. NO. 172 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/01/2018 511eNetu§orksimes THE 30-MINUTE INTERVIEW Christopher A. Meyers By Vivian Marino Sept. 30, 2014 Mr. Meyers, 46, is the managing principal of Houlihan Lawrence, a family-owned residential real estate brokerage firm that focuses on the northern suburbs of Westchester, Dutchess and Putnam Counties in New York and Fairfield County in Connecticut. The company, based in Rye Brook, N.Y., is owned by Mr. Meyers, along with his brother Stephen Meyers, the chief executive, and his sister, Nancy Seaman, the chairwoman. Mr. Meyers joined the company in 2003. Interview conducted and condensed by VIVIAN MARINO Q. How does your role in the firm differ from that of the C.E.O. and chairman? A. In my role as managing principal, I oversee the day-to-day operations of our 26 offices and 1,200 agents and I also spearhead the growing role that technology is playing in our business. Nancy is kind of the architect of the brand, and Stephen is responsible for the growth strategy. Q.You perform many of the duties of a C.E.O. A. Yes, but you know, in a family business those lines tend to get somewhat blurred. Q. What's it like working so closely with your brother and sister? A. Generally, it's a very positive thing. There's complete trust and intimate knowledge of one another. Certainly no one can quite get under your skin like your siblings can, but we keep that to a minimum. You have 3 free articles remaining. Subscribe to The Times https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/realestate/commercial/christopher-a-meyers.html?_r=0&mtrref=www.houlihanlawrence.com&gwh=6DF61704122... 1/4 FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 10/01/2018 05:13 PM INDEX NO. 60767/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 172 7/3/2018 Christopher A. Meyers - The New York Times RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/01/2018 I came into the business a little by accident, at least from my standpoint. I had been living in Boston for 10 years and I worked in consulting with McKinsey, and I was in private equity when Nancy and Stephen asked me to come do a consulting project for them. The business had grown very rapidly, and they wanted to make sure that they had systems to support the size of the business. I did not realize that they were actually recruiting me. So when I presented them with my recommendations, they invited me to join them as a partner and to come and implement some of my ideas. Q. Have you all ever thought about changing the company name to your family name? A. No. For one thing, it's a name that has a legacy, and it's also kind of nice to keep a little bit of the anonymity that comes from not having your name on the door. Q. Do you have a broker's license? A. When I first came into the business, my role was focused in the back office, in finance and technology. But I did get a broker's license, and I pretty quickly got my hands dirty in the sales offices. Q. Have you brokered any deals? A. I have. My first deal was 11 years ago. It was a transaction, about $1.5 million, in Bronxville, which is the ancestral home of Houlihan Lawrence. I worked with a couple moving up from New York City looking for their first home in the burbs. It ended up taking about six months before we got them in. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/iealestate/commercial/christopher-a-meyers.html?_r=0&mtrref=www.houlihanlawrence.com&gwh=6DF61704122... 2/4 FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 10/01/2018 05:13 PM INDEX NO. 60767/2018 NYSCEF DOC. NO. 172 7/3/2018 Christopher A. Meyers - The New York Times RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/01/2018 Earl Wilson/The New York Times Q. Houlihan Lawrence focuses on the northern suburbs of Westchester, Dutchess, Putnam and Fairfield Counties. Are there any plans to move into New York City? A. We do a little dabbling in the Bronx, in Riverdale. But we really see ourselves as being specialized for the suburban markets north of New York City. Q. How is business so far this year? A. We're on track to exceed $5 billion in home sales this year, which will be a new milestone. We opened our Greenwich office almost exactly a year ago, which is our first office in Connecticut, and we'll do close to $600 million in sales there in our first year. We closed a deal for about $16 million. It was a roughly 18,000-square-foot home in the northern part of Greenwich with stone colonial architecture. Last year we were just under $4.7 billion. We target about 10 to 15 percent growth per year. Q. Do you expand by opening up new offices or acquiring existing ones? A. We've done all of the above over the years, although we have not acquired a company in over 10 years. Q. Do you think the prevailing seller's market will continue through next year? https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/iealestate/commercial/christopher-a-meyers.html?_r=0&mtrref=www.houlihanlawrence.com&gwh=6DF61704122... 3/4 FILED: WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK 10/01/2018 05:13 PM INDEX NO. 60767/2018 7/3/2018 - Christopher A. Meyers The New York Times NYSCEF DOC. NO. 172 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 10/01/2018 A. The market seems to be a little bit at an inflection point. We really saw a rapid recovery coming out of the downturn, and that really ran from 2011 to 2013. It feels like the momentum that's that - the demand, the of the of the buyer - has kind feeding pent-up recovery psychology of run its course. We're looking for the next catalyst that's going to kick the market to the next gear. Q. What are suburban buyers looking for? A. in-town - want to live closer to the village near train lines They really enjoy living they center, and near access to the city. And want new - new construction or renovated homes they really that are like new. The old adage of real estate used to be to buy the worst home in the best neighborhood and fix it up. People don't seem to want to do that. Part of that reality is it's not very easy to finance that kind of renovation work today. Q. Is credit still difficult to come by? A. It's been loosening gradually over the last three to four years. We actually opened up our own mortgage bank at the beginning of this year, and one of the reasons we did that was, we wanted to be able to control all aspects of the process for our buyer clients. We're on track this year to lend out about $150 million. We use our own capital, and we have warehouse lines of credit with some banks. Q. I understand the company is involved in a major rebranding campaign. A. The process of the rebranding started in 2013 when we began preparations to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Houlihan Lawrence. To have a 125-year history can be a little bit of a double-edged sword, because everybody knows the brand but sometimes people's perceptions of the brand can become fixed. A lot of the rebranding was designed to help retell our story to the market. We've modernized the look and feel of the logo and the image. We launched a new website and a new mobile app. We've brought so much technology into the marketplace. It's not parents' your Houlihan Lawrence. Q. Where do you and your family live? A. I live in Old Greenwich with my wife, who's a doctor, and three children, who are 12, 10 and 6. - patients' - My 6-year-old has already figured out that what mommy does helping save lives is probably a little bit more serious than what daddy does, which is go out and look at pretty houses. A version of this article appears in print on Oct. 1, 2014, on Page B10 of the New York edition with the headline: Christopher A. Meyers https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/realestate/commercial/christopher-a-meyers.html?_r=0&mtrref=www.houlihanlawrence.com&gwh=6DF61704122... 4/4