Lecturer Bios
Todd R. Pajonas, Esq.
Todd R. Pajonas, Esq., President of Legal 1031 Exchange Services, LLC, is a member of the New York Bar and has been working in the real estate and title insurance industries since 1992. Prior to forming Legal 1031 Exchange Services, LLC Todd established the Northeast operations for two separate national qualified intermediaries, founded a national qualified intermediary which was later sold to an investor, and was counsel for two national title insurance underwriters. Todd focuses on IRC §1031 tax deferred exchanges and has received Martindale Hubbell’s prestigious AV peer review rating for attorneys.
In his position with Legal 1031 Exchange Services, LLC Todd frequently lectures on IRC §1031 tax deferred exchanges, structured installment sales, real estate taxation, cost segregation, and other real estate related topics. Todd has lectured extensively for various bar associations, CPA societies, Boards of Realtors, Land Title Associations, and many civic, real estate, tax, educational and financial organizations. Todd was a guest lecturer at the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies where he taught a class on IRC §1031 tax deferred exchanges. He has been quoted in numerous publications including The New York Times, National Real Estate Investor, Small Business Review, Shopping Center Business Magazine, and Registered Rep Magazine. On June 18, 2013 Connecticut Governor Malloy signed House Bill No. 6339 which sets forth guidelines and requirements pertaining to minimum fidelity bond and errors and omissions insurance coverage, as well as inclusion of a prudent investor standard to maintain the liquidity and preservation of the exchange funds. Todd twice gave testimony before the Connecticut Banks Committee and was the main driving force in seeing this law enacted.
Todd is the author of various legal articles, including Tax Deferred Real Property Exchanges: Do Co-Ops Qualify?, published in the New York Law Journal on August 9, 1999, Vesting and Finance Issues Related to Tax Deferred Exchanges Under IRC §1031, published in the May 2000 issue of the West Real Estate Finance Journal, The Benefits of a Tax Deferred Exchange, published in the September 2001 issue of Aviation Week’s A/C Flyer International, Property Exchanges Defer Taxes, published in the New York Law Journal on November 26, 2001, Reverse Tax Deferred Exchanges of Aircraft, published in the December 2001 issue of Aviation Week’s A/C Flyer International, Why Tax Deferred Exchanges are Good For Your Clients, published in the New York Real Estate Journal on December 31, 2001, Forming an Entity Which Allows Partners Separation While Minimizing Tax Consequences, published in the New York Real Estate Journal on January 29, 2002, Qualified Intermediaries Aid in §1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges – Providing Security, published in the New York Real Estate Journal on March 26, 2002, Taxing Complications: Sorting Out Tax-Deferred Exchanges for Tenants in Common, published in the New York Law Journal on April 10, 2002, Minimizing NY Mortgage Recording Tax, published in the May 2002 issue of the New York Real Estate Journal, Boilerplate Contract Language May Get You in Hot Water, published in the August 19, 2002 issue of the New York Law Journal, Proper Planning Is Important for Deposits, Escrows, and §1031 Tax Deferred Exchanges, published in the April, 2003 issues of the New York and New England Real Estate Journals, IRS Favors New §1031 Tax-Deferral Avenue, published in the New York Law Journal on August 18, 2003, Reporting Primary Residence Sales – The IRS has modified requirements when §1031 exchanges and partial rentals are involved, published in the New York Law Journal on March 12, 2007, Vacation Home Exchanges Clarified – The unanticipated implications of Rev. Proc. 2008-16 are broader, published in the New York Law Journal on June 23, 2008, How Mortgage Disclosure Improvement Act Has Changed Residential Closings, published in the New York Law Journal on September 2, 2009 and Eagerly awaiting a Covid-19 extension for 1031 Exchanges, published April 8, 2020 in the New York and New England Real Estate Journals.
Todd received his B.S. degree from Saint John’s University and his J.D. degree from Touro Law School. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association.
Jeffrey A. Helewitz, Esq.
Jeffrey A. Helewitz, Esq., is currently employed as an Associate Court Attorney in
the Law Department of the New York State Supreme Court, after having served as the
court attorney to the Hon. Eileen N. Nadelson until her retirement in 2008. Previously,
Mr. Helewitz maintained a private practice in corporate and trusts and estates law, and
was an Adjunct Professor of Law at both CUNY and Touro Law Schools, as well as an
Adjunct Professor of Paralegal Studies at various educational institutions in the New
York City area. A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, where he received his
J.D. and LL.M. degrees, and New York University, where he received an M.B.A. in
Finance, Mr. Helewitz is also the author of twenty legal texts and almost two dozen legal
articles.
Some of Mr. Helewitz’ publications can be accessed at:
http:www.aspenpublishers.com/search/fbsearch.asp?k=helewitz&nsrt=&stag=
Andrew K. Brotmann, Esq.
Andrew K. Brotmann, Esq., is a senior partner in The Brotmann Law Group, which concentrates in the areas of civil litigation, corporate and commercial matters, and commercial and residential real estate, including condominium and cooperative representation. The firm serves startups as well as established companies and focuses on middle-market ($1 million to $40 million) companies in the tristate region, and several of the firm’s clients rank among the largest companies in Westchester County. Mr. Brotmann has also been able to utilize his experience and represents numerous condominiums, cooperatives and homeowners’ associations handling all legal issues that face these entities. He served as an associate judge of the White Plains City Court from 1997 through 2003 and as an acting judge of the Mount Vernon (New York) and Yonkers (New York) City Courts. As a judge, he has numerous published decisions. Mr. Brotmann earned his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Pace University in White Plains, New York, after earning a B.A. degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He has been an adjunct professor at Berkeley College in White Plains, where he taught real estate in the paralegal program. Mr. Brotmann is also a frequent lecturer on such subjects as “Representing the Commercial Client” and “The Basics of Real Estate Finance.” He is admitted to practice in New York, Connecticut and the District of Columbia, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court and the Federal Courts of the Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of New York and the District of Connecticut. Mr. Brotmann presently serves as secretary of the White Plains Bar Association. He is a captain in the New York Guard and serves on the boards or executive committees of several not-for-profit corporations.
Stephen J.M. Brotmann, Esq.,
Stephen J.M. Brotmann, Esq., is the managing partner of The Brotmann Law Group, which concentrates in the areas of civil litigation, corporate and commercial matters, condominium and cooperative representation, and real estate purchase and sale transactions. Mr. Brotmann earned his undergraduate degree from Denison University in Granville, Ohio, and his law degree from Pace University in White Plains, New York. Prior to forming The Brotmann Law Group, he was a partner with the law firm of Brotmann, Oros & Brusca. Mr. Brotmann is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and the District of Columbia, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States and the Federal Courts of the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of Connecticut. He is past president of the board of directors for the Northern Westchester Bar Association. Mr. Brotmann is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Westchester County Bar Association, and the Building and Realty Institute. He is also a member of the board of advisors for First American Title Insurance Company. Mr. Brotmann’s practice encompasses purchase and sale transactions as well as significant landlord/tenant matters. He is well-known in the field of land use and subdivision matters. His clients are among the area’s most active and prestigious real estate developers, property managers and lenders. Mr. Brotmann has been engaged in a variety of complex multimillion-dollar transactions and has also been a frequent lecturer on such matters as “Financing Commercial Acquisitions” and “Contract Negotiations.”
