BBK Attorneys Author Two Articles Published in Riverside Lawyer Magazine

Best Best & Krieger LLP (BBK) attorneys Jessica Lomakin, Aysha Majeed, Michael Russo and Stephanie Veniez authored articles featured in the May 2025 issue of Riverside Lawyer Magazine. Veniez authored an article on emergency preparedness for the Malibu School District post wildfires. Lomakin, in collaboration with Majeed and Russo, co-authored an article offering insight into who is responsible when a natural disaster strikes commercial property.

Veniez’s article brings attention to the unique challenges that the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SM-MUSD) faces in light of its vulnerability to wildfires. Veniez argues that during wildfires and power outages, Malibu’s schools are often left unprepared and unsupported during these emergencies. Without adequate support or timely response from district leadership based in Santa Monica, these emergencies cause students to miss school, undermining student learning and trust. Frustration is growing among Malibu residents, who are pushing for better emergency preparedness, like solar power, generators and internet backup for SM-MUSD, to address the community’s specific needs.

Lomakin, Majeed and Russo’s article highlights a complex issue in commercial real estate when a natural disaster strikes: who is responsible for the damages? In their article, they emphasize that the lease agreement is ultimately what determines how the damage is handled. This means the lease agreement should specify who rebuilds, how insurance proceeds are navigated and whether either party can terminate the lease. It is also noted that insurance coverage is both imperative and complicated. This article concludes by asserting that proactive planning is essential. Landlords and tenants alike must treat casualty and insurance provisions as key parts of the lease, not boilerplate.

Read both articles in the Riverside Lawyer Magazine May 2025 issue here, pages 11 and 13.