Michael Moshan steps into his Midtown Manhattan office most mornings with the kind of clarity that comes from doing one thing exceptionally well for nearly three decades.
"One of the biggest misconceptions is that real estate closings in New York are straightforward and mostly handled by brokers or banks, with the lawyer playing only a minor role," Moshan says. "In reality, New York has one of the most complex real estate systems in the country."
That complexity has been his professional home since 1996, when he gained admission to the New York bar fresh from The Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. He built his foundation at Gold & Gold, PC, then became a partner at Gold Scollar Moshan, PLLC in 2006. By 2014, he had launched Michael Moshan, Attorney at Law, PLLC, a solo practice that would handle hundreds and hundreds of residential real estate transactions across New York City's five boroughs and beyond.
The decision to go solo was a deliberate one. Moshan had seen how larger firms operated, watched clients get passed between associates and paralegals, and observed how messages got lost in translation. He wanted something different: Direct communication. Personal accountability.
Moshan earned his bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1991, then his law degree from Cardozo in 1995. Those credentials opened doors, but it was the work that followed that defined him.
New York real estate law presents challenges that would surprise people from other states. Co-op boards with approval processes that can derail deals. Title issues are buried in property histories going back decades. Artists in Residence regulations are specific to certain Soho buildings. Unique financing structures that require creative problem-solving.
Moshan stays current through a combination of formal education and street-level intelligence.
"I stay current by talking to the professionals on the ground, attending continuing legal education seminars, and staying connected with industry organizations," he explains. "I also make it a point to research the issues that are even remotely tangential to a real estate transaction.” "
His educational background extends beyond client work. Michael Moshan has trained real estate agents on residential real estate contracts, served as the resident real estate lawyer for "Buying into Brooklyn," a crash course in home buying for first-timers presented by Brooklyn Based, and been quoted in several New York Times articles on topics including "The Psychology of Moving," "The Broker-Free Sale," and "Homework for Condo Buyers."
Teaching sharpened his communication skills. Standing in front of real estate agents or first-time buyers, he learned that jargon creates distance while plain language builds trust. That lesson carries directly into client work. Complex legal concepts become understandable. Intimidating processes become manageable. Clients feel informed rather than overwhelmed.
Early in his career, Moshan thought effective negotiation meant being the toughest voice in the room. Experience taught him otherwise. The best negotiators listen more than they speak. They identify what truly matters to the other side and find ways to bridge gaps without sacrificing their client's priorities.
"Real estate deals succeed when everyone feels like they can walk away satisfied," he says. "My style is firm but pragmatic. I focus on solving problems, not creating them."
One transaction stands out in his memory. He represented a seller whose deal nearly collapsed due to a title defect overlooked years earlier. The client was confused. The buyer was ready to walk away. What looked like a disaster became an opportunity for creative problem-solving. Moshan brought in a title expert, coordinated with prior owners, and resolved the issue through careful structuring. The deal closed. His client later told him they had never felt so supported.
"That experience reinforced for me that the best lawyers aren't just legal technicians, they're problem-solvers who remain steady under pressure," Moshan says. "It reminded me that perspective matters: what feels like a crisis in the moment can often become a defining professional success."
His approach to negotiation reflects a broader philosophy about real estate transactions. Every deal involves multiple parties with different priorities. The lawyer who views negotiation as combat might win individual battles but lose the deal entirely. The lawyer who views negotiation as collaborative problem-solving finds ways to satisfy competing interests while protecting what matters most to their client.
Managing client expectations proves just as important as managing negotiations. Moshan addresses these through proactive communication. He does not sugarcoat problems, but he also does not let clients panic. Instead, he explains the issue, outlines the options, and provides a realistic assessment of timing and risk.
"Clients appreciate honesty and clarity, even when the news isn't what they hoped to hear," he notes. "I also remind them that delays are often part of the process, not a reflection of failure."
Clients working with Moshan know exactly who they are dealing with from start to finish. When someone hires Moshan, they get direct access to the person who knows their file inside and out. Nothing gets delegated away. Nothing falls through the cracks. That direct connection creates both efficiency and accountability in ways that larger firms struggle to match.
"Big firms try to couch this bureaucracy as somehow more efficient, but it rarely works that way," Moshan says. "The partners would rather not do the actual work. They’d prefer their associate or paralegal do it. With me, questions are answered quickly, decisions get made faster, and clients feel confident knowing I'm personally invested in their outcome."
The solo model also allows him to build genuine relationships throughout the New York real estate community. He has extensive connections with transfer agents, co-op and condo attorneys, brokers, and other seasoned professionals. These relationships matter. When a complex issue arises, he can pick up the phone and reach someone who knows him, trusts him, and wants to help find a solution.
His approach to first-time clients differs slightly from his work with repeat clients. First-timers need education and reassurance. He walks them through the process step by step, explaining each phase clearly. With long-term clients, he already knows their goals, preferences, and communication style. The relationship can move more quickly, focusing on strategy rather than process.
"What's consistent across both groups is transparency," he explains. "Whether someone is new or seasoned, they should feel fully informed and confident in the decisions they're making."
One early career experience shaped his understanding of the lawyer's role. He represented a buyer who fell in love with a property and wanted to waive nearly every protection to secure the deal. His instinct was to push back hard, but instead, he paused and explained, point by point, what they would be risking. The client listened and kept the protections in place. Weeks later, major issues surfaced that would have left them exposed without those safeguards.
"That deal reinforced one of the most important lessons of my career: clients don't just need someone to say yes to their impulses; they need a counselor who protects them, even from themselves at times," Moshan says.
Moshan's life extends well beyond real estate law. He is a dedicated tennis player who founded and ran the McCarren Tennis Ladder in Brooklyn from 2012 to 2017. He later founded the Westchester Tennis Ladders, which he continues to oversee.
Music has been another constant. He co-wrote and co-produced Rock the SAT, a study guide published by McGraw-Hill in 2007 that uses original rock music to help students memorize critical SAT vocabulary. He has played keyboard in various New York bands over the years. When schedules align, he plays with The Yacht Lobsters, a popular yacht-rock band.
Michael Moshan lives in Irvington with his wife Shana and their two sons, Nate and Mack. His interests include hiking with his dog Ziggy, Chinese beef noodles, good pizza, ramen, watching Premier League football with his boys, gardening, live music, barbecue, movies, and following the Mets and Knicks. He also plays in a local garage band called Killer Mixtape.
The values guiding his practice are clarity, trust, integrity, and responsiveness. He approaches each transaction thinking about how he would want to be treated if he were the client or the real estate agent. Real estate transactions create stress. His role is to create calm through transparency and steadiness.
"These values aren't abstract; they show up in small, daily interactions," he says. "Explaining a contract clause thoroughly, picking up the phone on a Friday evening, or telling a client when walking away is the smarter move."
Those daily interactions, repeated over thousands of transactions across nearly three decades, have built a practice that reflects one simple principle. When someone hires Michael Moshan Attorney, they get exactly what they paid for: an experienced New York real estate lawyer who will personally guide them through every step of one of the most important financial decisions they will ever make.
