Sarah Fiona Phillips

Sarah Fiona Phillips joined Borah, Goldstein Altschuler, Nahins & Goidel, P.C in 2017. Ms. Phillips spent twenty years working for the City of New York. Ms. Phillips prosecuted Building Code violations for the Department of Buildings from 2004-2015. Ms. Phillips has extensive experience defending property owners against DOB, FDNY and other city issued violations.

Ms. Phillips regularly represents property owners at OATH (formerly ECB) on transient use, illegal occupancies, public assembly, work without a permit, construction site, fire safety and other violations. She also appears on criminal court summonses and before the Department of Buildings to lift stop work and vacate orders. Ms. Phillips represents clients in DHCR matters including substantial rehabilitation applications, lease renewal, and decrease in service complaints.

Significant cases include:

• DOB v Carnegie Management Inc. OATH Appeals Decision finding no illegal occupancy, declaring as Code compliant the apartment arrangements throughout the building.
• DOB v 25 Avenue C Realty LLC OATH Appeals decision found that the City failed to prove transient use, dismissing almost $10,000 in fines.
• DOB v SJS Properties, OATH Appeals decision reducing fines by $34,000.
• DOB v JD Broadway Realty, LLC OATH Appeals decision reversing the hearing judge’s decision and dismissing the work without a permit summons, saving the client more than $10,000.

Panelist:

• Building New York Condominiums 7/18/23
• Fair & Equitable Housing Regulations 7/11/23
• Resolving Complex Building Violations 2/2/23

Ms. Phillips received her J.D. from SUNY Buffalo School of Law and is a graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University and Groton School. She is admitted in New York and California.