Andrea Tsoukalas, Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana LLP

Name: Andrea Tsoukalas Title: Partner Company/firm: Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana LLP I joined the firm in 2005 and became partner in 2011. I concentrate my practice in zoning, land use, environmental and municipal law matters. I represent a wide variety of clients including national corporate chains, local developers and small business owners in the development of commercial and residential properties. I also have substantial experience in appellate practice and civil litigation. I litigate contract and real estate claims, corporate and partnership disputes, and regulatory claims arising out of building and zoning code violations. I am general counsel to the Long Island Gasoline Retailers Association, a nationally recognized non-profit trade association with over 600 members. I also serve as counsel to the Village of Kensington Board of Trustees, Zoning Board of Appeals and Architectural Review Board. I am also an associate member of the Long Island Builders Institute (LIBI). LIBI is an association of building industry professionals who are dedicated to making Long Island a better place to live and work. How do you contribute to your company? My biggest contribution to the firm last year was my involvement in the formation of the firm's newest practice group—The Veterinary Practice Group (VPG). The VPG was created to focus on the special needs of our veterinarian clients and to disseminate a quarterly newsletter (The Advocate) which focuses on those special needs. The VPG is a multi-discipline approach to the practice of veterinary medicine and provides a legal expertise in real estate, corporate, certiorari, litigation, tax, trusts and estates, employment and labor, and land use, zoning and municipal law matters. Our goal is to provide veterinarians with legal advice for all facets of their profession and business. As with the establishment of any business, there is a land use, zoning and municipal component to the development or expansion of veterinary hospitals, clinics and offices. I have extensive experience in all land use matters and can readily evaluate a client's goals and appear before municipal boards to obtain all requisite approvals for any type of practice group. Another component of our practice in which I am involved will include representation at administrative hearings before the New York State Education Department's Office of the Professions which investigates and prosecutes professional misconduct for licensed professions in New York State. I, along with VPG members, will meet with officials in Albany in an effort to obtain insight on "acceptable practice standards" and the current perspectives on compliance with those standards. To maintain our broad perspective, members of the VPG participate in various governmental, private and professional organizations that are key players in the veterinary world.