Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana, LLP, one of Long Island's leading full-service law firms, has always enjoyed a solid reputation for successfully representing clients in all real estate development matters and transactions. The firm's real estate department provides comprehensive, innovative, and practical legal services for life-cycle real estate needs on a local, regional and national basis. The real estate department integrates many of the firm's other practice areas such as environmental, tax certiorari, land use and zoning, municipal incentives/IDA, corporate/commercial and litigation to provide our clients with a totally comprehensive real estate focus. Formed 35 years ago in 1976, and throughout the firm's growth, one thing has remained constant-its focus on obtaining outstanding results for clients.
As founder and managing partner, Jeffrey Forchelli has introduced a number of strategies that have secured the firm's position as one of Long Island's most prestigious law firms. According to Forchelli, "Growth has always been a part of the firm's vision. As the practice of law gets more complex, we have made business decisions to strengthen existing practice areas and add new ones to serve our clients better. Through collaboration, we continue to thrive and contribute to the firm's commitment to providing exceptional representation."
The firm has grown from a three-member firm to over 40 attorneys that handle complex matters for a broad and diverse client base. The firm is convenient to both Long Island and New York City clients. The firm's attorneys have a high level of expertise in specific areas, as well as in the general practice of law. The firm has more real estate attorneys than any other firm on Long Island and is trusted and respected by state & local government officials on both sides of the political aisle, as well as the various professional organizations and civic associations that shape any development project on Long Island.
Evidence of the firm's vision in action can be seen in a number of recent strategic moves. In 2008, the firm merged with Crowe Deegan LLP, which enhanced the specialized knowledge in real estate development and government relations/municipal law that the firm possessed. The merger added 10 attorneys and enlarged the firm's zoning and land-use presence in Suffolk County municipalities-a benefit for the expanding client base.
In 2009, the firm relocated from Mineola to the top floor of RXR Realty's The Omni building and implemented the latest in design and conference technology for law firms. This included registering the project with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for LEED Certification. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Certification is based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. In 2010, the Firm was awarded LEED Silver. It is one of the first law firms on Long Island and one of first tenants in RXR portfolio to achieve this status.
Another recent example of value added growth can be found in the firm's tax certiorari practice. The practice has concentrated in handling tax certiorari proceedings to challenge real estate tax assessments and reduce real estate taxes on Long Island, obtaining millions of dollars in real estate tax refunds and savings for its clients, which include national, regional and local owners and tenants of all types of commercial and residential properties. As a result of its success, many of the firm's clients have asked the firm to file tax certiorari proceedings in upstate New York counties. Accordingly, the firm now handles tax certiorari cases, in the upstate counties of Orange, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam.
According to partner Anthony Curto, the firm's practice areas function both independently and as a collective unit. "Each individual is responsible for exercising his or her own talents and skills, and, of course, everyone benefits from being able to obtain valuable input and expertise from other departments. Inevitably, our clients profit from having a one-stop law firm that can address all of their needs," said Curto.
Many organizations and the media have noted the exceptional qualities of the work of the attorneys of Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana, LLP. The firm has earned great distinctions for its clients and attorneys in the last few years. The firm has 13 attorneys rated "AV" - the highest legal ability and ethics rating by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. A premier rating this nationally accredited publication has established. The firm also has seven partners who have been chosen by peers as New York Super Lawyers. Another nationally recognized listing of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.
In 2010, the firm was featured as a 'Green Leader' in Newsday. The 'Green Leader' program recognizes those businesses that acknowledge the only way to move the Long Island region to a greener place is with the help of influential business leaders.
The firm was honored recently by both the Long Island Business News and the Vision Long Island organization for its handling of the Westbury Theater restoration project. The firm's land use, transaction and financing expertise helped form a true public-private partnership, among the owner, the village of Westbury, Nassau County and New York state, to obtain the zoning approvals and financing needed for the re-construction of the historic building and its conversion into a premier performing arts center.
As the Firm celebrates its 35th year anniversary, the firm continues to make strategic decisions that strengthen its range of legal expertise and encourage the next generation of legal talent. With attorneys who are extremely talented, and have the experience and skill necessary to meet the legal needs of any client, the firm is well positioned to continue its track record of success by providing exceptional service and outstanding results. Tags: