Forchelli, Curto, Deegan executes plan to be Long Island's top full service firm; With expansion of construction law department

Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana, LLP unveiled the addition of 10 attorneys to enlarge and enhance its construction law department. This addition represents the most recent step in the firm's execution of a long-term strategic plan to become Long Island's top full service law firm. The enhanced construction law department will be co-chaired by partners Peter Agovino and Joseph Asselta, both New York construction law practitioners, and will represent owners, developers, builders, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, and design professionals in all aspects of private and public construction law matters, including litigation, government contracting, commercial agreements, project labor agreements and surety bonds. "The addition of Peter and Joe, and their team, adds significant depth and breadth to the firm's substantial real estate and litigation practices and solidifies the firm's reputation as Long Island's premier law firm for real estate matters," said Jeffrey Forchelli, founder and managing partner. All 10 lawyers joining the firm were previously with Agovino & Asselta, LLP, a boutique Long Island law firm concentrating in construction law. They have extensive experience in drafting and negotiating construction and consulting contracts and counseling clients on practical, successful strategies to enforce their contract rights and to avoid and resolve disputes that may arise during the course of a project. They also regularly prosecute and defend design and construction claims in state and federal courts, administrative agencies, arbitrations and mediations. Founded in 1976, the firm's growth has been calculated and designed to meet the needs of the firm's clients and the increasing complexities in the private practice of law. Through a series of strategic additions of lateral partners and groups over the last five years, the firm has grown substantially. In 2008, the firm merged with Crowe Deegan LLP, which added 10 attorneys, enlarged the firm's zoning and land use presence in Suffolk County, and strengthened the firm's IDA benefits and government incentives capabilities. In 2011, the firm added Jeffrey Stark, a former New York Supreme Court Justice, to head the litigation department, and Gregory Lisi and his team to enhance its labor & employment department. During that same period, the firm made significant investments in its infrastructure to support this growth and its future plans. In 2009, the firm relocated to take 35,000 s/f on the top floor of RXR's Omni in Uniondale, one of Long Island's premier office buildings, and in 2012 the firm added an additional 7,200 s/f of space. The firm also updated all of its technology infrastructure and hired additional support staff and administrative personnel. With the addition of the Agovino/Asselta team, the firm has now grown to 60 attorneys with capabilities to handle a wide range of complex legal matters for a broad client base. The firm now covers virtually every area of the commercial practice of law, including real estate, tax certiorari, litigation, land use and zoning, corporate and commercial, tax, trusts & estates, banking and finance, bankruptcy, municipal, environmental, construction, and labor & employment. Jeff Forchelli said, "While we are very proud of all of the progress we have made recently, in the modern world of law firm practice you are either moving ahead or falling behind. As the practice of law and our clients' needs continue to get more complex, the Firm plans to continue to grow and execute our strategic plan to be Long Island's top full service law firm."