Pizzulli and Sweeney join Certilman Balin

Certilman Balin has added two new partners. Vincent Pizzulli Jr. has joined the real estate practice group, and Paul Sweeney has joined the litigation group. Both will be based in the firm's East Meadow office. Pizzulli concentrates his practice in real estate, zoning, land use and environmental law. He brings 26 years of experience to the firm in all aspects of complex real estate and land use matters for major real estate developers, international and domestic corporations, and municipal clients. He also represents clients in Article 78 proceedings. Prior to joining Certilman Balin, Sweeney was a partner in the litigation practice group at Hogan & Hartson in New York City. He represents clients in a broad range of commercial litigation matters before state, federal and appellate courts. For close to two decades, individuals, privately owned companies and large publicly traded entities have relied upon Sweeney's counsel in a variety of matters. He is well-versed in the following areas of law: contracts, securities, accountant's liability, legal malpractice, trade secrets, intellectual property, antitrust and class actions. Pizzulli has been appointed as special counsel to both the Smithtown and Huntington planning boards. He has served as Smithtown assistant town attorney where he was counsel to the Building Department and Code Enforcement Bureau. Additionally, he has served as a Huntington assistant town attorney where he was counsel to the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Planning Board on all zoning and land use matters. He graduated from the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1979, and earned his Juris Doctor in 1982 from St. John's University School of Law, where he served as editor-in-chief of The Forum. Sweeney has handled numerous cases involving issues of corporate governance in which he represented corporate officers and directors, as well as members of limited liability companies. He has also represented clients in employment matters concerning the enforcement of restrictive covenants and discrimination claims. Active in a number of pro bono matters concerning international human rights, he served on the board of trustees of the Fordham University School of Law Joseph P. Crowley Program in International Human Rights. He earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law in 1992 and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Vermont in 1987 Sweeney is admitted to practice in the states of New York and Connecticut, as well as in the New York Court of Appeals; the United States Court of Appeals, Second, Seventh and Ninth Circuits; and the United States District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York and the District of Arizona.