Overview

FL is a partner at Vicente LLP focusing on commercial real estate, banking and financial services and land use and zoning.  

Prior to joining Vicente LLP, FL was the Director of Legal for litigation and operations for a private REIT, Director of Development for the MidAtlantic US for a family office real estate and construction company and most recently served as a Partner and Co-Leader of the Real Estate Development and Cannabis Industry Teams at one of the largest and oldest New York State based law firms.  

Experience

Leadership & Community Involvement

• Vice-Chair, Municipal Affairs Committee, Cannabis Association of New York
• New York Cannabis Growers & Processors Assn, Advisory Board, Policy Committee; Retail Committee
• Town of Irondequoit Zoning Board of Appeals, member
• Urban Land Institute (ULI), WNY Chapter, board member
• New York State Bar Association, Committee on Cannabis Law, member
• Rochester Police Foundation, board member
• International Council of Shopping Centers, member
• ICSC National Economic Issues and Upstate New York Idea Exchange, committee member and past co-chair
• ICSC’s New York State Government Relations Committee, past chair
• Upstate New York Chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, past board member
• New York State Commercial Association of Realtors, member
• Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, board member
• Joint Military Command for the Republican National Convention, legal counsel, 2004
• U.S. Naval Academy’s Alumni Team at the World Lacrosse Championships, participant

Representative Matters

• Representation of non-profit developer on a ground up affordable housing project comprising of 7 buildings, 164 units, 25 parcel land assemblage, zoning approvals, construction and permanent financing; capital stack included 13 tranches of debt and equity including low income housing tax credits.
• Representation of non-profit developer on a ground up affordable housing project comprising 64 units, construction and permanent financing; capital stack included 10 tranches of debt and equity including low income housing tax credits.
• Representation of purchaser in 780,000 sf urban redevelopment project including acquisition, zoning approvals, brownfield clean-up program agreement, 3 phase IDA PILOT agreement and approval of foreign trade zone for property.
• Representation of seller in sale of 24 property commercial and multi-family portfolio.
• Representation of owner’s representative in construction litigation involving the design and construction of an $85 million aircraft manufacturing facility.
• Representation of shareholders in corporate judicial dissolution action of commercial real estate holding company.
• Representation of buyers and sellers in 1031 Exchanges; source potential property replacements in multi-property, multi-state 1031 Exchange.
• Representation of family real estate holding company in multi-entity corporate reorganization and restructuring.
• Representation of county Industrial Development Agencies in purchase and sale transactions, financings and general real estate matters.
• Representation of Local Development Corporations in the sale of county-owned nursing homes.
• Zoning and entitlement work for ground-up developments and re-use and rehabilitation of existing properties.
• Representation of buyers and sellers in obtaining required governmental approvals from county legislatures, State University of New York, New York State Canal Corporation, New York State Public Service Commission, New York State Department of Health as well as compliance with the New York State Public Authorities Accountability Act (“PAAA”).
• Acquisitions and financing of properties in connection with ground up and existing retail, recreational, industrial and multi-family properties.
• Draft and negotiate commercial leases and reciprocal easement agreements.
• Lease enforcement actions, evictions, mortgage foreclosures and bankruptcies.

Recognition

• New York State Commercial Association of Realtors: Affiliate of the Year, 2022
• The Best Lawyers in America: "Real Estate Law," 2023
• Institute of Real Estate Management: President’s Award
• New York State Commercial Association of Realtors: Zoning and Transaction Counsel, Deal of the Year, 2016 & 2018

Events

• Speaker, Vicente LLP, "[Webinar] Restructuring Options in Cannabis: Receiverships,” Webinar, February 16, 2023
• Speaker, Vicente LLP, "[Webinar] Checking in on New York's Journey to a Legal Cannabis Market,” Online, February 02, 2023
• Speaker, Town of Manlius Public Forum (Onondaga County NY), "Cannabis, Zoning, Sustainability and Tax Revenue Matters,” , October 12, 2022