News

Robin S. Abramowitz, a partner and co-chair of the Firm’s Litigation Practice Group, has been selected as a 2018 recipient of the Outstanding Women in Law Award by the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. This award is presented to women who have made meaningful and inspiring contributions to the legal community.  The award ceremony will be hosted by Judge A. Gail Prudenti, Dean of the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at The Milleridge Inn in Jericho, New York on April 24, 2018.

Steve Aptheker, a co-founder and former managing partner of the Firm, and a partner in the Litigation and Transactional practice groups, will be receiving a MoXY Award at a luncheon on April 26th at the Mansion at Oyster Bay honoring men who have advanced the careers of women.  Moxxie Mentoring Foundation, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation established in 2012 to expand the mentoring program activities formerly performed under the auspices of Moxxie Network LLC.   Its mission is to support and foster the career advancement and leadership development of young women through generational mentoring, and since 2010, Moxxie has mentored over 275 young women. Moxxie believes that women are an integral and vital part of business and that women’s innate skills and perspectives add real value to the profitability, culture and operations of an organization.   Moxxie further believes that men play an equal role in this campaign and must be included in Moxxie’s efforts.  Mr. Aptheker shares these beliefs and has played a key role advancing the careers of several women at the Firm. We congratulate Mr. Aptheker, and we applaud Moxxie for recognizing his efforts.

William Gartland and Max Sender of the Firm’s Corporate and Business practice group represented a privately held global apparel manufacturer in its acquisition of a California-based luxury sleepwear, daywear and intimate apparel brand.

William Gartland, a partner in the Firm’s Business and Corporate Law practice group, and Amy Silver, a partner in the Firm’s Commercial Real Estate practice group, represented a private held company, as special New York counsel, in connection with its assumption of a $5,800,000.00 CMBS loan.

Zachary Murdock and Todd M. Gardella, members of the Firm’s Litigation Practice Group, served as judges for the 2018 Long Island High School Ethics Bowl, sponsored by the Squire Family Foundation. Mr. Murdock was a finals judge for the ninth consecutive year. The competition, held on February 3, 2018 at Hofstra University, featured participants from schools throughout the region, with the winning team advancing to the National High School Ethics Bowl.

Firm litigation partner Zachary Murdock, representing neighbors opposing expansion of mining in the 50-acre “Sand Land” sand mine in the Southampton hamlet of Noyac, obtained a significant ruling by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Chief Administrative Law Judge in a proceeding by the mine’s owner seeking to expand its permitted mining area by 4.9 acres and to excavate the floor of its mine 40′ deeper than currently allowed. The firm’s clients, joined by the Town of Southampton, argued among other things that the DEC was precluded from considering Sand Land’s application by a provision of the Environmental Conservation Law that, to help safeguard the sole source aquifer, prohibits the DEC from processing permit applications for mines in Long Island municipalities if local zoning laws or ordinances prohibit mining uses within the area proposed to be mined. The Chief Administrative Law Judge rejected the owner’s argument that the statutory preclusion applied only to the initial permit obtained for the mine. The proceeding was suspended pending a determination by the Town Supervisor as to whether the proposed expansion is legal under the Town Code. In the Matter of Sand Land Corporation, DEC Permit Application ID No. 1-4736-00851/00003, “Ruling of the Chief Administrative Law Judge on Threshold Procedural Issue,” issued January 26, 2018.