Awards 2023

Michael has been a staple in real estate development and litigation throughout the Hudson Valley and in New York City for more than three decades, advising his clients on all aspects of land use and environmental law.  His innovative and collaborative approach to many of the most challenging land use development and real estate matters has made him a well respected leader in the field, and sought after in bringing these matters to successful resolutions.

Michael co-founded Zarin & Steinmetz in 1997, and has overseen the firm’s rise as a recognized leader in the region. Michael’s practice encompasses land use/zoning, complex real estate transactions and financing, environmental law, site remediation, public-private partnerships, SEQRA/NEPA, urban renewal, administrative law, eminent domain, due diligence, and environmental and general litigation. He has helped private and municipal clients achieve their goals for transformational projects that have breathed new life into downtowns, waterfronts, and brownfield sites throughout the state. Michael specializes in developing pro-active and creative financing models, which take advantage of the latest tools in pursuing successful public-private development projects. Michael has also represented clients in numerous federal, state and administrative proceedings through-out the nation, as well as intensive arbitration and mediation proceedings.

Michael is also frequently retained by municipalities as Special Land Use and Environmental Counsel on large, complex development projects. His municipal work also includes serving as an eminent domain expert, including as an expert witness for the New York City Law Department in connection with its comprehensive blue-belt condemnation program on Staten Island.

Michael is an Adjunct Professor at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, and previously taught a “Land Use Regulation” seminar at Hofstra Law School. He has lectured at the New York University Real Estate Institute, and at the Pace Law School’s Environmental Master’s Program. He is a former member of the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association’s Environmental Section, and Co-Chair of the Land Use Committee. He also assisted the Chief Administrative Judge for the Ninth Judicial District in the formation of a Special Environmental Claims Part for the District.

Prior to forming Zarin & Steinmetz, Michael was a partner with the law firm of Sive, Paget & Riesel. He began his legal career as an associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges in its Business Reorganization Department. Michael received his Juris Doctor from Hofstra University School of Law in 1985, where he served as Articles Editor for the Hofstra Law Review. He also received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1976.

For additional information, please visit https://www.zarin-steinmetz.com/attorneys/michael-d-zarin/.

Michael J. Goonan focuses his practice on commercial real estate and asset-based finance transactions. He represents lenders in a variety of transactions, including commercial real estate lending, construction and development financing, and loans secured by hedge fund interests, fine art and other forms of collateral.

Education

• LL.M., Environmental Law and Policy, Land Use, Pace University School of Law, 2011
• J.D., cum laude, Pace University School of Law, 2011
  • Articles Editor, Pace Law Review
• B.A., magna cum laude, State University of New York at Albany, 2008

Admissions

• New York
• New Jersey

Barbara Kendall joined the NYS Department of State, Office of Planning, Development and Community Infrastructure in 2012 as a Coastal Resources Specialist in the Local Waterfront Revitalization Programs (LWRP) Unit. She is currently Co-Unit Supervisor of the LWRP Unit and as such works with New York State communities on LWRPS, watershed plans, and implementation projects; oversees the analysis, evaluation and processing of work performed by technical staff; coordinates efforts between Federal, State and local agencies; and develops and maintains guidelines and other criteria for informational and educational materials.  

Barbara has worked with communities, counties, state agencies and non-profit organizations in the environmental management field for 30 years in her capacity as a Program Assistant and then Executive Director of the Dutchess County Environmental Management Council (1993 – 2001), Executive Director of the Greenway Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley (2001 – 2003), Watershed Special Projects Coordinator for the NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program (2003 – 2009), and private consulting including management of the Hudson River Watershed Alliance. Barbara has previously served on a volunteer basis on the NYS Planning Federation Board and the NYS Association of Environmental Management Councils Board; as well as the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Conservation Advisory Council for the Town of Dover in Dutchess County. Barbara has a master’s degree from Duke University in Forest Ecology and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Williams College.

Gabriella Mickel is currently pursuing a joint JD and LLM from Pace | Haub Law and a Master's in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment. While at Haub, she was the Editor-In-Chief of the Pace Environmental Law Review 2022-2023, President of Pace | Haub Law’s Environmental Law Society 2021-2022, and a Vice Chair organizing the 2021-2022 Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition. She is enjoying her role as the Environmental Law Program Fellow and looks forward to continuing her local environmental law research and to joining Davis Polk in New York City after graduation.