Abby Hamlin is a New York City based real estate developer and civic thinker. In 1998, she founded Hamlin Ventures, which today, remains one of a handful of successful woman-owned development companies. Recently, the New York Times credited her eponymous company as the catalyst for a resurgence of townhouse development in Brooklyn, noting that the design of her two projects, 14 Townhouses and 9 Townhouses “set the bar high” for those who followed.

Prior to forming Hamlin Ventures Ms. Hamlin was President of Swig Weiler & Arnow Mgt. Co., Inc. a premiere Manhattan-based commercial real estate company that developed, owned and managed 8 million square feet of office properties in New York City and San Francisco, as well as the Fairmont Hotels. Ms. Hamlin was with Swig Weiler & Arnow for almost fifteen years, spearheading a number of large-scale development projects and managing the organization for its private owners.

An active civic leader, Ms. Hamlin is a member of the board of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and has led several of its key public design initiatives, including the CLS BID Vision Plan (a streetscape plan for Downtown Brooklyn), and “Re-Imagining the Wall,” a design competition that brought works by community arts groups (Groundswell), emerging and recognized artists (Steve Powers) to Downtown Brooklyn’s blank walls.

Recognized as an expert in the field of public design, Ms. Hamlin was a member of the board of the Van Alen Institute for Public Architecture from 2001-2010, and was its Chair from 2007-2010. As Chair she organized numerous public design events and design competitions including: Project Eco: Delta, Parks For The People, and Life at the Speed of Rail. Ms. Hamlin is a frequent participant in design juries. Most recently she served as a juror for the National Endowment For the Arts, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, the City of New Rochelle and the Enterprise Community Foundation. This year she will serve as an advisor to the Mayor’s Institute of Design. At present, Ms. Hamlin is also a Trustee of Art Omi, an outdoor sculpture park and artist’s residency program in Ghent, New York, and a board member of Trainor Dance.

Since 2010 Ms. Hamlin has been an adjunct professor of real estate development at the Graduate School of Architecture at Columbia University teaching both core development classes and serving as Director of Curriculum.

Ms. Hamlin holds a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a Masters of Urban Planning from Princeton University.

Audrey Sokoloff serves as a global head of the firm’s transactions practices and represents clients worldwide in matters relating to real estate, real estate finance and private equity, including acquisitions and sales, partnerships and joint ventures, construction and development projects, hospitality and gaming, public and private offerings of real estate-related securities and workouts, recapitalizations, and restructurings.

Belinda Schwartz has chaired Herrick’s Real Estate Department since 2014, is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee since 2017 and is a 30+ year veteran of New York City’s commercial real estate market. She is a leader and mentor for 50+ attorneys and urban planners (23 of which are women) and one of the only women in the country to chair a major commercial real estate practice.

One of the industry’s most creative real estate dealmakers, Belinda’s clients value her ability to find common ground in negotiations and achieve a desirable outcome as swiftly as possible. Her clients include prominent developers, owners, funds, investors and family-owned real estate businesses, whom she advises in complex debt and equity transactions including real estate restructurings and workouts; fund formation; property acquisitions and sales; joint ventures; development deals; construction matters; ground leases and commercial leases.

Belinda frequently advises clients in single asset and portfolio transactions involving residential, hospitality, office and retail properties across the U.S. She has also advised on several of New York City’s largest development projects, including Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Empire Stores complex, Downtown Brooklyn’s 1.8 million square-foot City Point project, and one of the largest land swaps in Manhattan history, a deal which won REBNY’s coveted Most Ingenious Deal of the Year Award. Recently, Belinda has been leading her clients through the impact of COVID-19 on their real estate transactions, development projects, workouts and restructurings, loans and leases as a critical addition to her clients' business team.

Belinda has consistently been ranked one of New York City’s leading real estate lawyers by Chambers USA, Super Lawyers, City & State and Real Estate Forum, which has twice named her a “woman of influence.” Belinda was named one of National Law Journal's Trailblazers in Real Estate/Construction Law in 2020. In 2019, Belinda was named one of Real Estate Weekly's, Real Estate Dealmakers, and in 2018, one of Real Estate Weekly’s Leading Ladies of Real Estate. In 2017, Belinda was named one of Crain’s New York Business’ top 100 women lawyers and for the past number of years she has been named one of Bisnow’s New York power women.

Katie Keenan is a Senior Managing Director in the Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies (“BREDS”) group and Chief Executive Officer of Blackstone Mortgage Trust (NYSE:BXMT), a publicly-traded commercial mortgage REIT managed by Blackstone. Ms. Keenan leads all aspects of BXMT, a real estate finance company that originates senior loans collateralized by commercial real estate in North America, Europe and Australia. Ms. Keenan is also involved in commercial debt investments across the global BREDS platform and is based in New York.

Before joining Blackstone in 2012, Ms. Keenan held positions at G2 Investment Group, Lubert-Adler Real Estate Funds and in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group at Lehman Brothers.

Ms. Keenan graduated cum laude with an A.B. in History from Harvard College. She sits on the Board of Directors of Getting Out and Staying Out and the Advisory Board of Governors of NAREIT, and is a member of WX New York Women Executives in Real Estate.

Laura Yablon Rapaport is Founder and CEO of North Bridge. North Bridge was formed to create sustainable real estate solutions. Currently, the firm is active in providing C-PACE financing nationwide.

Prior to starting North Bridge, Ms Rapaport was a Managing Director at L&L Holding Company, an owner-operator and developer in New York City where she was a key member in multiple areas for almost a decade. During her tenure she was head of Capital Raising, raising over $1.5 B of institutional equity as well as the Project Director for 425 Park Avenue, a $1 B+ Norman Foster

designed 670 k sf office tower, the first ground-up office building on Park Avenue in the last 50 years.

Ms. Rapaport was previously a Director in the New York development group of Tishman Speyer Properties, where she was a project manager of a 3.5 M sf mixed-use development, with additional focus on residential development and commercial acquisitions. She started her career at Lehman Brothers Global Real Estate Group in London, closing over $2 B in transactions for a securitization exit.

Ms. Rapaport graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and received her MBA with honors from the Wharton School of Business. She is on the board of PACENation, member and former board member of New York Women Executives in Real Estate (WX), Co-head of Wharton Real Estate Alumni in NY and Co-founder of Penn Women in Real Estate. In 2017 she was named by Crain’s Magazine as one of New York’s “40 Under 40” Rising Stars.

Laurie, an accomplished deal maker, is partner and co-chair of the firm’s global real estate practice. She takes a client-focused approach to her real estate practice, often acting as in-house counsel for her clients and becoming a trusted member of their businesses. She has a long list of clients who have been with her since the beginning of her practice and appreciate her ability to adeptly and efficiently handle any type of real estate deal. She is recognized as a leading lawyer in Chambers USA 2021, noting that she is “a strong negotiator” and “she has a great business sense combined with legal knowledge.” Most recently, for the second year in a row, Commercial Observer included her in their elite “Power 100” list, which recognizes the most powerful players in real estate.

Laurie represents real estate private equity funds, companies, institutional REITs, investors and other property owners in structuring and closing real estate transactions such as acquisitions and dispositions, developments, financings, portfolio transactions, preferred equity investments, leasing and real estate joint ventures. Her work touches all asset classes, including office, multifamily, affordable housing, workforce housing, mixed-use, life sciences, hospitality, retail and condominium. She also maintains an active capital markets and fund practice, representing investors in joint venture transactions and sophisticated fund and tax structures. Laurie is also well-versed in the Opportunity Zone program and helps clients through the process of structuring and investing in qualified properties and vehicles.

Laurie is involved in a number of non-profit and charitable organizations focusing on increasing diversity in real estate. She serves on the Advisory Board and spearheads the firm’s legal partnership with Project Destined, an organization dedicated to transforming minority youth into owners in the communities in which they live, work and play. She also serves as co-chair for Rebuilding New York’s “She Builds” program, where she organizes an annual renovation day, rehabilitating a New York City community center in need.

Lisa Kiell is a Vice Chairman in JLL’s New York office. She is responsible for planning and implementing transaction strategies for a wide range of clients with a focus on law firm, financial and technology clients in New York City. She also leads JLL’s New York women’s group, focusing on the retention and promotion of future leaders.

Lisa has extensive experience providing strategic and implementation services to clients developing and executing real estate strategies both in New York City and around the globe. Her clients include Microsoft, Citi, Linklaters, American Express, Akerman, Medidata Solutions, United Heath Group, Nielsen, White & Case, Reed Smith, Morgan Lewis, Foley & Lardner, Sentinel Real Estate, US Bancorp, T Rowe Price, Piper Jaffray, BBC, O’Melveny & Myers, Kirkland & Ellis, TriNet, Cisco Systems, Brainly, IAS, Richards Kibbe & Orbe, Dressbarn/Ascena Retail Group, and Hilton Hotels.

Lisa joined JLL in 1995, successor by merger to The Galbreath Company. Prior to that, she worked in real estate development/

leasing for LCOR in Jersey City and as an auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers (successor by merger to Coopers & Lybrand).

Lisa earned a master of science in real estate development from New York University and a bachelor of business administration in accounting from Emory University. She is a Certified Public Accountant in New York, as well as a licensed broker in New York and a salesperson in New Jersey. She serves on the board of the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan and is also an executive board member of the Greater New York Councils of the Boy Scouts of America.

Lisa Knee is a Tax Partner with over 20 years of experience. Her expertise covers a range of real estate transactions and situations, including acquisitions, refinancing, like-kind exchanges, joint venture agreements, and structuring tax rehabilitation credits for a variety of clients, such as leading real estate owners, operators, investors, family offices, and developers, as well as hospitality companies, world-renowned restaurant groups, and financial service firms. She has also consulted with large boutique hotel groups on their acquisitions, dispositions, partner buy-outs, property renovations and rebuilds.

As an advisor, Lisa assists high net worth individuals and family/owner-managed business clients with preserving and enhancing business and family net worth. She also provides business succession planning services for multigenerational families, including analyzing and updating estate plans, reviewing wills and trusts, and developing liquidity strategies.

Lisa has worked on a variety of highly complex transactions for clients, including domestic and international tax structuring for portfolio companies, management companies, and individual owners. Her legal background has also made her adept in mitigating tax issues and providing expert litigation services involving partnership disputes.

Lisa graduated from Boston University with a B.S. degree, with a concentration in Accounting. She received a J.D. cum laude from Brooklyn Law School where she was a research editor for the International Journal of Law; and a Master of Law degree in Taxation from New York University Law School. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) as well as the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), Nassau County Bar Association (NCBA), Commercial Real Estate Women New York (CREW New York) and Long Island Real Estate Group (LIREG).

In addition, Lisa is frequently featured and quoted in various business publications, providing insight on tax and tax planning topics. She has also co-authored various articles for the Nassau Lawyer and moderated various real estate industry events.

- See more at: http://www.eisneramper.com/professional-directory-Lisa-knee.aspx#sthash.l3zGABVG.dpuf

Luise A. Barrack is the Managing Member of Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. She heads the firm's Litigation department, imparting her trial and appellate experience to the firm. She is a staunch advocate for her clients, many of whom she has represented for almost 30 years. Her no-nonsense approach has helped make Rosenberg & Estis, P.C. the tough and highly respected law firm it is today.

Ms. Barrack's practice focuses on complex commercial litigation at the trial and appellate levels. She has substantial expertise in all facets of real estate litigation, and is an experienced practitioner in all of New York State’s courts, including at the appellate level. Her real estate practice concentrates on representing developers, commercial owners, hoteliers, not for profit corporations and educational institutions. Ms. Barrack is also one of New York City's leading Loft Law experts, handling legalization, valuation of loft fixtures, and the costs of code compliance.

Matters handled by Ms. Barrack include: defeating a claim that a developer was required to conduct an environmental study prior to filing an administrative proceeding for permission not to renew rent stabilized tenants' leases in order to demolish a Central Park South building; reaching a multimillion dollar deal and property exchange with Columbia University; representing New York Law School in recovering a site essential to building its new urban campus; and defeating a party claiming an option to purchase an interest in a High Line building containing a chic and extremely high profile nightclub.

Ms. Barrack also represents owners and developers in construction litigation, developments, demolitions and assemblages, and disputes including succession rights, non-primary residence, and owner occupancy. In addition, she is seasoned in cooperative, condominium, and shareholder disputes. In one such matter, Ms. Barrack obtained a judgment for maintenance withheld by a real estate attorney shareholder for his Park Avenue co-op and an order requiring him to pay the bulk of the attorneys' fees he caused his co-op to incur.

Melanie Meyers is a member of the Real Estate Department, resident in Fried Frank's New York office. She joined the Firm in 2003 as a partner.

Ms. Meyers' practice focuses on real estate development, with an emphasis on land use, zoning and structuring complex projects, environmental review, public approvals, and private/public partnerships. She has worked on some of New York City's most transformative projects, including Hudson Yards, Pacific Park, Greenpoint Landing, and Cornell Technion University on Roosevelt Island. Clients rely on Ms. Meyers to move economically viable developments forward while also achieving public policy goals.

Prior to joining Fried Frank, Ms. Meyers served as general counsel to the New York City Department of City Planning. She regularly advocates before city agencies and officials with land use jurisdiction. Her long-standing relationships with industry professionals and governmental agencies enables her to guide her clients from the initial acquisition phase through to obtaining permits and managing construction matters.

Ms. Meyers began her career as an architect. From 1994 to 1997, she was an adjunct professor in the Real Estate Development Program at Columbia University. From 1993 to 1994, Ms. Meyers was an associate professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and an assistant professor from 1990 to 1993.

Honors & Awards:

Ms. Meyers is consistently recognized by Chambers USA as a leading individual in Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use, where she is described as “an excellent resource in complex land use and planning matters” who “understands the legal nuances in the area and is adept at condensing complicated code provisions in a practical manner.” She is consistently recognized by Legal 500 in Real Estate and in Real Estate: Land Use and Zoning. Ms. Meyers was included in the 2016 New York Commercial Real Estate “Power Women of New York City” by Bisnow, and was included in Real Estate Forum’s 2017 Women of Influence Hall of Fame as well as Crain’s New York Business’ 2017 list of Leading Women Lawyers. In addition, Ms. Meyers was named a "Women of Influence" by both Real Estate New York and Real Estate Forum in 2008 and 2010. She was also featured in NYinc's "Profiles in Innovation - 15 People You Should Know" in real estate.

Professional Associations:

Member, WX New York Women Executives in Real Estate;

Member, New York City Bar Association;

Board of Governors, Real Estate Board of New York;

Advisory Board, Real Estate Law Reporter.

Bar Admissions/Licensed Jurisdictions:

New York.

Deputy Mayor Vicki Been leads the administration's efforts to grow and diversify New York City's economy, invest in emerging industries across the five boroughs, build new affordable housing, and help New Yorkers secure good-paying jobs. The deputy mayor oversees and coordinates the operations of over 20 agencies, offices, and affiliated entities. Ms. Been has extensive experience fighting to make New York a more affordable and equitable city. As HPD Commissioner from 2014 to 2017, she helped craft Housing New York, the mayor's plan to tackle the affordability crisis and create and preserve 300,000 affordable homes by 2026. She was also instrumental in advancing the Mandatory Inclusionary Housing law, requiring developers to dedicate a certain percentage of rental units at below-market rate rents in areas that are rezoned for higher density. Ms. Been formerly served as the Director of NYU's Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, the Boxer Family Professor of Law at NYU School of Law, and as an Affiliated Professor of Public Policy at NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Ms. Been graduated from Colorado State University and received her JD from NYU School of Law. She has served as a Visiting Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, and as an Associate Professor of Law at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.