Bill served as the firm’s Managing Partner for 15 years, and was a member of the Management Committee for more than 20 years. Bill’s well-established practice focuses on land use, real estate development and zoning, including litigation in State and Federal courts relating to commercial, institutional and residential development of real property.
As lead counsel, Bill has handled complex projects comprising more than a million square feet and costing hundreds of millions of dollars. His extensive experience includes office buildings, multi-family housing, health care institutions, retail and entertainment centers, industrial and office parks, conference centers, academic complexes, religious centers, planned unit developments, skilled nursing homes, assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities, golf course communities and residential subdivisions. Bill also has handled due diligence reviews both for proposed and completed developments in connection with acquisitions and sales of property. His clients include institutional, corporate and municipal entities, as well as entrepreneurial individuals.
Additionally, Bill has published articles and lectured on zoning and land use issues before the New York State Bar Association, Westchester County Bar Association and Westchester Municipal Planning Federation, among others.
A strong believer in the importance of giving back to his community, Bill has served in leadership positions on several non-profit boards of directors, including his alma mater, Hampshire College, the Westchester Chapter of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and Gilda’s Club Westchester. He currently is serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors of White Plains Hospital Center.
Education
- Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, J.D.; 1980
- Hampshire College, B.A.; 1977
Admissions/Courts
- New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- Supreme Court of the United States
Awards + Recognitions
- Westfair Communications Persons of the Year; 2021
- SuperLawyers® New York Metro Edition; 2011-2024
- Honored by White Plains Hospital, Distinguished Leadership Award; 2019
- Honored by Gilda’s Club Westchester, Corporate Award; 2013
- AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell
- “Above the Bar” Award for “Most Socially Conscious Attorney” honoring exceptional Westchester County Attorneys, awarded by Westchester County Business Journal and Pace Law School; 2007
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Westchester Chapter, Bill and his wife Lauren Thaler were named Volunteers of the Year; 2006
- Honored by Congregation Sons of Israel, Briarcliff Manor, NY; 2002
- Honored by Gilda’s Club Westchester at its First Annual Comedy Club Gala; 1999
- Who’s Who in American Law
- Who’s Who in America
- Who’s Who in the World
Professional Associations
- Fellow, American College of Real Estate Lawyers
- New York State Bar Association
- Westchester County Bar Association
Presentations + Publications
Successful Public Private Partnerships for Affordable Housing
American Bar Association’s State and Local Government Law Section 2024 Affordable Housing Summit
May 2024
Panelist
The Economics and Equity of Sustainable Development
December 8, 2016
Lecturer
LULA Training Program: Affordable Housing
October 28, 2016
Lecturer
“Special Use Permits,”
Municipal Lawyer
Vol. 12, No. 3, 1998
Co-Author
“Regulatory Thickets – What Are the Sign Posts?”
New York University, Continuing Legal Education Seminar on Senior Housing Issues
1998, 1999
Lecturer
Westchester Municipal Planning Federation
1990, 1998
Lecturer
“Modern Telecommunications and the Municipality,”
New York State Bar Association Annual Meeting, Municipal Law Section
1996
Lecturer
“Local Cellular Telephone Regulation Moratoria“
New York Law Journal
Vol. 214, No. 4, July 7, 1995, p. 1, 38
Co-Author
Community Service
- White Plains Hospital Center, Chair, 2022 to present; Vice Chair, 2011 to 2022; Board member, 2002 to present; Chair of the Legal Committee, 2008 to present
- Hampshire College, Vice Chair; 2020-2021; Trustee, Member of Executive Committee, 2013-2021
- Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, Westchester, N.Y. Chapter, President, 2004-2006; Board member, 1998-2003, 2004-2010
- Gilda’s Club Westchester, President, 2010-2013; Board member; 2001-2013
- Montefiore Health Systems, Board member
- Briarcliff Manor Education Foundation, Board member; 2001-2003
- White Plains Bridge of Friendship Foundation, Inc., Board member; 1994-present
Extracurricular
- In his spare time, Bill enjoys biking, hiking, sailing and cooking.
- He has two adult children and lives in Sleepy Hollow with his wife Lauren Thaler, who shares his love of travel.
- Together they have visited places as diverse as Costa Rica, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan.
- Exotic locations serve as the perfect backdrop for Bill’s other favorite pastime — landscape photography.
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