Sills Cummis Brings Back Real Estate Pro

Jerry Siegelman returned to Sills Cummis & Gross as a Member of the Firm’s Real Estate Department and is resident in the New York office. As discussed in this Law360 article, Siegelman brings significant experience, including time as in-house counsel, to the Firm and its clients.

As seen in the article:

“Jerry Siegelman, whose hiring was announced by Sills Cummis Wednesday, had worked at the Newark, New Jersey-based firm earlier in his career, from 2004 to 2006. His return comes two weeks after corporate law veteran Fred M. Tudor rejoined the firm after spending 12 years as a partner with Brown Moskowitz & Kallen PC.

“Serving as counsel at Sills Cummis for those two years was a ‘major factor’ in his decision to rejoin the firm, Siegelman said, adding that he made the choice after having a conversation with Mark Levenson, chair of the firm’s real estate department.

“‘It did not seem like we were catching up after several years, but rather as if we had just spoken the week before,’ he told Law360 Pulse. ‘The opportunity to work again with several of the attorneys who had been there during my prior stint was also a major factor.’

“His first day back with the firm was on Feb. 14. Before working as a partner at Ruskin Moscou in Uniondale, New York, he spent nearly five years at Ackerman Levine Cullen Brickman & Limmer LLP in Great Neck, New York, and more than 18 years at Wertheimer Fredman & Siegelman, which is now known as Wertheimer Fredman LLC.

“Based in Sills Cummis’ New York office, Siegelman will focus on counseling shopping center properties and guiding clients in the development of retail and mixed-use projects. He’s also handled complex financing for borrowers and has served in outside counsel and in-house roles advising clients on their organizational structures and strategic goals.

“Now back at Sills Cummis, he is planning on tapping into his diverse resume to bolster the firm’s real estate department.

“‘My experience in handling acquisitions, financing and leasing of retail and mixed-use properties will enhance the offerings of the department,’ he said. ‘My skills and knowledge in this area will augment the department’s services to its clients and help to attract new clients to the firm.’

“Additionally, having in-house counsel experience from his time serving as a general counsel gives him greater insight into what in-house counsel are looking for from their outside counsel, he added.

“‘The real estate department at Sills Cummis handles sophisticated transactions involving varied types of projects and properties,’ Siegelman said. ‘I am eager to be a part of this team.’

“Siegelman has seen many changes to the retail industry throughout his career, but one of the most major transformations has taken place within the last few years, he said.

“‘As online sales have increased, shopping center developers have to adopt new strategies to attract customers to their centers and to reposition them for the future,’ he explained. ‘The pandemic has only intensified this growing trend.’

“He said he believes the breadth of Sills Cummis’ real estate department, coupled with its other practices such as land use, will help him serve clients in this new challenge, he said.

“‘It feels good to be back at Sills Cummis,’ he said. ‘It feels familiar.’”