A veteran of New York City government, Karen Meara brings a keen understanding of the regulatory arena to her environmental and land use law practice, as well as to her role as litigator. Representing property owners, public benefit corporations, energy companies, municipalities, and other organizations, Karen focuses her work in New York City and the metro area including the lower Hudson Valley and Long Island. She uses her extensive government experience and contacts pragmatically to plot her clients’ courses forward.

Karen advises public, private and non-profit entities on the environmental and land use aspects of project siting and development, including environmental review, zoning compliance, land use approvals, construction access issues and environmental permitting. She works closely with project sponsors and environmental consultants to ensure environmental reviews will withstand any challenge, appears before land use boards, and negotiates with government agencies and neighboring landowners to secure needed approvals. She has advised clients on projects ranging from transmission upgrades and parkland improvements, to neighborhood rezonings and residential construction.  She also regularly represents community groups in efforts to influence the course of future development, and protects the rights of owners whose properties are adjacent to planned construction.

In addition to her project siting work, Karen also advises clients on

• brownfield remediation and risk management in real estate and business transactions
• legislative and regulatory developments impacting client’s plans and operations, particularly in the energy, construction, and waste industries
• constitutional issues relating to zoning and use of parkland.

Karen’s litigation practice encompasses all types of environmental and property disputes, including Article 78 challenges to zoning board determinations, environmental findings, rulemakings, and other agency actions, disputes over title, easements and construction access, and contribution claims under the New York State Navigation Law.