My Herrick Story: Philip A. Sanchez
Philip A. Sanchez | psanchez@herrick.com | 212 592 1416
What was it about Herrick that enticed you to join the firm?
By way of background, I started my legal career at a boutique law firm. I practiced there for many years, rising to partner. My practice focused exclusively on litigating eminent domain cases against the City and State of New York, which included their various agencies and authorities. This experience provided me with valuable litigation and trial skills. For nearly a decade, I spent virtually every Friday in court in Brooklyn.
Following that, I founded my own law firm with my partner, Jennifer Polovetsky. For over a decade, our firm handled a large volume of eminent domain cases. This solidified our place as the go-to lawyers in the eminent domain space. As our practice expanded, Jennifer and I often received requests from clients to handle additional legal issues that often come up in eminent domain matters. These issues included real estate, tax, land use, zoning and more. Since it was just the two of us, we would have to refer out the majority of these matters to other firms. We decided that joining forces with a firm like Herrick would allow us to handle all our clients’ real estate needs under one roof. We also knew of Herrick’s stellar reputation and experience in the industry.
How is Herrick supporting you in your professional growth and development?
Herrick has enabled me to grow my client relationships. The firm offers a multitude of services that spans beyond just eminent domain and real estate. We can now offer Herrick’s full suite of services for both businesses and individuals. This ranges from corporate, litigation, sports, private client services and more. Just recently, I had a client who was experiencing an access agreement issue with a developer. Prior to joining Herrick, we would have had another firm handle this type of situation. Now, we can collaborate with Herrick’s real estate team to keep various matters in-house.
Additionally, I have had the ability to dramatically enhance my marketing efforts at Herrick. I have strengthened my brand and the profile of our practice through various speaking and writing opportunities. This has included local and national television interviews, podcasts and media commentary.
What is next for you and your practice?
This is probably the most fascinating time to be practicing eminent domain law. With the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act nationwide eminent domain activity is expected to increase significantly over the coming years. The New York Metro area is expected to receive over $250 billion dollars in funding. This includes funding for multiple large infrastructure projects. Some of the projects are expected to include, the Penn Station Redevelopment Project, Penn Station Access Project, Hudson Yards, Gateway Tunnel and the Second Avenue Subway. These projects will have a transformative impact on New York City, as there has not been this amount of infrastructure funding available since the 1950s. The Penn Station Project itself will be several times larger than Rockefeller Center, and it will transform the area in and around it for future generations. All of the projects will require the acquisition of a number of buildings for public use. This means there will be lots of work to be done by eminent domain lawyers for years to come.
For more information on Philip A. Sanchez or Eminent Domain at Herrick, please contact:
Philip A. Sanchez at +1 212 592 1416 or [email protected]
© 2023 Herrick, Feinstein LLP. This alert is provided by Herrick, Feinstein LLP to keep its clients and other interested parties informed of current legal developments that may affect or otherwise be of interest to them. The information is not intended as legal advice or legal opinion and should not be construed as such.