Overview
Working with New York City government is as challenging and exhilarating as the city itself. With an operating budget of $82 billion and over 130 public agencies, boards and commissions, New York City government has an enormous scope of activities and annually procures $10 billion in diverse goods and services. Our team understands the challenges and opportunities inherent in working with the City. We have a proven track record of developing creative, client-centered strategies that position our clients for success in their endeavors.
Leveling a Uniquely Challenging Playing Field
Our highly qualified team provides the understanding required to succeed within New York City’s challenging environment. We understand the politics and the processes, allowing us to guide, direct and advise our clients toward successful outcomes. Our backgrounds are rooted in local and grassroots politics, senior-level government service, and active representation on public and civic boards, ensuring thoughtful, ongoing engagement and strategy. Our team members’ skill sets align with our clients’ most challenging needs, and include experience in City legislation, regulation and budget matters, advocacy, government and community relations, franchising and contracting matters, and dispute resolution.
Beyond the Five Boroughs
Because so much of what happens in New York City is determined in Albany, we work closely with our State Government practice, sharing information and data that inform our advocacy. We also draw upon our Washington, D.C., and Sacramento offices, as well as our nationally recognized practices in health care, advertising, infrastructure and litigation.
We have experience in nearly all legal areas, including administrative and legislative matters, rulemaking and regulatory proceedings, government contracts and government assistance agreements. Our integrated team, combining consultancy and law, provides a competitive advantage for your organization.
With powerful national litigation capabilities, exceptional transactional experience, and deep and complex understanding of the government and regulatory arena, our goal is to provide you with unparalleled legal, strategic and business advice every day.
Who we work with
Our clients are diverse in industry and size, ranging from small City-based nonprofits to major universities to complex international corporations. Our work includes representation of renowned New York City cultural institutions, international transportation infrastructure providers, innovative technology companies, City-based trade associations, and not-for-profit health care providers. Since 2011, our highly regarded practice has been ranked as one of the top ten lobbying firms in New York City by the New York City Clerk’s Office.
What we do
- Administrative and governmental law
- Government contracts and dispute resolution
- Franchise and concession agreements
- Community outreach and engagement
- Legislative advocacy
- Strategic advice and advocacy related to public funding for non-profit organizations
- Telecommunications regulatory issues
- Transportation issues
- Zoning, land use and landmarks advocacy
Experience
- Manatt represented the American Museum of Natural History in obtaining $3.5 million in funding for its Urban Advantage program from the New York City Council and the New York City Department of Education in the City’s FY2014 adopted budget. Urban Advantage is the largest formalized middle school science education program in the nation, serving more than 33,000 students annually. The allocation represents an increase of $500,000, or 16.6%, over the previous year’s funding, which will allow the museum to expand the program into 25 more middle schools and allow an additional 100 teachers and 10,000 new students to participate. In addition to facilitating and attending approximately 15 meetings with Council members and/or their staffs to discuss the museum’s funding request, the New York City Government Practice provided key advocacy during the City’s budget negotiation process.
- Manatt represented the New York Structural Biology Center, a consortium of ten New York hospital and academic institutions (including two public universities), in the construction of, and two subsequent upgrades to, a research center situated on a public university campus, including assisting the consortium in obtaining federal and local grants as well as other financing. Other services performed included negotiating and drafting design and construction contracts, change orders and equipment procurement contracts, and tracking and defending against extra work and differing site condition claims during performance of such contracts and successfully resolving claims outside of litigation.
- Manatt is representing international engineering and technology company Siemens Industry Inc. in the construction of and equipment supply for the largest ongoing water filtration project in the United States. Our work involves providing advice and representation regarding contract administration, change order and schedule/delay dispute resolution, and complex regulatory compliance issues.
- Manatt represents the United States Tennis Association (USTA), which hosts the U.S. Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (NTC) in the Borough of Queens, and helped secure New York City and State approvals of a controversial plan to expand the NTC. The approvals were required because the NTC is located on City-owned land and the expansion plan includes the leasing of 0.68-acres of parkland within Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The New York City Government Practice guided the USTA through the City’s rigorous Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, and shepherded the application through the Department of City Planning, six community boards, the Queens Borough President’s Office and, ultimately, the City Council. Because alienation of parkland requires the approval of the State Legislature, Manatt’s State Government Practice, working with the City team, secured passage state legislation authorizing the leasing of the land. To move the two-year-long process to completion, the teams played a significant role in negotiations between the USTA, elected officials and parks advocates and helped the USTA build the necessary political, community and governmental support.
Related Practices
Government and Regulatory
Select Clients
34th Street Partnership
CityBridge
Cubic Corporation
Intersection Media
New York Racing Association
New York Structural Biology Center
Parkeon
Schindler Elevator
The Motivate Company
Transit Wireless
