Judith M. Gallent

Partner

New York

Partner and Practice Group Leader - Planning and Zoning US

Biography

Judy Gallent, leader of the firm's U.S. Planning and Zoning Practice, counsels both private and public sector clients on all aspects of land use and development law in New York City. Following law school, Judy served as a law clerk to the Hon. John M. Walker, Jr., first on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and then on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Honest, thorough, and straightforward, Judy brings her litigation background to bear in developing strategies and clear, concise presentations for the numerous agencies with whom she interacts on behalf of her clients. Her many years of successfully navigating the network of agencies and their protocols has given her a thorough understanding of the discretionary land use review process, allowing her to efficiently secure approvals for development projects.

In addition to developers, both large and small, Judy also represents public transportation agencies, schools, not-for-profit institutions and municipalities.

Civic Involvement & Honors

Chambers USA, New York Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use, 2020-Present
The Legal 500 US, Real Estate – Land Use/Zoning, 2017-Present
Best Lawyers® 'Best Law Firms,' National Tier 1, New York City Tier 1, Land Use and Zoning Law, 2021-Present
New York Super Lawyers, Land Use & Zoning, 2024-Present
Lawyers Worldwide Award Magazine, Planning & Zoning Law Firm of the Year - USA, 2025
Worldwide Financial Advisor Awards Magazine, Planning & Zoning Law Firm of the Year - USA, 2024
The Best Lawyers in America©, Land Use and Zoning Law, 2018-2023
City & State New York,Top 50 NYC Lobbyists, 2021
City & State Reports, Corporate Social Responsibility Award, 2015
Hon. John M. Walker, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 1990
Hon. John M. Walker, Jr., U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1989
New York City Urban Fellow, 1985-1986

Professional Affiliations

The Association of the Bar of the City of New York – Special Committee on Land Use, Planning and Zoning, Secretary, 1992-1994, Member, 1994-1997; Municipal Affairs Committee, 1997-1998; Land Use Planning and Zoning Committee, 2020-present
Real Estate Board of New York - Zoning Committee
New York State Bar Association – Municipal Law Section
American Bar Association

Firmwide Diversity Committee

Admissions

New York, 1990
United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York

Education

Harvard University, J.D., magna cum laude, 1989

Yale University, B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1985

Related Capabilities

Planning & Zoning Planning & Zoning

Higher Education Higher Education

Sustainable Real Estate Sustainable Real Estate

Environment Environment

Real Estate Real Estate

Commercial Real Estate Commercial Real Estate

Energy Transition Energy Transition

Finance Finance

Planning & Zoning
Higher Education
Sustainable Real Estate
Environment
Real Estate
Commercial Real Estate
Energy Transition
Finance

Experience

Representation of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in land use matters, including the reconstruction of Penn Station, the nation’s busiest rail station; the $82 million purchase of a site in East Harlem, NY to serve as the terminus of New York City’s Second Avenue Subway line and the rezoning of the site to facilitate the development a transit-oriented mixed use project above the future station; obtaining easements from private property owners required under the New York City Zoning Resolution on multiple properties along the route of the second phase of the Second Avenue Subway line, as well as zoning issues arising in connection with development of property owned by the MTA and private developer transit improvements pursuant to various Zoning Resolution zoning incentive provisions.
Representation of developer of the Flushing Commons project in Queens in obtaining 11 land use approvals, including zoning map and zoning text amendments to facilitate the redevelopment of a 5.5-acre, city-owned municipal parking lot into a 1.6 million-square-foot mixed-use multi building development, including residential, commercial and community facility uses, as well as below-grade public parking.
Representation of New York City’s largest charter school network before the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals in connection with an application for a special use permit for an approximately 300,000 sf, 2400 seat K-12 school in Bronx, NY.
Representation of The Hudson Companies in connection with applications for land use approvals, including a rezoning, text amendment and special permits, to facilitate a supportive and affordable housing development with ground floor retail at 806 Ninth Avenue in Manhattan (known as The Lirio), as well as a zoning determination from the New York City Department of Buildings and a zoning lot development agreement.
Representation of St. Nick’s Alliance, a not-for-profit developer of affordable housing, in connection with the rezoning of an approximately 49,000 sf site in Brooklyn, NY to facilitate the development of a 13-story building containing 213 units of affordable senior housing and associated services, as well as ground floor retail that would function as a new wing of an existing affordable senior housing development. Together the existing and proposed buildings would contain 363 units and over 303,000 gsf.
Representation of Janus Property Company, owner of four acres in Harlem, NY, in connection with rezoning and redevelopment of property as the Manhattanville Factory District, including a purpose-built life science lab building.
Representation of Breaking Ground, New York City’s largest provider of permanent supportive housing, in connection with the rezoning of property in Brooklyn, NY to facilitate the conversion of a hotel to 500 units of supportive and affordable housing, including zoning text and map amendments.
Representation of Silverstein Properties, Inc., a full-service real estate development, investment and management firm based in New York City, in land use aspects of developing an approximately 100,000 square foot site in Hudson Yards with a two-building, 1.8 million sf project consisting of a hotel, gaming and entertainment complex and residential use.
Representation of owners of properties located on Kent Avenue in Brooklyn in successful rezonings to facilitate commercial and residential development.
Representation of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in the sale of several hundred thousand square feet of excess development rights appurtenant to MTA-owned land to the owner of an adjacent property in Queens, New York.
Representation of a building owner before the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission and New York City Planning Commission in obtaining a special permit to modify applicable use and bulk regulations in connection with the redevelopment of a building located in the Greenwich Village Historic District.
Provided land use advice in connection with the proposed New York State-sponsored Creedmore Mixed-Use Project on the underutilized land at the former Creedmoor Psychiatric Center campus in eastern Queens. The Plan seeks to transform approximately 58 acres of the 125- acre Creedmoor campus from surface parking lots and vacant buildings into a vibrant new community with up to approximately 3 million gross square feet of mixed-use space, including residential, open space, neighborhood retail, community facilities, educational uses, and parking. BCLP assisted ESD in writing Design Guidelines, which would apply in lieu of zoning in this General Project Plan.
Provided land use advice to Empire State Development in connection with the proposed New York State-sponsored Empire Station Complex, an integrated public transportation complex that would create a world-class intercity transportation hub and revitalize New York’s Penn Station area. The project aimed to catalyze transit-oriented development that would generate revenue to fund a major renovation and expansion of Penn Station, implement other public transportation and public realm improvements within and around Penn Station, and revitalize the business district surrounding the station. BCLP assisted ESD in writing Design Guidelines, which would apply in lieu of zoning in this General Project Plan.

Resources

Publications

"Open Space Accessibility and the Conundrum Of High Stakes Zoning Disputes," New York Real Estate Law Reporter, Vol. 37, No. 3, February 2021 (co-author with Philip E. Karmel, James P. Colgate)
“New York’s High Court Creates Another Obstacle for Property Owners Asserting Regulatory Taking Claims,” Environmental Law In New York, No. 5, May 2000 (co-author with Robert S. Davis)
“Court of Appeals Rejects Heightened Scrutiny In Determining Whether Rezoning Effects A Taking,” Municipal Lawyer, No. 1, January/February 2000 (co-author with Robert S. Davis)
“ADEC Reexamining Hazardous Waste Regulations,” Environmental Law in New York, No. 1, January 1993
“Indoor Air Pollution,” Environmental Law in New York, No. 6, July 1991

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, Could Zoning Work in the UK?, July 17, 2020
Speaker, Zoning Rules! Legal Permissibility - The Threshold of Highest and Best Use, New York Metro Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, Oct. 20, 2015

Judith M. Gallent

Judith M. Gallent

Biography

Civic Involvement & Honors

Professional Affiliations

Admissions

Education

Related Capabilities

Experience

Resources

Publications

Speaking Engagements

Related Insights