Cooper Levenson, P.A.

Residential and Commercial Development

As important as it is for developers to have experienced counsel during the process of property acquisition and financing, it is absolutely essential to seek the same caliber of legal guidance in gaining the regulatory approvals to use that property for its intended purpose.

In New Jersey, no firm is better equipped or positioned to deliver those desired results than Cooper Levenson. Our impressive client roster of national, regional, and local developers is far and away the best evidence of our ability to achieve excellent outcomes in a timely, cost-effective manner.

There are specific, commonsense reasons why we are routinely chosen to guide clients through the intricacies of the land use approval process, whether it's an individual property owner looking for a variance, a national homebuilder with a major subdivision, or a major casino planning a multi-million-dollar expansion. They include:

• Our detailed knowledge of the applicable laws and regulations
• Our ability to identify impending changes in land use regulations that could impact development rights, and taking the appropriate steps to protect client interests
• Our thorough understanding of the approval process at every governmental level
• Our ability to combine meticulous preparation with time-saving techniques to gain approvals as quickly and inexpensively as possible
• Our integrated approach to projects which draws on related practice areas to provide a complete range of services on an "as-needed" basis
• Our reservoir of credibility and goodwill with the various boards, agencies, and authorities
• Our deep roots at the community level, fostered by years of public service and altruistic involvement by individual attorneys and the firm as a whole

Recent Land Use Approvals

• $180 million hotel/waterpark resort
• $6 million, 5,000 sq. ft., convenience store with fueling station
• $35.5 million ocean pier and retail entertainment project
• 86,000 square foot national chain (outdoor hunting, fishing, boating) retail facility
• $2.3 billion, 6.3 million square foot oceanfront entertainment resort

Redevelopment and Tax Incentives

Our attorneys negotiate agreements for redevelopment projects with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and local governments for redevelopment agreements and property tax incentive agreements. Some examples of recent approvals:

• $38.4 million in Economic Redevelopment and Growth (ERG) incentives for an entertainment complex
• $33 million in Grow New Jersey tax credits for a call center
• $261 million tax incentives for a resort hotel
• $5.2 million tax incentives for restaurant/retail complex
• $4.8 million tax incentives for a retail and health club facility

At Cooper Levenson, we believe our future rests in our collective ability to embrace change and leverage diversity through our leadership, employment, and continued community support. We believe that diversity is critical to our business strategy, our relationships with our clients and employees and will improve our competitiveness and prospects for long-term success.

The firm is a member of the New Jersey Law Firm Group, which is comprised of New Jersey Law firms, corporate legal departments, governmental agencies and public interest organizations that recognize the importance and advantages of diversity in not only serving the needs of clients but also in enhancing the legitimacy and public image of the legal profession. Each year, this organization provides a fellowship, a job fair, mentor programs and roundtable discussions at each of New Jersey's law schools to demystify the recruitment process and to encourage participation in the group's programs.

Cooper Levenson is also a member of the Minority Counsel Program of the American Bar Association, Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. The mission of this organization is to promote diversity in the legal profession through education and by building relationships between corporations and lawyers who are racially and ethnically diverse.

Committed to diversity issues since its very inception, firm founder, James Cooper was a member of President Kennedy's Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, having litigated civil rights cases in Mississippi in 1966. One of our attorneys was the first woman president of the Atlantic County Bar Association. While in law school, another of our attorneys served as the National Executive Director of the National Black Law Students Association, which presided over all Black law student associations around the country.

Cooper Levenson is proud of this commitment to diversity among its clients, its employees and its community support.