Key Takeaways
- • Allen Matkins added a five-person commercial leasing team from Holland & Knight, led by partners Noah Shapiro, Russ Rabinovich, and Lauren Margiano, to expand its New York real estate practice.
- • The hired group includes Senior Counsel Jason Weaderhorn and Associate William Alesi, with expertise in complex office, retail, hotel, and restaurant leasing for both landlords and tenants, including headquarters leases and institutional portfolios.
- • Allen Matkins now operates more than 170 real estate transactional attorneys across California and New York, strengthening its national leasing capabilities in gateway markets.
- • The expansion capitalizes on sustained demand for specialized leasing counsel in New York's office market, where landlords and institutional investors continue restructuring portfolios and renegotiating occupancy strategies despite broader market uncertainty.
- • The move deepens Allen Matkins' New York presence since its 2023 market entry and reinforces its position as a multi-jurisdictional real estate platform capable of handling sophisticated, multi-asset-class transactions.
Summary
Allen Matkins has bolstered its New York real estate practice through a strategic lateral hire of a commercial leasing team from Holland & Knight, marking a significant addition to the firm's gateway-market expansion efforts. The team, anchored by three partners—Noah Shapiro, Russ Rabinovich, and Lauren Margiano—brings specialized transactional expertise alongside Senior Counsel Jason Weaderhorn and Associate William Alesi. This five-person group focuses on complex leasing transactions spanning office, retail, hospitality, and food-service sectors, serving both landlord and tenant clients.
The hire aligns with Allen Matkins' broader strategy to deepen its New York capabilities since establishing a presence in the market in 2023. The firm has systematically built its real estate platform in New York through multiple lateral additions, positioning itself as a multi-jurisdictional player capable of managing increasingly sophisticated transactions. The addition elevates Allen Matkins' total real estate transactional headcount to more than 170 attorneys across its primary markets of California and New York, substantially expanding its leverage in institutional real estate work and national leasing practice.
The commercial leasing segment remains an active area of legal demand despite macroeconomic headwinds affecting office real estate broadly. In New York City specifically, the leasing market has demonstrated resilience as landlords actively restructure portfolios, reposition assets, and adjust occupancy strategies. Corporate tenants and institutional investors increasingly demand specialized legal counsel capable of navigating evolving occupancy preferences, including flexibility in lease terms, shorter commitment periods, and a bias toward premium, upgraded space. This market dynamic has created consistent demand for the type of sophisticated counsel the newly hired team provides.
By consolidating leasing expertise with its existing real estate platform, Allen Matkins has positioned itself to capture institutional work across multiple asset classes and jurisdictions. The firm's historical strength on the West Coast, combined with its now-deepened New York footprint, creates a compelling platform for clients requiring coordinated real estate strategy across major markets. The hiring of this established leasing team signals confidence in sustained institutional demand for transactional real estate counsel, even as office asset fundamentals remain under pressure.
The hire aligns with Allen Matkins' broader strategy to deepen its New York capabilities since establishing a presence in the market in 2023. The firm has systematically built its real estate platform in New York through multiple lateral additions, positioning itself as a multi-jurisdictional player capable of managing increasingly sophisticated transactions. The addition elevates Allen Matkins' total real estate transactional headcount to more than 170 attorneys across its primary markets of California and New York, substantially expanding its leverage in institutional real estate work and national leasing practice.
The commercial leasing segment remains an active area of legal demand despite macroeconomic headwinds affecting office real estate broadly. In New York City specifically, the leasing market has demonstrated resilience as landlords actively restructure portfolios, reposition assets, and adjust occupancy strategies. Corporate tenants and institutional investors increasingly demand specialized legal counsel capable of navigating evolving occupancy preferences, including flexibility in lease terms, shorter commitment periods, and a bias toward premium, upgraded space. This market dynamic has created consistent demand for the type of sophisticated counsel the newly hired team provides.
By consolidating leasing expertise with its existing real estate platform, Allen Matkins has positioned itself to capture institutional work across multiple asset classes and jurisdictions. The firm's historical strength on the West Coast, combined with its now-deepened New York footprint, creates a compelling platform for clients requiring coordinated real estate strategy across major markets. The hiring of this established leasing team signals confidence in sustained institutional demand for transactional real estate counsel, even as office asset fundamentals remain under pressure.
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