Melinda Katz, a New York City Council member from Queens who lost September’s Democratic primary for city comptroller, will join Greenberg Traurig as a partner in January. The firm said yesterday that Ms. Katz, who chaired the council’s land use committee for eight years, would “naturally add great value” to clients in the real estate arena. The firm said Ms. Katz, whose council term ends on Dec. 31, will divide her time between Manhattan and Albany and will advise clients in areas related to the government.
Ms. Katz began her legal career in 1990 in Weil, Gotshal & Manges’ litigation practice. She served in the state Assembly from 1994 to 1998. In 2002, she was elected to the City Council, where she shepherded a number of redevelopment projects through the land use committee. Edward Wallace, co-managing partner of Greenberg’s New York office and a former City Council member himself, said Ms. Katz would be able to combine “the pure technical zoning expertise and the pure government relations aspect” in advising clients.
