Connell Foley LLP co-chairs George Garcia (left) and W. Nevins McCann
By Joshua Burd
Veteran attorney George Garcia is the newest cochair of Connell Foley LLP’s real estate and land use team, joining W. Nevins McCann at the helm of the practice group.
Garcia, a partner who joined Connell Foley in 2016, assumes the post as the Roseland-based firm eyes continued growth in personnel and an expanded geographical territory. He succeeds Kevin Coakley, who spent more than 20 years as real estate and land use cochair and will continue to contribute to the group’s growth in a cochair emeritus role.
“I look forward to growing the real estate and land use group’s influence throughout the region,” said Garcia, one of the most active attorneys in Jersey City’s real estate scene in recent years, who guided the development of the Garden State’s tallest residential building at 99 Hudson, among other high-profile projects.
Garcia and McCann will leverage more than 40 years of combined experience and a broad network of relationships in New Jersey as they look to grow the practice, Connell Foley Managing Partner Timothy Corriston said. That team is currently more than 40 lawyers strong.
“My goal is to replicate the success we achieved in Jersey City by collaborating closely with our clients, government agencies and regional leaders to drive meaningful change across the entire region,” said McCann, who served on Gov. Phil Murphy’s 2018 transition team and has worked closely with government officials on major economic development projects.
Having focused his practice on redevelopment law and municipal land use matters in urban and suburban areas throughout New Jersey, Garcia is an authority on the technical requirements involved in establishing rehabilitation and redevelopment zones under the Local Housing and Redevelopment Law, according to a news release. He and his team provide an across-the-board set of skills that includes legal guidance on acquisition matters, financing and joint venture matters and the long-term positioning of assets for clients.
McCann’s extensive experience includes regularly assisting developers in locating and acquiring parcels, entering into development and redevelopment agreements, working with federal, state and local agencies in securing necessary site permits and financing and overseeing the construction, leasing and sales of real property, the news release said. The firm noted that longtime partners Charles Harrington, James McCann and Steve Urban have also played leading roles in the renaissance of several New Jersey areas, as have Newark-based partners Jennifer Carrillo-Perez and Elnardo Webster.
Meantime, environmental and brownfields attorney George Duke joined Connell Foley’s New York office as a partner in 2023.
