From left: Robert L. Baker Jr., Michael J. Willner and Jesse M. Dimitro
By Joshua Burd
Dilworth Paxson LLP has bolstered its real estate practice in the region with the addition of Robert L. Baker Jr. and Michael J. Willner as partners and Jesse M. Dimitro as a senior associate.
According to a news release, Baker joins the firm’s Cherry Hill office and brings more than two decades of experience advising clients on sophisticated commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, leasing and financing. He has represented major real estate investment firms, middle-market businesses, national and international corporations and property owners across a wide range of asset classes.
Willner, who is based in Manhattan, has extensive experience in both real estate transactions and litigation and a practice that spans New York and New Jersey, with a focus on assisting condominium and cooperative boards, individual unit owners, shareholders, purchasers and sellers, as well as landlords and tenants. He has represented clients in various capacities such as landlord-tenant law, zoning issues, mechanic’s liens, foreclosure actions, contract disputes, construction defect claims and other management issues.
Also based in New York is Dimitro, who focuses on commercial and residential real estate transactions and has significant experience handling residential property transactions for buyers and sellers, including single-family homes, multifamily residences, condominiums and cooperative apartments, from inception through closing, the news release said. That includes drafting and negotiating purchase agreements, leases, joint venture agreements and development-related documentation, as well as advising on title, zoning and transactional disputes.
All three join Dilworth Paxson from Scarinci Hollenbeck LLC.
“Rob, Mike and Jesse bring a rare combination of deep transactional sophistication and proven litigation experience to our practice,” said Patrick Northen, co-managing partner of Philadelphia-based Dilworth Paxson. “This team reflects our continued investment in top-tier talent to meet growing client demand. Their proven ability to advise institutional investors, developers, lenders, landlords and tenants on complex, multijurisdictional matters strengthens our capacity to help clients navigate an increasingly dynamic real estate landscape in New Jersey and New York.”
Baker earned his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University, the news release said. Willner and Dimitro received their law degrees from Syracuse University School of Law and the New York Law School, respectively, while both hold bachelor’s degrees from Binghamton University.
“This is an exciting opportunity for us to join a firm with a strong platform and collaborative culture,” Baker said. “We look forward to delivering more services to our clients and expanding our practice.”
