HARRAS BLOOM & ARCHER - Key Persons
Andrew S. Filipazzi is an associate in the Firm's Land Use and Zoning Practice Group. Mr. Filipazzi represents clients on land use and zoning matters across Long Island, ranging from large-scale real estate developers to single-family residences. Mr. Filipazzi's practice also includes commercial and residential real estate transactions., as well as business asset transactions.
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- Partner
- Partner / Melville, New York
Keith H. Archer is a founding partner of Harras Bloom & Archer, LLP. His practice involves residential and commercial real estate development, land use and zoning matters and commercial transactions.
Mr. Archer's clients are extremely varied, ranging from national retailers, shopping center developers to senior housing projects seeking zoning approvals from municipal boards and governmental agencies.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / Melville, New York
Linda S. Agnew is a partner in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. For over two decades Ms. Agnew's creative and cost-effective approach to litigation has consistently achieved the most favorable outcome for her clientele, which range from large to closely held corporations to individuals.
Ms. Agnew has extensive experience in trial and appellate advocacy with a concentration in commercial litigation, land use litigation, title insurance defense and the defense of civil forfeiture actions. She handles a wide array of commercial/business litigation matters in both state and federal courts including contract disputes, corporate dissolution and shareholder derivative actions, as well as employment related litigation. Ms. Agnew's practice also includes land use litigation, including declaratory judgment actions concerning title and use of real property and Article 78 proceedings used to challenge municipal determinations regarding the use of real property.
Ms. Agnew co-authored an updated edition of Chapter 17 of the Real Estate Titles treatise published by the New York State Bar Association, entitled "Adverse Possession." She proudly served as past President of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Long Island Chapter. Ms. Agnew is a prior recipient of the Public Service Attorney of the Year Award presented by the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center as well as a prior recipient of the Long Island Business News 40 under 40 Award.
Job Titles:
- Special Counsel
- Special Counsel / Melville, New York
Melvin L. Ortner has extensive experience in advising businesses and transactional matters including distribution, sourcing, real estate, and commercial agreements. Mel also represents companies and executives in employment and separation agreements.
Before joining Harras Bloom & Archer, LLP in 2022, Mel was Of Counsel to Abelman Frayne & Schwab, where he represented companies from "start-ups" to Fortune 500's. Prior to that, Mel was the Vice President and Chief Counsel of Sara Lee Branded Apparel, which followed his employment as the Vice President and General Counsel of Playtex Apparel. In these capacities Mel was responsible for the management of high profile litigations. Today he serves on the board of directors of several corporations. In the civic arena, Mel served two terms as an elected Trustee in the Village of Great Neck, where he also served as Deputy Major and Chairman of the Planning Board.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Founding Partner of the Firm
- Partner / Melville, New York
Paul J. Bloom is a founding partner of the Firm whose practice areas include real estate related transactions and associated business and corporate matters, land use and zoning, municipal bond financing, as well as co-op and condominium law.
Mr. Bloom began his practice of law as an appellate and trial litigator. Paul Bloom is widely recognized for the passion and commitment he brings to all of his endeavors- public and private. In addition to his community and charitable endeavors, he has over 50 years of experience representing developers, investors and both national and local entities in a wide range of real estate-related matters.
Bloom has also been elected and appointed to a variety of positions in municipal government and given his time to serve on the boards of numerous charitable and religious organizations. In 2015, Mr. Bloom was presented with the Community Leader Award by the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County. In 2015 and 2016, Mr. Bloom was profiled in ALM's Legal Leaders in "Long Island's Top Rated Lawyers," and "Who's Who In Real Estate Law" in Long Island Business News in 2017.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Melville, New York
Tara D. McDevitt is an associate in the Firm's Litigation Practice Group. She has extensive experience in trial and appellate advocacy with an emphasis in business, real estate and construction-related commercial litigation.
Ms. McDevitt has handled numerous complex commercial litigation matters including construction and design defects, disputes between adjoining landowners, RPAPL 881 proceedings, land use and all types of breaches of contract. She also has substantial experience in surety-related disputes, mechanics liens, and drafting and negotiating all types of construction-related agreements, including license agreements. Ms. McDevitt has worked with a range of clients, from owners, developers and architects, to construction managers, general contractors and subcontractors.
Ms. McDevitt also had extensive mediation and arbitration experience in proceedings before the American Arbitration Association, including AAA Construction Industry as well as the International Centre for Dispute Resolution. Ms. McDevitt was named to SuperLawyers New York Metro Rising Starts from 2015 through 2018. She is currently an adjunct professor at St. John's University School of Law, where she works with the students in the Moot Court Honor Society in preparing them for competition.
Ms. McDevitt received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from St. John's University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Colgate University. During law school, Ms. McDevitt was a member of the Board of the Moot Court Honor Society, where she competed in several national competitions, including the National Moot Court Competition, where she won regional best brief, was a national finalist and the recipient of the American College of Trial Lawyers Medal for Excellence in Advocacy, and the ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition, where she was also a regional finalist. She also interned with the Honorable P. Kevin Castel, United States District Court, Southern District of New York.