Levay, Alexander N

A partner in Jacobowitz & Gubits, LLP, Mr. Lennon's primary practice area has been in Real Estate development. Jerry has represented owners, developers, and builders in a wide range of projects, from minor subdivisions to large multi-phase residential developments and a variety of commercial and retail projects, from fast food restaurants to supermarkets and strip shopping centers. He has served as Deputy Village Attorney for the Villages of Montgomery (1979-1990) and Walden (1982-1987), and also provided legal assistance to a number of other municipalities represented by the firm.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Jerry worked in a planning capacity with the United States Department of the Interior. In the 1970's Jerry worked in the World Trade Center with the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior’s then proposed Mid-Atlantic and North Atlantic Outer-Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Program (OCS).  Jerry brings a multi-disciplinary perspective to the land acquisition and development process. He is conversant with the operative architectural, engineering, financial, regulatory and natural resource principles that must be integrated into project formulation to make the approval and construction process timely and cost-effective, as well as successful.  He has been a presenter at for credit continuing education seminars, “The Land Development Process,” attended by a wide variety of people involved in land development including real estate brokers, bankers, engineers, surveyors, builders and developers.

Jerry has the lead responsibility for the firm’s condominium and homeowner's association (HOA) practice. Together with Bill Duquette, they prepare Martin Act offering plans for a variety of both residential and commercial (office, retail, and industrial) condominiums and residential HOAs. Offering plans have been prepared for filing with the New York State Attorney General's Office for both new construction and conversions of existing projects. He also leads the firm's representation of governing boards of condominiums and HOAs for a variety of matters , including the collection of unpaid condominium common charges and HOA assessments.

In recent years, relying in part on the knowledge and interest he acquired working on the Department of the Interior’s OCS program in the 1970's, Jerry initiated and leads the firm’s Natural Gas Working Group’s involvement with landowners considering entering into gas leases in the Marcellus Shale formation in New York.  He has written for and edits the firms’ Natural Gas Newsletter and has been a speaker at both Sullivan County landowner groups on Marcellus Shale Gas Leasing issues as well as a presenter at a Continuing Legal Education program in Binghamton for attorneys, surveyors, engineers and bankers.  Jerry counsels landowners, with emphasis in Sullivan, Delaware, Chenango and Eastern Broome Counties, to consider the long term risks, as well as potential benefits, of a gas lease by encouraging them to focus on negotiating for lease provisions that will protect the land for their long term intended use - whether farming, family second home retreat or recreational activities such as hunting and fishing.  Clients range from farmers, individual “absentee” landowners, family groups holding the lands for multi-generational use, non-local entities holding the properties for long term investment purposes, to hunting clubs and local residents.

Mr. Lennon is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany and received his Juris Doctor degree in 1977 from Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1979, and is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.

Jerry was born in Walden and relocated back home after law school. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Carol, since 1966. They have three boys. “When my boys were younger I was actively involved with them in various youth and music ministries at church and, as a coach in the Walden Little League for a number of years, I admit to a ‘moderate’ degree of success, and had at least as much fun coaching as the kids did playing.”  Jerry is content that, while all his boys are out on their own and their regular presence is missed, “they all have full time jobs - with benefits!”  Jerry and Carol have 2 grandchildren and look forward to two more daughters-in-law and a handful more grandchildren.