Richard Lyons has joined McCarter & English as a partner in its Real Estate and Cannabis practice groups, the Newark-based firm announced Monday.
Lyons, who will work out of the firm’s offices in Newark and New York City, brings a depth of transactional experience in real estate leasing and acquisitions and dispositions, commercial agreements and corporate formation and governance matters, particularly for clients in the health care and life science industries.
His experience in the cannabis sector covers handling a full range of commercial agreements, business counseling and compliance issues.
“Rich is a great addition to our Real Estate Practice in both New York and New Jersey,” firmwide Managing Partner Joseph Boccassini said. “His practice lines up well with industries where McCarter already has strength and will broaden our capabilities further in those sectors.”
Lyons said he is eager to get started.
“McCarter caught my attention for a variety of reasons — its reputation and strength in the Northeast; its focus on growth; its established, full-service teams in areas that could better support my clients; and the caliber of its people,” he said. “I was looking for a place where I could put down roots — a good place to practice not only today, but 25 years from now.
“This team shares my ambitions — to grow, hustle and do really good work for our clients, while enjoying the colleagues alongside of you. Quite simply, the shoe fit.”
Active in his community beyond the legal sector, Lyons serves as councilman in the borough of Upper Saddle River, and on the borough’s historical society and water committees. He also serves and fundraises on behalf of several local charities, including Oasis and Strengthen Our Sisters.
With clients ranging from small businesses to publicly traded international companies, Lyons will assist clients with a broad range of transactional real estate and related corporate matters, often serving as outside general counsel for clients, especially startups and early-stage companies. His transactional experience includes advising on leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, stock/asset purchase agreements, service agreements, licensing agreements and corporate and business formation matters.
“Rich’s depth of knowledge and experience in transactional real estate provides added bench strength to our group as we continue to grow at a critical time in the real estate markets,” Simone Wilson-Brito, co-chair of the firm’s Real Estate Practice, said. “We’re happy to welcome him to our team.”
Lyons received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, his M.A. from Boston University and his B.A. from Worchester State University.
