Profile
Edward C. Wallace serves as Co-Chairman of the firm's New York office. Ed has deep experience in law, business, and government. He serves as a trusted advisor to companies doing business with government. He serves as outside counsel to JCDecaux North America. He has advised Extell/Carlyle, Silverstein/El Ad, Columbia University, NYU and Fordham on major real estate development projects and major government service providers including JCDecaux and Hornblower.
Prior to entering the private sector as a Vice President at Boston Properties, he served as City Council Member-at-Large (Manhattan) and then Chief of Staff to the New York City Council President. Ed began his career in the Chelsea neighborhood office of the Legal Aid Society. Ed serves on the executive committee of the French American Foundation and New Yorkers for Parks where he was chair. He serves as vice president and outside general counsel to the Citizens Budget Commission and served as counsel to NYC 2012, the City’s Olympic bid. Ed has been listed in multiple editions of The Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers and is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell. He is consistently included on City and State’s "New York City Power 100" list and was named a 2020 Lifetime Achievement honoree.
Concentrations
- General corporate adviser to international companies
- Counseling and lobbying on behalf of many of New York City’s leading developers, corporations and non-profit organizations
- Negotiating and structuring economic incentive packages for corporations
Capabilities
Experience
- Extell’s Riverside Center: Representation of Extell in the final phase of ULURP City Council approval for the development of Riverside Center, a 31.5 million square-foot, five building, mixed use development project adjacent to Riverside Park.
- Columbia University: Representation with regard to securing approvals from the City and State for the University’s 17-acre expansion in West Harlem. In addition, GT worked extensively with Columbia on ancillary issues, including the Project Labor Agreement for the expansion and community housing issues, which surrounded the project.
- New York University: Advised NYU in its major campus expansion in Greenwich Village to allow approximately 2 million square-feet of new construction.
- Fordham University: Secured approval for a $1.6 billion, 2.3 million square-foot master plan for the University’s Lincoln Center Campus, including two 60-story residential towers on Amsterdam Avenue.
- Jewish Home Lifecare: Representation on a variety of legislative matters on the City and State levels including, among other projects, the construction of a new, highly innovative "Green House" skilled nursing facility in Park West Village.
- JP Morgan Chase: Representation in negotiations with the City and State governments for a potential relocation of their 2+ million square-foot Manhattan headquarters to Hudson Yards.
- Hornblower Cruises & Events: Representation of Hornblower Cruises & Events in negotiating a highly sought after contract to become the sole operator of the New York Citywide Ferry Service.
- JCDecaux, NA: Serve as outside general corporate counsel to JCDecaux, the world's largest out-of-home advertising company. GT has negotiated P3 agreements at major airports (NY Port Authority) and with U.S. cities (Los Angeles, Chicago) on behalf of JCDecaux.
- Vice President, Boston Properties, 1986-1992
- Chief of Staff, Office of the New York City Council President, 1983-1985
- New York City Council Member-at-Large, representing Manhattan, 1981-1983
- Staff Attorney, Legal Aid Society, 1976-1981
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, City & State
- New York Lifetime Achievement Award, 2020
- New York City Power 100, 2014-2024
- New York Law Power 100, 2020 and 2021-2023
- New York Real Estate Power 100, 2020-2023
- New York Law Power 50, 2019
- New York Real Estate Power 50, 2019
- Manhattan Power 50, 2018 and 2020
- Manhattan Power 100, 2019, 2021-2024
- Team Member, City & State, "Top 50 NYC Lobbyists," 2021
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Corporate Law, 2006-2023
- Listed, PoliticsNY, "Power Players in Public Relations & Lobbying," 2024
- Team Member, Best Lawyers in America® "Top Listed – Government Relations," 2018
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, New York Metro Super Lawyers, 2006-2024
- Team Member, Chambers USA Award for Excellence, Real Estate, 2017
- Recipient, Sir Michael Smurfit Business Achievement Award, 28th Annual American Celtic Ball, 2016
- Team Member, a U.S. News - Best Lawyers® "Government Relations Law Firm of the Year," 2014
- Team Member, The Legal 500 United States, "Top Tier" Firm in Real Estate, 2013
- Team Member, a Law360 "Real Estate Practice Group of the Year," 2011, 2012, 2022, and 2023
- Listed, AVENUE magazine "Legal Elite," Real Estate Law, April 2011
- Member, Winning Team, Chambers USA Award for Excellence, Real Estate, 2010
- Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0
- Chairman, Board of Directors, French American Foundation
- Board Member, New Yorkers for Parks
- Past Chair, 2012-2014
- Vice President and Outside General Counsel, Citizens Budget Commission
- Board Member, Grand Central Partnership
Credentials
- J.D., Fordham University School of Law
- A.B., Columbia College, Columbia University in the City of New York
- New York