NEW YORK – Feb. 3, 2020 – Ed Wallace, co-chair of the New York City office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, was honored as one of City & State’s 2020 Lifetime Achievement award winners on Jan. 27 at the Prince George Ballroom in NYC. Wallace was the only lawyer in private practice named among the Lifetime Achievement honorees.
Lifetime achievement award winners were recognized for their contributions to New York in civic affairs. Other honorees included former New York Governor David Patterson, former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara, former New York State Comptroller Carl McCall, former Councilmember Ronnie Eldridge, founding partner of MirRam Group, Luis Miranda, Executive Vice President for Policy at Related Companies, Charles O’Byrne, among other New York luminaries.
Wallace has worked on securing government approval for high-profile projects, including Columbia University’s 17-acre expansion into West Harlem, Fordham University’s new Lincoln Center campus, and New York University’s major expansion into Greenwich Village. As City & State notes, “How does Wallace deal with the inevitable obstacles that are part of the job? Just like he’s done throughout his career: He looks for a practical solution.”
During the standing-room only ceremony, Wallace was introduced by his friend and mentor, Richard Emery, founding partner of Emery, Celli, Brinckerhoff & Abady, who is credited with Wallace’s decision to practice law.
“I am honored to receive the Lifetime Achievement award. I take it as a call to do more,” Wallace said during his remarks. Specifically citing the homeless crisis, Wallace said, “We have more to do and we have to do it together.”
In 1981, Wallace became the then youngest City Council member in New York City history representing the Borough of Manhattan. Wallace began his career in the Chelsea neighborhood office of the Legal Aid Society representing “near homeless” tenants in single room occupancy hotels. He also served as chief of staff to City Council President Carol Bellamy and later as vice president for finance at Mort Zuckerman’s Boston Properties.
From 2012 to 2014, Wallace was chair of New Yorkers for Parks and now sits on the NY4P Board. Wallace serves as vice chair and counsel to the Citizens Budget Commission and is the vice chair of the French American Foundation Board. Last year, City & State ranked Wallace number 12 on its Manhattan Power 50 list and on its New York City Power 100, New York Law Power 50, and New York Real Estate Power 50 lists. He has been listed in multiple editions of The Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers, and is rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell.
Wallace serves as a trusted advisor to his clients. In addition to his representation of Columbia University, NYU, and Fordham University in their Manhattan expansions, he has advised Extell, Silverstein, Fetner Properties, and other leading developers and financial and media companies in obtaining government approvals.
Wallace also advises Hornblower, the City’s ferry provider, and serves as outside national counsel to JCDecaux, the world’s largest street furniture company.
About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2100 attorneys in 41 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. Web: www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.