Over the past five years, CMM Managing Partner Joe Campolo, Chairman of HIA-LI’s Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge (LI-IPH) Task Force, has successfully spearheaded efforts to quantify the economic impact of the LI-IPH and attract critical investment in the Park. Recognizing that the Park is the anchor of Long Island’s tradable economy, Campolo has led the way in creating bipartisan and public-private partnerships to move this critical economic development project forward. Joined by CMM Director of Communications Lauren Kanter-Lawrence and Communications Coordinator Ilona Kaydanov, Campolo released a whitepaper earlier this month focusing on the economic impact of the Park on Long Island and addressing the challenges that lie ahead.  Below, read Campolo’s recent article in the HIA-LI Reporter discussing this work and new directions for the Task Force.

LI-IPH Spotlight: Expanding Our Reach and Getting Things Done

The phrase “we’re all in this together” has become a cliché throughout the pandemic, popping up everywhere from national commercials to your dry cleaner’s storefront. But to me, nowhere has this sentiment been more true than to describe the incredible success of the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge (LI-IPH) Task Force, which I am privileged to chair. The collective efforts – public/private and bipartisan – of our diverse Task Force membership exemplify how Long Island gets things done.

WHITEPAPER: Recognizing the critical importance of the LI-IPH’s success – and the role that housing plays in attracting highly educated professionals to work there – the Town of Smithtown amended their zoning code in August 2020. The change permits developers to apply for a special exception on 13 parcels in the Park for mixed-use buildings that incorporate ground-floor retail or restaurants with upstairs apartments and offices. However, the Hauppauge School District has commenced an Article 78 proceeding challenging the zoning change, and other critics oppose the change based on wastewater concerns.

To combat misinformation, address concerns, and make the case for why we have no choice but to ensure the Park’s success, the Task Force rolled up its sleeves to create a detailed whitepaper, “Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge: Securing Long Island’s Future.” The whitepaper is the culmination of significant research, studies, input from stakeholders, and efforts to quantify the tremendous economic impact of the Park, and I am confident that this work will help garner the support that is so critical to the Park’s success.

GROWING THE TASK FORCE: We are, in fact, all in this together – so as Long Island’s premier business advocacy group, the HIA-LI is expanding the Task Force (and our collective efforts) to promote economic development initiatives of all shapes and sizes.

• The LI-IPH Task Force will continue advocating for the Park and attracting the investment and development needed to ensure Long Island’s future economic success.
• MacArthur Airport will become a major focus as we work with the Town of Islip to attract new carriers and take advantage of pent-up demand from travelers.
• We will unpack the gem that is the Town of Islip Foreign Trade Zone, which offers an ideal environment for companies engaged in global trade.
• Innovation is thriving at Brookhaven National Lab, where the Electron-Ion Collider is being built to look inside the atomic nucleus. The EIC will facilitate the study of the strong nuclear force – and what scientists learn could power the technologies of tomorrow.

As we emerge from the pandemic, the HIA-LI is not looking to resume the status quo. Our resolve to push boundaries and make things happen on Long Island is stronger than ever.

Joe Campolo, Managing Partner of Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP and recognized business leader, has joined the Long Island MacArthur Airport Advisory Board at the invitation of Town of Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter. Designated an Official Metro Airport by the FAA, MacArthur is one of the top 110 airports in the country and is a critical component of the Ronkonkoma Hub project as well as the greater Long Island economy.

Campolo is Managing Partner of Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP, a premier law firm recently recognized by Forbes as a Top Corporate Law Firm in America. The firm’s headquarters sits at the entrance to MacArthur Airport, giving Campolo a unique perspective on the airport’s opportunities and challenges.

In addition to running his own business and advising the who’s-who of Long Island about theirs, Campolo has kept an unyielding focus on growing the economy and investing in the community. His insight and no-fear attitude have led to some of the most significant economic initiatives on Long Island today, including the renaming, reinvestment, and rezoning of the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge (LI-IPH). This experience caught the attention of Supervisor Carpenter, with whom Campolo has worked on the HIA-LI’s LI-IPH Task Force.

“I’m delighted to have Joe on the Airport Advisory Board,” Supervisor Carpenter said. “His business sense, his experience moving economic development projects forward, and his focus on making our beloved Long Island as strong as it can be all make him a great asset.”

With travel opening up from its pandemic slowdown, Campolo is focused on seizing this opportunity to promote the airport for more business travel, as well as assisting the Town with their quest to bring in new carriers. “As we’ve learned from the important work we have been able to accomplish so far with the LI-IPH Task Force, a common element needed for robust economic development in a geographic area is access to transportation hubs,” said Campolo. “Long Island MacArthur Airport is a critical part of Long Island’s economy and ecosystem and I look forward to helping Supervisor Carpenter and the Town of Islip enhance the vitality of this asset.”

Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP, a premier law firm with offices across Long Island – recognized by Forbes as a Top Corporate Law Firm in America – is pleased to welcome Marc Saracino to the firm as a Corporate Associate. He focuses on complex transactions, as well as private placements, commercial leasing, and employment issues relating to M&A transactions. Saracino began his career at the international law firm Milbank LLP in Manhattan, focusing on structured and specialty finance and securitization.

Saracino’s experience includes negotiating corporate restructurings and DIP (debtor-in-possession) financings/exit financings as well as drafting a range of corporate documents including credit agreements, subordination agreements, and note purchase agreements. At Milbank, he played an integral role in a variety of deals representing lender syndicates and corporations. He also has experience in cross-border transactions. Saracino is a graduate of Binghamton University and New York Law School, where he graduated magna cum laude and in the top five percent of his class.

“Our Corporate and M&A Departments are busier than ever as businesses continue to navigate the upheaval of the pandemic,” said CMM Partner Donald Rassiger, who manages the firm’s Corporate department. “Marc has been able to hit the ground running in terms of providing value to clients, and we’re happy to have him on board.”

Campolo, Middleton & McCormick is proud to announce that Senior Partner Patrick McCormick has been elected Second Vice President of the Suffolk County Bar Association. In this role with the SCBA Executive Committee, McCormick will play a critical part in helping the legal profession reinvent itself, expanding access to the court system, and working directly with businesses as they continue to navigate the pandemic.

This election is a significant professional milestone for McCormick, who has previously served as Secretary and Treasurer of the SCBA Board of Directors, as well as Dean of the Suffolk Academy of Law. McCormick will be sworn in at the SCBA Installation Dinner on June 3, 2021.

McCormick chairs the Appellate Practice group at CMM, having built a reputation as a strategic and talented appellate attorney over three decades in the field. Representing clients in civil and criminal matters in both federal and state court, McCormick has argued numerous appeals, including three arguments at the New York State Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court. He is also a respected trial attorney, litigating all types of complex commercial and real estate matters, and also represents national commercial shopping centers, retailers, and publicly traded home builders in commercial and residential landlord-tenant matters. McCormick has been recognized by his peers with the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® rating for ethical standards and legal ability, the highest possible rating from the most recognized legal directory and resource. 

McCormick will continue to advocate for legal education and access in his new role as Second Vice President. We are pleased to congratulate McCormick on this achievement that highlights his leadership in the legal community.

Campolo Middleton and McCormick’s M&A team has closed yet another deal involving a national franchise, showcasing the firm’s extensive reach and capacity to handle complex transactions.

The deal involved an asset sale and a corresponding commercial real estate sale. Our client, an owner of two independent quick lube and oil change locations in Suffolk County, sold the businesses to a national franchise of retail oil change stores. In addition to selling the businesses, our client, with locations in Medford and Mastic, also sold the real estate in a multimillion-dollar deal.

Many challenges arose as the deal headed toward the finish line, but CMM’s team, led by Donald Rassiger, adeptly worked through the issues. With the support of Paralegal Katharine Campolo, the team persevered in closing the deal, which resulted in a thrilled and relieved client.

The deal highlights CMM’s ability to help clients close difficult matters in national transactions. Contact us today for guidance on your next sale, purchase, or buyout.

CMM Managing Partner Joe Campolo, a Stony Brook University alumnus, led a virtual interview at the annual Entrepreneurs Edge on April 8, 2021. This year’s featured entrepreneur was Pablo Legorreta, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Royalty Pharma, the largest buyer of biopharmaceutical royalties. As an experienced interviewer, Campolo asked thought-provoking questions that helped tell Legoretta’s story to inspire the students of SBU’s College of Business.

Watch the interview replay below:

Campolo Middleton & McCormick’s Mergers and Acquisitions team has successfully closed another deal, demonstrating resilience in the face of a challenging on-again/off-again transaction.

The deal involved our client, a crane company specializing in crane rentals and rigging services, as the seller in an asset purchase deal. Based on Long Island, the company has been servicing Long Island and the greater New York area for decades. The transaction was months in the making but CMM’s team – led by Vincent Costa – was able to push the multimillion-dollar deal across the finish line. Marc Saracino stepped up to assist with drafting and finalizing the transaction documents and corporate paralegal Katharine Campolo kept the deal moving by keeping track of the important documents in the transaction.

The deal demonstrates CMM’s perseverance and commitment to its clients through the firm’s ability to efficiently negotiate and close complex transactions during the pandemic. Where other firms see insurmountable challenges, CMM sees temporary bumps in the road to be negotiated and worked through. Learn more about our Mergers & Acquisitions practice and call us at (631) 738-9100 for guidance on your next sale, purchase, or restructuring.