Real Estate Developers
From a first project to a portfolio — acquisition, approvals, financing, and exit, with one firm through every stage.
S. Joseph Law LLC is a law firm focused on real estate development in New Jersey and New York. From a first project to a portfolio, we handle acquisitions, entitlements, finance and exit, with practices in land use and zoning, real estate finance, and condominiums.
From a first project to a portfolio; acquisitions, entitlements, finance and exit. One firm. Every phase of the project.
Planning boards, zoning boards, historic preservation commissions, & redevelopment agencies. Variances, site plans, redevelopment plan amendments and redeveloper designations. Dedicated counsel for the entitlements that make or break a project.
Acquisition, construction, bridge, & takeout financing. Balance sheet lenders, debt funds, C-PACE, and CMBS. Guidance on the complex real estate finance that gets a project out of the ground.
Condominiums, planned real estate developments, and community associations. Public offering plans, master deeds, bylaws, and unit closings. Sponsor-side counsel from the first filing through the last unit sold.
15+Years advising developers
2,500+Units entitled & delivered
$500M+In project value
NJ & NYAttorney bar admissions
About us
We are a real estate law firm built around the life of a development — from the first site search to the certificate of occupancy.
S. Joseph Law was founded by Stephen Joseph, who is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York. We represent developers, lenders and title agencies, brokers, and fellow attorneys, with a practice centered on land use and zoning, real estate finance, and condominium law.
One firm across every stage — acquisition, approvals, financing, and construction — means nothing is lost in a handoff, and you work directly with a partner who knows your project.
Who we work with
Attorneys
Co-counsel and support on land use, zoning, development and redevelopment. We deliver complex legal opinions and guidance within our practice areas.
Lenders & Title Agencies
Construction and permanent financing — structuring, documenting, and closing the loans behind the build.
Real Estate Brokers
Responsive counsel that keeps deals on track — clean title, on-time closings, and answers when a snag appears.
Relationships that outlast the deal.
The clients we started with early in our career are the developers we work with today.
We have watched first projects become portfolios — and we have been at the table for each step along the way. That long view changes how we practice: we learn how you build, what risk you will take, and where you are heading next, so our advice fits your business and not just the file in front of us.
You can expect long-term counsel, direct attention from a partner, prompt responses, and fees agreed up front.
From raw land to exit — and where we come in.
Every development moves through the same arc. Here is that path, stage by stage, with land use and zoning running through the middle of it.Select a stage, or use the arrow keys, to see what we do.
Stage 1 of 7
Identification & Analysis
Finding the right site and testing whether it pencils.
What we do
- Site search criteria, zoning screens, and preliminary feasibility
- Yield studies and highest-and-best-use analysis
- Coordination with brokers, planners, and engineers on early numbers
Acquisition & Diligence
Negotiating the purchase and investigating the land.
What we do
- Purchase and sale agreements, letters of intent, and deposit structures
- Title review, survey review, and environmental coordination
- Zoning, wetlands, and easement diligence before contingencies expire
Acquisition Financing
Securing the capital to buy the land.
What we do
- Term sheet review and negotiation with acquisition lenders
- Loan documents, guaranties, and closing coordination
- Structuring for future construction financing and investor entry
Entitlements
Securing the approvals that make a project buildable.
What we do
- Applications to zoning and planning boards, and redevelopment agencies
- Variance and use approvals, site plan and subdivision applications
- Public hearings, board negotiations, and resolution compliance
- Appeals and litigation defense when approvals are challenged
Approvals pursued
- Variances
- Site plan approval
- Subdivision
- Redevelopment agreements
- Wetlands & environmental permits
Construction Financing
Putting the construction loan in place.
What we do
- Construction loan negotiation, documentation, and closing
- Coordination with equity partners and mezzanine lenders
- Draw procedures, completion guaranties, and lender compliance
Construction
From construction contracts to Certificate of Occupancy.
What we do
- AIA and other construction contracts, and change order review
- Coordination with the project team through inspections and sign-offs
- Resolving disputes with contractors, and CO issuance
Exit
Selling, refinancing, or closing out the project.
What we do
- Sale contracts, dispositions, and portfolio transactions
- Takeout and permanent financing, and loan payoffs
- Condominium unit closings through the last unit sold
Our team
Stephen Joseph
- Admitted
- New Jersey
- Represents
- Developers, builders, investors, and property owners
- Practice
- Land use and zoning, real estate finance, condominiums, and related real estate transactions
Richard B. Gess
- Admitted
- New Jersey (1991) and New York (1991)
- Represents
- Sponsors of condominiums, planned real estate developments, and community associations
- Practice
- Condominium law
Questions people ask first.
What types of projects do you handle?
Ground-up development, redevelopment, and adaptive reuse across residential, mixed-use, and condominium projects in New Jersey and New York, from initial site analysis through exit.
Do you work with lenders and brokers directly, or only with developers?
All three. We are regularly engaged directly by lenders and title agencies on financing matters, and by brokers who need responsive counsel to keep a closing on track.
How are fees structured?
It depends on the stage and the matter — flat fees for many entitlement applications, hourly for financing and litigation, with the arrangement discussed and confirmed before work begins.
How quickly can you get started on an approval application?
Once we have the site plan and survey, we will give you a realistic preparation schedule. Overall timelines depend on the matter and the municipality’s board calendar, and we cannot promise an approval or a date.
Are you admitted to practice in both New Jersey and New York?
Yes. Stephen Joseph is admitted to practice in both states, which lets one firm handle a project’s land use, financing, and closing work regardless of which side of the Hudson it sits on.