Elise
Kessler
Counsel
What I Do
I lead the firm’s transactional practice and have guided clients through thousands of real estate transactions over the course of my career.
Before joining Braverman Greenspun, I played a prominent role at several small and mid-sized real estate law firms. I have found that a small-firm setting allows me to take a more individualized approach, which in my experience leads to better outcomes.
I am mindful that no two deals are the same. Each presents its own challenges, requiring careful attention and creative problem-solving. One of the most rewarding aspects of my practice is working through those challenges to find practical solutions.
I have prepared cooperative and condominium offering plans and created hundreds of mixed-use condominiums, many with affordable housing components, through the preparation and filing of no-action letters. I have also negotiated condominium documents with multiple owners and lenders, including HFA, HDC, and HPD. Drawing on this experience, I advise condominium and cooperative boards on a range of formation and governance matters.
Representing co-op and condominium boards also requires the ability to build consensus among individuals who do not always see eye to eye. During my 12 years as a member of the New Castle Town Board, I was instrumental in resolving complex issues requiring alignment among residents and stakeholders with differing viewpoints and goals. This firsthand experience gives me practical insight into the challenges that board members face.
I am a member of Commercial Real Estate Women of New York (CREW New York) and serve on its sponsorship committee.
Who I Help
Condominium and cooperative boards
Buyers
Sellers
Landlords
Tenants
Lenders
Borrowers
Why I Enjoy What I Do
After more than forty years practicing real estate law, what continues to engage me most is the constant variety. No two transactions are ever exactly alike – each presents its own challenges, personalities, and moving parts. I’ve always been drawn to that dynamic environment where experience and flexibility matter. Just as important are the relationships. Being a “people person,” I enjoy our clients and the Braverman Greenspun family.
Credentials
Education
- Hofstra University School of Law, J.D., 1982
- Brandeis University, B.A., 1977
Bar & Court Admissions
- New York
- New Jersey
Outside the Office
- I sit on the board of the Hudson River Museum, Westchester County’s largest cultural institution.
- In my free time, I enjoy traveling, powerlifting, cooking, photography, watch collecting, and spending time with my grandchildren.
One Thing I Love About NYC
- I love New York City’s vibrancy and street life – the feeling that every block is alive with energy, culture, and movement. From crowded sidewalks to outdoor cafes and neighborhoods that each feel like their own world, the city creates a vibe that is hard to replicate anywhere else.