Abrams Fensterman declares “we are Brooklyn law” with move into MetroTech

November 23, 2016 By Rob Abruzzese Brooklyn Daily Eagle

The law firm of Abrams and Fensterman has positioned itself as potentially the biggest Brooklyn law firm as it has absorbed four new firms and moved into a new office in MetroTech this month. Pictured from left: Rachel Demarest Gold, Mark Caruso, RoseAnn C. Branda, Susan Mauro, Michael A. Coscia and Lawrence F. DiGiovanna. Eagle photos by Rob Abruzzese

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Abrams Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara and Wolf, LLP has set itself up to be the premier law firm in Brooklyn after a consolidation with four other firms and a move into a new office in the MetroTech Center in Downtown Brooklyn earlier this month.

The new office, a 23,000 square-foot complex on the 17th floor of One MetroTech Center, houses 37 attorneys in Brooklyn, which brings the statewide total to over 80.

“Brooklyn’s deep and rich history has given birth to one of the most exciting commercial and residential markets in the country,” said Howard Fensterman, Managing Partner of Abrams Fensterman. “With business growth putting Brooklyn at the center of national advances in innovative technology, food manufacturing, the real estate and restaurant industries, the arts, film and television, architecture, applied design and the performing arts, we have watched our Brooklyn practice expand exponentially.”

The job of leading the Brooklyn office falls to one of the borough’s own — Frank V. Carone, counsel to the chairman of the Kings County Democratic County Committee and the second vice president of the Brooklyn Bar Association (BBA).

“Under the leadership of Frank Carone, a native of Brooklyn, executive partner of the firm and head of our Brooklyn office, we have grown organically for the past five years and most recently, by merging some of the most respected Brooklyn-based legal talent into our firm,” Fensterman added.

A total of 16 attorneys have joined the firm over the past year from Caruso, Caruso & Branda; the law offices of Lawrence F. DiGiovanna; Michael Coscia; and Gerber & Gerber, PLLC. Those firms add to Abram Fensterman’s already strong credentials in matrimonial, real estate, insurance, employment and labor law.

Carone explained that Abrams and Fensterman looked for “bona fide aces” when it handpicked the firms it wanted to absorb. He also spoke about how this will allow those smaller firms to expand beyond their previous capabilities while still offering boutique service.

“The premise of the law firm is to take small practice groups that are at the top in their field, but have sort of maxed out their growth potential,” Carone told the Brooklyn Eagle. “By pooling together those areas of expertise we can now help those smaller firms grow through cross marketing services while maintaining the boutique setting. They can maintain their involvement now, maintain their personal touch and concierge service and at the same time grow exponentially and leverage their time.”

With the new firm comes a new slogan: “We Are Brooklyn Law.” Carone said that it was something that Howard Fensterman came up with as a way to embrace the borough. To further embrace the borough, each conference room in the office is named for a different neighborhood including Canarsie, Bay Ridge, Prospect Park and DUMBO.

“It was something that he came up with while we were discussing whether to increase our presence in Manhattan, where we currently are, or make a firm decision to build in Brooklyn with all of the changes that have gone in this borough from a business, diversity and neighborhood perspective,” Carone said. “We decided that at our core we are a Nassau/Brooklyn law firm; that’s who we are, so we decided to embrace who we are and market and focus on our strength.”

Employees have begun moving into the new 23,000 square foot office in the MetroTech Center in Downtown Brooklyn. Frank Carone said the building, which is run by Forest City Ratner, “is an incredibly run building from the doorman, to the staff, to the maintenance group, to the leasing group.”