Maria Kefalas, Zetlin & De Chiara LLP Photo

Maria Kefalas

  • New York, NY
    801 Second Avenue
    New York, NY 10017

Overview

Maria Kefalas represents real estate owners and developers, design professionals and other members of the construction community in complex litigation.  She has represented a wide array of clients in complex civil disputes, including commercial contract and business disputes, and construction defect litigation. 

Ms. Kefalas received her Juris Doctor from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in Politics from New York University. During law school, Ms. Kefalas worked as a legal intern at the New York State Office of the Attorney General.

Ms. Kefalas was featured on New York Real Estate Journal's 2023 Ones to Watch Rising Stars list. She was also selected by the Women Builders Council (WBC) as one of WBC's 2023 Next Gen Women Leaders. In 2023, Ms. Kefalas was also selected to participate in the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation’s 2023 Emerging Leaders Program.

News & Events

Publications

  • publication
    10.07.2021

    On October 7, 2021, the New York City Council passed sweeping updates to the City’s building codes. The comprehensive revision to the Codes contains 600 major updates and thousands of smaller changes, intended to improve safety and incorporate the latest in building technologies.

    The code revisions are the first holistic update to the entire set of NYC Administrative, Plumbing, Building, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes since 2014. The revisions were drafted by technical committees comprised of engineers, architects, attorneys, planners, tradespeople, representatives of the construction industry, labor, real estate industry, utility companies, as well as DOB and interagency stakeholders.

  • publication
    06.08.2021

    In April of 2021, the New York City Department of Buildings (the “DOB”) announced five bills and sweeping updates to New York City Construction Codes related to construction safety.[1]  The simultaneous announcement of the New York City Council’s introduction of the legislation along with the revisions to the construction codes intend to further the objective of increasing the protections afforded to the general public and construction professionals on all construction sites throughout New York City. However, with the enactment of the new legislation and the comprehensive updates to the construction codes, there will be an increase in the obligations placed upon professionals within the industry and an inevitable impact on the industry as a whole.  This client alert serves to provide an overview of the legislation and highlight some of the major amendments and updates to the construction code.

Affiliations

Organizations

  • Hellenic Lawyers Association
  • New York State Bar Association

Education

Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, J.D.

New York University, B.A.

Admissions

  • New York

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York

Languages

  • Greek
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