Raymond Mellon, Zetlin & De Chiara LLP Photo

Raymond T. Mellon

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

Overview

Raymond T. Mellon, Senior Partner, is a leading construction litigator and experienced trial lawyer with an extensive background representing prominent real estate owners and developers, and architectural, engineering and contracting firms on business negotiations and in litigation. In addition to consulting with clients on general business matters, construction contract drafting and negotiation, and risk management strategies, Mr. Mellon represents design professionals in disciplinary and licensing proceedings before the City and State of New York. Mr. Mellon’s clients also include some of the largest developers in the United States as well as owners, developers, construction managers, contractors and other parties in the construction industry.

Mr. Mellon is a leading authority on the issues associated with building in New York City's urban environment where the proximity of the “Building Next Door” requires knowledge of complex safety and licensing issues. He works with owners and developers of commercial, high-rise residential, townhouses and mixed-use properties to protect their adjacent neighbors' structures during construction. 

Mr. Mellon is General Counsel and Honorary Member of the Brooklyn and Queens AIA Chapters. He is also an Honorary Member of the New York State AIA. Mr. Mellon is also a member of the National and New York Chapters of the Society of American Registered Architects, the Architects Council of New York City, and the New York Building Congress’ Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. Mr. Mellon is a Construction Law Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association (AAA).

Mr. Mellon was selected as a 2020 Trailblazer by the New York Law Journal for his early recognition of the potential use of  RPAPL 881, a then under-utilized New York State Law that allows a court to grant a temporary license to access a neighboring property to perform work and install necessary protection work. This becomes especially important when a license agreement cannot be reached with the neighboring property owner. Now widely used, this strategy minimizes disputes that can hold construction projects hostage. City & State Magazine honored him as a 50 Over 50 Leader in New York for his work in as construction lawyer.

Since 1996, Mr. Mellon has been selected by his peers to achieve the AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell.  He is consistently recognized for his experience and expertise as a construction litigator by Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US, Super Lawyers and The Best Lawyers in America. A client testimonial from the 2024 edition of The Legal 500 US recently proclaimed, “Raymond Mellon is an outstanding litigator.” Client testimonials from Chambers USA 2024 praised Mr. Mellon as a “[g]reat litigator with business acumen to get to the resolution,” and “[h]e knows the industry and issues.”

Mr. Mellon is a recipient of the Distinguished Presidential Citation from the Society of American Registered Architects, the New York Society of Architects Distinguished Service Award and the Advancement of the Architectural Professional Award by the Brooklyn AIA.

Education

Hofstra University School of Law, J.D.
Hofstra Law Review, Articles Editor

Hofstra University, B.A.
magna cum laude
Phi Beta Kappa

Admissions

  • New York

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of International Trade
  • U.S. Tax Court
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
Jump to Page