Ken Block

Practice Areas

Construction & Design Law

Career

Kenneth M. Block is the Co-Chair of the Construction & Design Practice and is an acknowledged leader in the area of construction law. Ken is the former Chair of the Construction Law Committee of the New York State Bar Association Real Property Law Section and writes for the New York Law Journal Construction Law column. He lectures extensively on construction legal and business issues and represents prominent real estate owners, developers and not-for-profit institutions, including Vornado Realty Trust, The Witkoff Group, Jack Resnick & Sons, Inc., Time Equities, Inc., Albanese Organization, Rockrose Development Corp., Sterling Equities, the Hospital for Special Surgery, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the New York and Brooklyn Public Libraries, Friends Seminary, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Perelman Performing Arts Center at the World Trade Center.

Initially trained as a litigator, Ken has extensive experience with disputes involving construction defects, liens, and design and construction defects. Ken remains active in the litigation arena through participation in mediations, arbitrations, trials and appeals. Ken has applied his litigation skills to the preparation and negotiation of a wide variety of construction contracts, utilizing both modified AIA forms as well as customized manuscript forms. Fully conversant in the construction process, Ken provides value added services by assisting in structuring owner-favorable business, financial and legal terms for his clients.

Ken has been listed in Best Lawyers in America (2013 – 2024) as well as Construction Lawyer of the Year in 2019, 2023 & 2024; recognized in Chambers USA as a leading lawyer in construction (2011-2023); and selected for inclusion in New York Super Lawyers (2008-2023) as well as being named to the Super Lawyers Top 100 List 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023. Also, he maintains an AV Pre-eminent Rating from Martindale Hubbell.

Professional Memberships

Former Chair, Construction Law Committee, New York State Bar Association Real Property Law Section

Association of the Bar of the City of New York

Work Highlights

Acting as construction counsel for the developers of:

Farley Post Office, Moynihan Train Station, Penn Station Plaza and concourse, and One & Two Penn Plaza

Willets Point Phase 2, consisting of 2500 affordable housing units and related amenities

The TWA hotel at JFK Airport

The Whitney Museum of American Art

Little Island, a park and theatre space on the Hudson River

Education

Awards