Who We Are

JOEL R. MARCUS, Partner

JOEL R. MARCUS, is a graduate of Hofstra Law School. He was an Assistant Corporation Counsel at the Certiorari and Condemnation Division of the New York City Law Department, from 1975 to 1980. From 1980 to 1990, he was in charge of the Tax Certiorari and Condemnation department at the law firm of Shea & Gould, where he became a partner in 1986. He is a former President of the New York City Real Estate Tax Review Bar Association and a member of Tax Certiorari and Condemnation Committie of The Association of the Bar of The City of New York. From 1990 to 2005 Mr. Marcus was a partner at Pottish Freyberg Marcus & Velazquez, LLP. He is a lecturer at the New York State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Program and a member of the property tax committee of the Real Estate Board of New York. He is also published regularly in real estate industry magazines. Mr. Marcus won a decision at trial in 1990 involving One New York Plaza which resulted in a $42,000,000 real estate tax refund. This groundbreaking case established acceptance of asbestos contamination as a basis for tax reduction and still stands as the largest Court ordered award in New York City.

ROBERT M. POLLACK, Partner

ROBERT M. POLLACK, is a graduate of the University of Rochester and Fordham Law School. Mr. Pollack began his career in real estate taxation as an appraiser, preparing valuation studies for use in tax certiorari trials. He is a former Senior Assessor for the New York City Department of Finance, where he worked closely with the New York City Tax Commission. Since 1987 Mr. Pollack’s prior firm, Robert M. Pollack, P.C., has represented major real estate owners and developers in real estate tax matters in New York City. Mr. Pollack has been successful in establishing many precedents in property tax exemption and assessment policies for complex development projects.

PHILIP H. AZARIAN, Senior Associate

PHILIP H. AZARIAN is a cum laude graduate of Syracuse University College of Law. Mr. Azarian practiced for five years as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the Certiorari and Condemnation Division of the New York City Law Department, where he defended the City of New York in all phases of tax certiorari and real property tax litigation. Mr. Azarian was an Associate in the office of Robert M Pollack, P.C. from 1998 to 2005, concentrating his practice in the areas of real property taxation and exemption litigation.

BRUCE A. BRASKY, Associate

BRUCE A. BRASKY is a graduate of Cardozo School of Law. Mr. Brasky practiced for 24 years at the New York City Department of Finance where he served as the Director of Real Estate Tax and Exemptions Policy. Mr. Brasky also served as the Director of the Industrial and Commercial Incentive Program.