John Gordon to lead division at law firm

Noah Manskar
John Gordon. (Photo from Vishnick McGovern Milizio)

John Gordon started his career in real estate law in 2006, when the housing market was booming, he said.

The industry has seen big changes since the housing collapse in 2008, with the onset of new federal regulations and changes in how banks lend money, said Gordon, who is entering his third year as president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Willistons.

Now, the Williston Park resident is looking to lead his fellow real estate lawyers at Vishnick McGovern Milizio through some technological changes as head of the Lake Success-based firm’s residential real estate practice group.

“What we’re looking to do is continue to bring our processes into the technological age and make sure that we remain up to date on all of the best ways to do this in an efficient manner,” Gordon said.

A native of South Ozone Park, Queens, and a Fordham University Law School graduate, Gordon came to Vishnick McGovern Milizio in 2006, the same year he moved to Williston Park and joined the chamber, he said.

In the new role he took on Dec. 27, he will oversee all the firm’s residential real estate operations, working with a staff of two paralegals and one other attorney, according to Gordon and a news release from the firm.

Gordon will also handle cases involving estate planning and other types of real estate transactions, and will work with business owners who want to sell their businesses or transfer their assets, he said.

There was a big demand for real estate lawyers when Gordon first entered the field at a firm based in Richmond Hill, Queens, he said.

New York’s housing market was “more resilient,” so it weathered the 2008 crash better than many places, he said.

Gordon also advises nonprofit groups and charities, a skill that has come in handy as chamber president when legal questions come up, he said.

Leading the chamber has also led Gordon to better understand businesses and business owners, “which helps me with representing business owners in my practice,” he said.

“I’ve been able to get to know the people who own and run the local businesses, and they’re a great group of people,” Gordon said. “And it’s given me the opp to try to help them grow and get people to use their goods and services.”

While some longtime establishments have closed in the past decade, the business community in the Willistons has remained fairly stable, Gordon said.

The biggest change has been the many restaurants opening, Gordon said, which could help local business overall.

“I think it brings in foot traffic from surrounding areas and gives people an opportunity to see what other businesses there are,” he said.

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