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William J. Hennessey Jr.

William J. Hennessey Jr.

Partner

  • Stamford
  • whennessey@carmodylaw.com

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  • 203.425.4200
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Legal Services

  • Land Use: Zoning, Permitting & Litigation
  • Real Estate Finance
  • Municipal Law
  • Tax Assessment & Valuation Appeals
  • Affordable Housing
  • Real Estate & Land Use

Education

  • Pace University School of Law, J.D., 1981
  • Fairfield University, B.A., 1977

Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • Connecticut

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut

William J. Hennessey Jr.

Partner

Back to Our Team

Home » Our Team » William J. Hennessey Jr.

  • Overview
  • Experience
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Lawyer in southwest Connecticut with over 40 years’ experience in planning, zoning, and related land use matters, as well as real estate transactions, including purchases, sales, leases, financings, and tax appeals. Considerable experience on issues of municipal law primarily related to land use and real estate development. Continues to guide many of the major development projects approved or currently proposed in Stamford and other lower Fairfield County communities.

Prior to Carmody, Bill was a founding partner of Sandak Hennessey & Greco LLP and from 1981 to 1984 was Assistant Corporate Counsel for the City of Stamford.

“William Hennessey is respected for his expertise in challenging permitting matters. He is frequently involved in large-scale development projects and zoning disputes.”

“Bill is the best and has a super manner before clients.”

Chambers USA Guide 2025

Affiliations

  • Adjunct Professor – Land Use Law, University of Connecticut School of Law, 2024 – present

  • American Bar Association, Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law

  • Connecticut Bar Association, Planning & Zoning Executive Committee, Real Property Section

  • Fairfield County Bar Association

  • Real Estate Finance Association of Connecticut

  • Urban Land Institute

  • International Association of Assessing Officers

  • NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association

  • International Council of Shopping Centers

Distinctions

  • Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers® in Stamford, Connecticut – Land Use and Zoning Law, 2022, 2023, 2025

  • Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers® in Stamford, Connecticut – Real Estate Law, 2020

  • Top tier ranking in Chambers USA Guide – Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use, 2020 – 2025

  • AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell®, 1999 – present

  • Connecticut Super Lawyers® – Land Use/Zoning and Real Estate, 2006 – present

  • American Cancer Society Honoree, 2024

  • City of Stamford Citizen of the Year Award, Jewish War Veterans, 2023

  • Fairfield County Real Estate Award, March of Dimes, 2016

  • Boy Scouts of America Connecticut Yankee Council Good Scout Honoree, 2013

  • CTE, Inc. Honor for Service to the Community, 2010

  • Stamford Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year, 2010

  • Stamford Downtown Special Services District Certificate of Appreciation, 2010

  • State of Connecticut Office of Treasurer Public Leadership Citation, 2010

Community

  • Board Member, Waterside School
  • Advisory Board Member, Child Care Learning Centers
  • Board Director, Stamford Chamber of Commerce (former)
  • Board Chairman, CTE, Inc. (former)

Experience

  • Zoning counsel for Harbor Point – a conversion of Stamford’s 163-acre South End peninsula, resulting in 4,000 housing units, 300,000 sq. ft. commercial office, 72,000 sq. ft. of retail and 6.61 acres of parkland.

  • Led the land use entitlement process for Brookfield Properties’ Class A 750,000 sq. ft. Sono Collection mall in Norwalk, Connecticut.

  • Lead counsel for Charter Communications (Spectrum) 700,000 sq. ft. new headquarters in Stamford.

  • Involved in multiple multi-family housing developments in lower Fairfield County, which combined total more than 10,000 housing units.

  • Lead counsel in property acquisition and site development for North American headquarters building for RBS (now NatWest Markets).

  • Zoning and real estate counsel for redevelopment and expansion of Stamford Hospital’s $500,000,000 redevelopment.

  • Represented Target in permitting a unique multi-story vertical urban department store and a 600-space parking garage.

  • Zoning counsel for conversion of a portion of Stamford Town Center Mall into lifestyle center.

  • Led successful efforts to convert former manufacturing facility into Chelsea Piers, an indoor sports and recreational center and adjacent television network sports video production facility anchored by NBC Sports Group.

  • Counsel for several financial service firms in establishing and permitting trading floor operations throughout the Stamford area.

  • Lead zoning counsel in permitting Connecticut’s largest transit-oriented, mixed-use development adjacent to the Stamford Transportation Center.

  • Represented many schools, churches, non-profit organizations and social and recreational facilities throughout Fairfield County in development and redevelopment.

Carmody Ranked in Chambers USA 2025

June 09, 2025
Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP is pleased to be ranked in Chambers USA 2025 in the following practice areas: Labor & Employment Litigation: General Commercial Real Estate Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use Chambers is one of the leaders in identifying, ranking and differentiating the best talent for law firms. Lawyers ranked individually in
Read More

Zoning OKs plans for warehouse

May 03, 2025
Land Use & Zoning partner Bill Hennessey is quoted in Stamford Advocate regarding the approval by the Stamford Zoning Board for plans for a warehouse and flex industrial buildings at the site of the former WWE studio. Click to read: Stamford Advocate

Carmody Lawyers Named to the 2024 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars Lists

October 09, 2024
Carmody is pleased to announce that 33 of its lawyers have been selected for inclusion on the Connecticut Super Lawyers® and Connecticut Rising Stars lists for 2024. Super Lawyers recognizes lawyers who have distinguished themselves in their legal practice. Please visit www.SuperLawyers.com/SelectionProcess to learn more information on the selection process.
Read More

Stamford Zoning Board OKs Dorms for UConn

July 26, 2024
Land use partner Bill Hennessey is quoted in the Stamford Advocate regarding the approval of a special permit to add 46 new dormitory beds near UConn Stamford.  Click to read: Stamford Zoning Board OKs dorms for booming UConn enrollment (stamfordadvocate.com)

Carmody Ranked in Chambers USA 2024

June 07, 2024
Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey is pleased to be ranked in Chambers USA 2024 in the following practice areas: Environment Labor & Employment Litigation: General Commercial Real Estate Chambers is one of the leaders in identifying, ranking and differentiating the best talent for law firms. Lawyers ranked individually in Connecticut
Read More
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