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William J. Hennessey Jr.

William J. Hennessey Jr.

Partner

  • Stamford
  • whennessey@carmodylaw.com

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Legal Services

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

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

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Home » Our Team » William J. Hennessey Jr.

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Bill’s practice is concentrated on planning, zoning and related land use issues, as well as real estate transactions, including purchases, sales, leases, financings and tax appeals. He has considerable experience on issues of municipal law primarily related to land use and real estate development issues. For various clients, Bill has been involved with many of the major development projects in Stamford and other Connecticut communities. From 1981 to 1986, he was an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the City of Stamford and has served as a Special Master in the Connecticut Superior Court.

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

Affiliations

  • 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

Distinctions

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

  • Top tier ranking in Chambers USA Guide – Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use, 2022

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

  • AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell®

  • Super Lawyers® – Land Use/Zoning and Real Estate, 2006-2022

  • 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

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

  • Lead counsel for Charter Communications (Spectrum) new 770,000 sq. ft. headquarters building in Stamford, Connecticut.

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

  • Involved in multiple other multi-family housing developments in lower Fairfield County, which combined total more than 5,000 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 180,000 sq. ft. multi-story vertical urban department store and a 600-space parking garage.

  • Zoning counsel for conversion of a portion of 860,000 sq. ft. Stamford Town Center Mall into lifestyle center.

  • Led successful efforts to convert former 900,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility into the Northeast’s largest indoor sports and recreational center and adjacent television network sports video production facility anchored by NBC Sports Group.

  • Worked with several financial services 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, comprised of a 325,000 sq. ft. office tower and mixed income residential community of over 250 units.

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

Indoor ice rink on Stamford-Greenwich border? Zoning board wants say over building’s color

March 17, 2023
Carmody's Real Estate & Land Use partner, William Hennessey is quoted in the Stamford Advocate as he represented the developer on its successful application for a new indoor ice rink in Stamford. Click to read.

Carmody Partners Named as “Lawyer of the Year” – Employment Law – Management and Land Use & Zoning

August 18, 2022
The 2023 Edition of Best Lawyers announced today that Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey partners Giovanna Tiberii Weller and William J. Hennessey Jr. have been named ‘Lawyer of the Year’ for Employment Law - Management and Land Use & Zoning Law respectively. Giovanna Tiberii Weller: Lawyer of the Year –
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31 Carmody Attorneys Selected to the 2021 Super Lawyers®, Rising Stars in Connecticut Lists

October 12, 2021
Carmody is proud to announce the selection of 31 of its attorneys to the Connecticut Super Lawyers® or Rising Stars lists for 2021. Selected attorneys are noted below. Each year, no more than 5% of the lawyers in the state are selected as Super Lawyers® and no more than 2.5%
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Carmody attorneys named to The Best Lawyers in America 2022 List

September 20, 2021
Carmody is pleased to announce that 30 attorneys have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2022. Three Carmody attorneys have also been recognized as "Lawyer of the Year". Congratulations to David T. Grudberg, William J. Hennessey, Jr. and Peter M. Nolin. Only one lawyer is recognized
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Connecticut General Assembly Extends Term of Certain Zoning Approvals

June 17, 2021
The General Assembly passed legislation extending the term of zoning approvals that were effective as of March 10, 2020, the date the Governor declared a State of Emergency to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The adopted legislation is in two parts: Public Act 21-34 (effective June 10, 2021) and HB 6541
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