Associate - Real Estate (Buffalo, NY)

What we're looking for:

We need someone with 3-6 years of experience in transactional commercial real estate who has played key roles in complex property acquisitions/dispositions, joint ventures, development deals, and financing transactions. You should be comfortable working in a highly collaborative, in-person environment and have a track record of supporting partners in running sophisticated deals end to end. Bonus points if you have affordable housing or LIHTC experience.

What you'll do:

- Support the Buffalo-based partner in running complex affordable housing transactions involving multi-layered financing structures, tax credit programs, and development deals

- Take ownership of the center part of a deal — drafting, editing, and managing deal execution — while the partner or counsel leads

- Work closely with partners, associates, paralegals, and deal team members across both the Buffalo and New York City offices to drive transactions to close

- Draft and negotiate transaction documents including purchase and sale agreements, joint venture agreements, loan documents, and organizational documents

- Participate in extensive training sessions (multiple per week) to develop deep expertise in affordable housing law and LIHTC financing structures

- Supervise and collaborate with paralegals and junior team members on active deals

- Build client relationships and contribute to a collaborative, people-first office culture as one of the foundational hires in a brand new Buffalo office

About Cohen Liuzzo PLLC:

Cohen Liuzzo PLLC is a boutique law firm specializing in affordable housing and community development law, founded in January 2025. The firm represents developers who create and preserve affordable housing across the country, advising on complex transactional matters including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, and multi-layered financing structures involving LIHTC and other tax credit programs. Despite being a young firm, its partners bring a collective ~50 years of experience and are recognized as leading innovators in the industry — including managing partner Eleor, widely credited with innovating approaches to structure tax credit and tax exempt bond transactions. The firm has grown from 6 to 17 people in 18 months and recently opened a Buffalo, NY office. Our minimum billable requirement is 1750, though we'd like to see associates closer to 1850-1900.

Why join:

- Learn directly from Eleor, one of the most recognized names in affordable housing law. He's based in our NYC office, but equally available as if he were down the hall.

- Growing firm (6 to 17 people in 18 months) with a brand new Buffalo office — early hires have real influence over culture and trajectory

- Sophisticated, mission-driven work — complex tax and financing structures with tangible community impact

- Highly collaborative, people-first culture with real mentorship — partners are accessible and the team genuinely likes each other

- Competitive compensation ($155K–$185K base) plus a two-part annual bonus (guaranteed component + performance/firm discretionary)

- Thoughtfully designed benefits including competitive healthcare, generous 401(k) match, backup family care, 20 days PTO, 11 holidays, weekly training sessions, and firm-sponsored lunches Tuesday–Thursday

Interview Process:

- Phone/video screen with Peter Liuzzo (partner)

- Interview with Eleor (managing partner) + Anthony (Buffalo partner) via Teams

- On-site visit to Buffalo office — meet Anthony and team in person

- Trip to New York City office (flight + hotel covered) — meet full team and managing partner in person

- Reference check → Offer → Background check

Target timeline: ~3 weeks end to end.