McCarter & English today announced the addition of Richard G. Lyons as a partner in its Real Estate and Cannabis Practices working out of the firm’s New York City and Newark, N.J., offices. Lyons brings a depth of transactional experience in real estate leasing and acquisitions and dispositions, commercial agreements, and corporate formation and governance matters, particularly for clients in the Healthcare and Life Sciences industries. His experience in the cannabis sector covers handling a full range of commercial agreements, business counseling, and compliance issues.
“Rich is a great addition to our real estate practice in both New York and New Jersey,” said Joseph T. Boccassini, McCarter & English’s Firmwide Managing Partner. “His practice lines up well with industries where McCarter already has strength and will broaden our capabilities further in those sectors.”
With clients ranging from small businesses to publicly traded international companies, Lyons assists clients with a broad range of transactional real estate and related corporate matters, often serving as outside general counsel for clients, especially start-ups and early-stage companies. His transactional experience includes advising on leasing, acquisitions and dispositions, stock/asset purchase agreements, service agreements, licensing agreements, and corporate and business formation matters.
“Rich’s depth of knowledge and experience in transactional real estate provides added bench strength to our group as we continue to grow at a critical time in the real estate markets,” said Simone Wilson-Brito, Co-Chair of McCarter & English’s Real Estate Practice. “We’re happy to welcome him to our team.”
Having an established presence within the regional cannabis community, Lyons advises cannabis businesses on the full scope of their operational needs, including licensing, regulations, financing, real estate, employment agreements, and other general business matters, aiding in the streamlining of service and business functionality.
Within the healthcare and life sciences industries, Lyons assists a variety of clients, including those in the medical device, pharmaceutical, and clinical trial sectors with real estate and commercial contracting needs, as well as general corporate matters, including business formation and structuring agreements.
“McCarter caught my attention for a variety of reasons—its reputation and strength in the northeast; its focus on growth; its established, full-service teams in areas that could better support my clients; and the caliber of its people,” Lyons said. “I was looking for a place where I could put down roots—a good place to practice not only today, but 25 years from now. This team shares my ambitions—to grow, hustle and do really good work for our clients, while enjoying the colleagues alongside of you. Quite simply, the shoe fit.”
Active in his community beyond the legal sector, Lyons serves as councilman in the borough of Upper Saddle River, N.J., and on the borough’s historical society and water committees. He also serves and fundraises on behalf of several local charities, including Oasis and Strenthen Our Sisters. In 2023, Lyons was named an NJBIZ “Forty Under 40” honoree, and has been recognized as a New Jersey Rising Star by Super Lawyers, 2019-2024.
Lyons received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, his M.A. from Boston University and his B.A. from Worchester State University.