Vivian Currie focuses on zoning, land use/development, construction litigation, and licensing matters.  Mr. Currie represents clients before New York City agencies governing land use issues, including appearances before the NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearing (“OATH,” or the “ECB”) and the Board of Standards and Appeals.  Mr. Currie also gives advice and counsel in the area of REIT, general residential and commercial real estate, and housing court litigation.

As a former city lawyer, Mr. Currie brings extensive knowledge, insight and experience in defending clients on violation and summons matters in ECB and OATH hearings and other building, construction, and regulatory matters including those at the BSA and in the Supreme Court. 

Before private practice, Mr. Currie worked for the Department of Buildings (“DOB”), where for nine years, he was the Deputy Director and  Litigation Field Supervisor for the DOB’S Enforcement Unit.  There he led a team of 12-14 attorneys in the specialized litigation handled before the OATH/ECB Tribunal.  Mr. Currie also counseled and advised senior management, borough commissioners, and the professional architectural and engineering staff on a variety of zoning, construction codes, and major legal and legislative issues affecting NYC.

He handled numerous high profile and newsworthy cases including those involving fatalities and injuries caused by or related to defective construction work, building collapse, bad acting licensees (such as master plumbers, crane operators, master electricians), and crane and scaffold collapse.  He also litigated cases involving issues of the day such as the shared economy (think Airbnb), outdoor signs, illegal conversions, illegal used landmark buildings, public plazas, and illegal use in a zoning district to name a few.  While at the DOB, Mr. Currie was the one of the lead faculty in the Department’s Inspector Training Academy where he taught and instructed inspectors from all disciplines and subject matter expertise for more than 800 hours.

Mr. Currie is licensed to practice in New York and has been admitted since 2003.  He is a 2002 graduate of Pace Law School.  He is also a graduate of West Virginia University earning a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Public Administration.  Mr. Currie is a member of the New York County Lawyers Association where he is a member of the Committee on Construction Law and the New York State Bar Association where he is a member of the Committee on Civil Rights.

Education

> West Virginia University (B.A., 1997, MPA, 1999)

> Pace University School of Law (J.D., 2002)

Practice Areas

> OATH/ECB Litigation/Hearing Representation

   – Transient Use/AirBnB

   – Plumbing, Electrical, & Other Technical Code Matters 

   – Site Safety

   – ConstructionAccident/Fatality

   – Occupancy/Public Assembly

   – ECB/OATH Appeals

> Real Estate Transaction

> Licensing & Disciplinary

> BSA/Zoning & Land Use

> Article 78 of Final Determinations (NY Supreme Court)