Listen to this articleLouis Soloway, a long-time partner at Certilman-Balin, the law firm with offices on Long Island and New Jersey, died on Sept. 15. He was 92.
Born April 23, 1932, Soloway lived in New York City and had a summer home in Lenox, Massachusetts. He practiced law for 67 years, and served as a partner in the firm’s Real Estate and Land Use and Zoning Practice Groups. He focused on providing counsel in matters involving land use and commercial real estate law transactions, on Long Island and in the New York metropolitan region, as well as across the nation.
Soloway’s clients included developers and corporate real estate departments, and he assisted them in every phase of commercial and residential projects. With experience in most local jurisdictions, he counseled clients on zoning, subdivisions, site plans, variances and all other aspects of land use and development. He also advised on purchase, leases and operating agreements. In addition, he was known to find simple solutions to complex problems.
A philanthropist, Soloway served as a director of The Rehabilitation Institute, which honored him as Humanitarian of the Year. He served as chairman of the Real Estate Committee of the Nassau County Lawyers Association and was a member of both the New York State Bar Association and the Nassau County Bar Association where he has served on the Real Estate Committee and the Grievance Committee.
Certilman Balin’s Managing Partner Howard Stein remembers Soloway fondly.
“Lou was a legend in the legal community for his brilliance and his knowledge of the law. Lou was not only a leading legal mind but also my mentor and an inspiration to many young attorneys. He fostered a culture of mentorship and collaboration. He will be missed by all of us at Certilman Balin.”
Soloway is survived by his wife Joan, and five children, Ann, Marc, Susan, Bruce and Lee, as well as his five grandchildren and one great grandson.
Soloway earned degrees from Columbia College and Columbia University School of Law.
In 2022, Long Island Business News recognized Soloway with a Leadership in Law lifetime achievement award.