Michael S. Zetlin is a co-founder of Zetlin & De Chiara LLP, a New York-based construction law firm that provides sophisticated legal representation and business counsel to owners, developers, design professionals and contractors in all aspects of their complex construction projects, from contracts through dispute resolution.
For over two decades, he has served as General Counsel to the New York Building Congress. He also serves as General Counsel to the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Mr. Zetlin is a fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers and a member of the National Academy of Construction. A writer and lecturer, he is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University, teaching the graduate program “Legal Issues in Building Construction.” He is the co-editor of New York Construction Law, the definitive treatise on construction law in New York. He is also an arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association Construction Industry Panel.
In addition to serving on the board of the NYBC, he serves on the boards of Pratt Institute and Columbia University’s Industry Advisory Committee of the Center for Buildings, Infrastructure and Public Space. He is a member of the YMCA of Greater Nw York’s Development Committee and Annual Campaign Leadership Council and Lincoln Center’s Real Estate & Construction Council. He is also a past board member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Construction Industry.
Mr. Zetlin holds the notable AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, a respected guide to the legal profession. Best Lawyers in America named him a 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” for his expertise in New York construction matters.
He earned his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and a B.S in Civil Engineering from Columbia University.