NEW YORK, April 14, 2026 — Tarter Krinsky & Drogin announced today that Michael T. Contos has joined the firm as a Partner in its nationally ranked Construction Practice, further strengthening the group during a period of sustained expansion for the firm and continued growth in client demand across its core practice areas.
Contos advises clients in the commercial real estate and construction industries and serves as outside general counsel to cooperatives and condominiums. He represents a broad range of clients, including commercial, institutional and residential real estate developers, owners and operators; condominiums and cooperatives; construction management firms and general contractors; hotel owners and operators; non-profits; and other business entities. With a practice spanning both litigation and transactional matters, Contos counsels clients through all phases of real estate projects, from contract negotiation and project planning through dispute resolution.
When disputes arise, Contos develops strategic and creative approaches to complex commercial litigation matters, representing clients in state and federal courts as well as before alternative dispute resolution bodies and administrative agencies. His experience includes prosecuting and defending construction, and real estate-related matters such as complex construction and design disputes, delay and acceleration claims, consequential damages claims, surety bond claims, lien and trust fund issues, lease and ownership disputes, access disputes, claims under the New York Lien Law and Prompt Payment Act, and a range of general contract matters.
Contos joins the firm at a time of distinctive bicoastal growth, including the firm’s recent inclusion in the NYLJ 100, recognizing the 100 largest law firms in New York and the National Law Journal 500, recognizing the largest 500 law firms in the country. His arrival reflects the firm’s continued investment in expanding capabilities in key practice areas.
“Michael is a highly regarded construction and real estate lawyer whose practice reflects practical, business-oriented counsel combined with strong dispute capabilities,” said Alan Tarter, Managing Partner of Tarter Krinsky & Drogin. “His arrival builds on our continued growth and enhances our ability to serve clients navigating complex matters.”
“Spanning the full life cycle of construction, from contract structuring through high-stakes litigation, Michael’s experience makes him a natural fit for our team and our clients,” said David Pfeffer, Chair of the firm’s Construction Practice. “As we continue to grow a nationally recognized practice, his addition further strengthens the depth of our firm’s capabilities.”
“I’m excited to join Tarter Krinsky & Drogin at a time of such strong momentum,” said Michael T. Contos. “The Construction Practice has established a leading national reputation, and I look forward to working with colleagues across the firm to help clients address the increasingly complex challenges facing the industry.”
In addition to his practice, Contos serves as an adjunct professor at New York University and NYU Tandon School of Engineering, where he teaches courses in construction dispute resolution and hospitality and tourism law. He is also active in the community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Union Community Health Center and 420-422 W. 47th Street Owners Corp.
Contos is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., as well as before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey; the U.S. Court of Claims; and the U.S. Tax Court. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, where he serves on the Construction Law Committee, and the New York County Lawyers Association.
Contos earned his J.D., cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law and was recognized as a New York Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2017 through 2022.
About Tarter Krinsky & Drogin
Celebrating more than two decades of legal service, Tarter Krinsky & Drogin is a bicoastal midsize law firm with an established international reputation. Keeping our clients’ business objectives and concerns top of mind, we focus on what matters – partnering with them to achieve their goals, offering holistic and practical legal advice, and devising creative strategies for complex disputes. Purposefully designed to integrate seamlessly with any client’s business team, we are a vibrant, multidisciplinary law firm dedicated to smart thinking and strong client relationships. We advise clients of all sizes providing services spanning over 30 practice areas. Our attorneys, many of whom are multilingual, are as diverse as the clients they serve.
Learn more about LAW member Tarter Krinsky & Drogin, located in New York City, NY, US, here.