Blank Rome hired Clara Feldman as a partner in the firms New York office. Feldman will serve as chair of the firm’s new luxury brands practice, comprised of Blank Rome attorneys from across the country who partner with brands to provide legal and business counsel on corporate, regulatory and litigation matters. Feldman, who will also be a member of the firm’s real estate group and industry team, joins Blank Rome from The Law Office of Clara Feldman, a boutique firm she founded in 2021.
“We are thrilled to welcome Clara to the firm and formally launch our Luxury Brands practice,” Grant S. Palmer, chair and managing partner at Bake Rome, said. “As the luxury brand market continues to evolve — from European brands entering the U.S. market, to the rise of new technologies, to exclusive shopping experiences — Clara’s deep industry experience and reputation as a trusted, go-to legal and business adviser will be instrumental in helping our clients seize new opportunities for their businesses.”
Feldman focuses on all aspects of commercial real estate and corporate transactions, with particular emphasis on complex commercial leasing, corporate agreements, financing, acquisitions and sales. She counsels CEOs of multinational and global luxury brands, owners, tenants and private equity funds, including Fortune 500 companies, in the negotiation and drafting of intricate retail, office, ground and restaurant leases, as well as corporate contracts. Feldman has also distinguished herself by representing numerous European and Canadian luxury brands looking to expand their footprint in the United States.
Feldman’s clients turn to her for counsel across a wide variety of business and legal issues because of her broad-based and holistic approach. For example, she often counsels clients with early corporate structure discussions, term sheet negotiations and strategy, lease execution, construction design, collaboration and beyond. She works tirelessly to help the brands she works with navigate the opportunities and challenges in today’s marketplace.
“I am excited to join Blank Rome and establish and lead the Luxury Brands practice,” Feldman said. “Blank Rome’s collaborative culture and diverse, nationally recognized practices are exactly what I was seeking to more comprehensively support my clients in the U.S. market. Success in the luxury goods industry requires more than skill or hard work — it demands passion. Representing luxury brands and playing a role in their success is truly what drives me, and I look forward to collaborating with my new Blank Rome colleagues to counsel clients in thoughtful, creative, and strategic ways.”
“We are excited to have Clara join our real estate group and lead our firm in the luxury brands space,” Samantha Wallack, partner and co-chair of the firm’s national real estate practice, said. “Clara frequently acts as an in-house counsel to her clients, offering them comprehensive and forward-looking guidance in a variety of areas, including negotiating leases for new retail locations, advising on strategic licensing agreements with hotels, managing wholesale agreements with department stores and more. Her multifaceted skillset in working with luxury brands will be of great benefit to our clients.”
Feldman has also counseled clients in the hospitality industry, including the negotiation and drafting of partnership, shareholder, joint venture, license, operating, management, acquisition, sale, employment and lease agreements for bars, restaurants, nightclubs, hotels, casinos and other food, beverage and entertainment facilities. Her experience will enhance the firm’s leading Hospitality practice, which advises clients within the industry with all aspects of business transactions and relationships, including purchase and sales, leasing, assignments, joint ventures, license agreements, consulting agreements and food and beverage management agreements.
Feldman earned her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and her B.A. from Pace University.
