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Cullen and Dykman LLP
American legal services company From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Cullen and Dykman LLP is a full-service law firm headquartered in Uniondale, New York with 6 additional offices throughout New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C.. Established in 1850, it is one of the country's oldest continuously operating law firms and has a rich history within the legal world. The firm works in practice areas including Banking and financial services, energy and utilities, real estate and land use, commercial litigation, construction litigation, corporate law, labor and employment law, education law, trusts and estates, and energy law. With the firm's nearly two centuries of legal expertise, it is uniquely able to handle the sophisticated legal matters ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.
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History
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Expansion milestones
- 1966: Opened a Long Island office in Garden City following a merger with the firm of George L. "Loring" Hubbell Jr., further solidifying the firm's regional presence.
- 1978: The firm opened its Washington, D.C. office to better serve the utility and energy clients involved in federal regulatory matters.
- 2003: Merged with Bleakley Platt Remsen Millham & Curran to expand the Manhattan office, a move reported by Crain's New York Business as expanding the firm's Manhattan presence and deepening its banking and real estate practice.
- 2012: The firm opened an office in Albany to meet the growing demands for legal services in the state's capital and throughout upstate New York.
- 2016: Integrated with Sokol Behot in New Jersey, adding offices in Hackensack, Newark, and Princeton.
Origins and Early Years
Cullen and Dykman LLP traces its origins to 1850, when Alexander McCue, who later became a judge, began practicing law in Brooklyn, New York. Twenty years later, McCue joined two distinguished Brooklyn lawyers to form the firm McCue, Hall and Cullen. One partner, Edgar M. Cullen, later became Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals, a role he held from 1904 to 1913.[1]
In 1867, McCue served as one of the incorporators of the New York and Brooklyn Bridge Company. The firm—through Edgar M. Cullen, James G. Bergen, and later William N. Dykman — acted as counsel in significant litigation involving patents, claims, and negligence related to the Brooklyn Bridge.[2]
William N. Dykman joined as an associate in 1878, and by 1880, Edgar M. Cullen had been elected to the New York Supreme Court.[2] In the early 20th century, Cullen and Dykman maintained offices in the Brooklyn Trust Company Building. After retiring as Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals in 1914, Cullen returned to the firm in 1915, at which point the firm officially adopted the name Cullen and Dykman. Despite its growing size, the firm retained this name going forward.[2]
Judge Edgar M. Cullen passed away in 1922. Upon his death, Presiding Justice Abel E. Blackmar noted, "Judge Cullen left his imprint upon the body of the law, and his opinions, which enrich all legal literature, will long be cited as authorities…".[2]
In 1937, the firm lost William N. Dykman, who had served as president of the New York State Bar Association and held prominent public roles, including memberships on the District Board of New York City and the Civil Service Commission under Mayor Van Wyck and Low.[2]
Recent History
In 1955, Fred L. Space—then the firm's Managing Clerk—retired briefly to dedicate himself to compiling and preserving over a century's worth of firm records and history, an effort that required three large warehouse rooms.[2]
In 2003, Cullen and Dykman merged with Bleakley Platt Remsen Millham & Curran, a move reported by Crain's New York Business as expanding the firm's Manhattan presence and deepening its banking and real estate practice.
In 2019, Cullen and Dykman ranked first in the list of law firms that oversaw the largest commercial loan volumes in the boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, according to "The Real Deal".[3]
In 2025, Long Island Business News recognized Cullen and Dykman as one of the "Best Legacy Businesses" in celebration of the firm's 175th anniversary.[4]
As of today, the firm has evolved from Judge McCue's one-partner Brooklyn practice into a leading regional law firm serving New York, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C., with enduring ties to the legal profession and its communities.
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Practice areas
Cullen and Dykman provides legal services to a range of industries, including banking, energy, education, utilities, real estate, construction, and not-for-profit organizations.[5] In February 2024, the firm formalized its Private Equity and Venture Capital practice.[6]
Recognition
In 2024, Long Island Business News shared an article spotlighting Cullen and Dykman's Mergers and Acquisitions team and their shared success in the field. In 2025, Cullen and Dykman celebrated its 175th anniversary, with coverage in Long Island Business News and Law360 Pulse. The firm was named among "Best Legacy Businesses" by Long Island Business News.[7]
In 2025, the Higher Education and Bankruptcy and Real Estate teams successfully closed the sale of The College of Saint Rose campus to the Albany County Pine Hills Land Authority for $35,000,000, as part of the College's Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of New York.[8]
Offices
As of 2025, the firm maintains offices in:
- Uniondale, New York
- New York City, New York
- Albany, New York
- Hackensack, New Jersey
- Newark, New Jersey
- Princeton, New Jersey
- Washington, D.C.
See also
References
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