Rachel Winard Counsel

rwinard@wicks-group.com
202-457-7790 (office)
646-369-2007 (mobile)

Rachel Winard is Counsel at The Wicks Group, PLLC, drawing on more than 15 years of experience that has encompassed federal, state, and local statutory and regulatory analysis, hazardous materials shipping compliance, land use law, and consumer product import and export.. Rachel is based in Brooklyn, NY and is a member of the New York Bar.

Prior to joining TWG, Rachel worked as a Land Use Associate at two large New York City firms, advising clients on compliance with federal, state, and local statutory and regulatory requirements for real estate development, including mandated environmental impact reviews and remediation. Rachel also served on the Board of Trustees for a Brooklyn co-operative residential complex for more than a decade, advising on zoning, building and fire code, insurance, liability, and shareholder matters. Additionally, Rachel founded a global consumer products business in 2009 that has been featured in the New York Times, Vogue, Forbes, and the Wall Street Journal, among other publications, and continues to manage the business. Through this entrepreneurship, Rachel gained expertise in product import and export rules compliance across varied and dynamic political climates as well as hazardous materials packaging and shipping requirements and compliance.

Rachel holds a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School and a BA from the University of Washington. Rachel also studied for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the Julliard School.

Representative Experience

• Providing research and analysis in support of litigation matters being defended by a major airline.
• Drafting numerous commercial contracts on behalf of a federation of trade associations.
• Assisting in the review of a Use and Lease Agreement for a U.S commercial passenger airline’s use of a major hub airport.
• Advising clients on trademark and intellectual property protections.
• Advising clients on compliance with federal, state, and local statutory and regulatory requirements for real estate development and preparing applications to government agencies and boards for special permits and variances.
• Liaising with clients, engineers, architects, and city agencies to ensure developments were compliant.
• Developing and implementing community outreach strategies to engage underrepresented populations in public hearings on land use.
• Providing legal guidance on zoning, building, and fire codes, insurance, liability, shareholder concerns, and reporting requirements for a Brooklyn residential co-operative complex.
• Investigating shareholder grievances, preparing reports and recommendations for resolution of findings, and mediating disputes.
• Overseeing negotiations with government agencies to gain legalization of residential building rooftop decks.