DeCotiis

Nancy Kist joined DeCotiis as a partner in 2008. She is a member of the Municipal Law Practice Group.

For the past ten years, Ms. Kist has provided leadership and legal counsel to municipalities and redevelopment entities on land use, environmental and redevelopment matters. From 2002 to 2007, Ms. Kist was Executive Director of the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Bayonne, an agency responsible for the environmental remediation and redevelopment of a 430-acre former military installation located on New York Harbor.  She also was responsible for obtaining necessary state and federal permits for waterfront development and the reconstruction of commercial and recreational piers.  

During her tenure, the agency received "Smart Growth" awards from the New Jersey Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (2005) and New Jersey Future (2005).  Additionally, the agency was recognized in 2006 with awards for "Engineering Excellence" by the American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey, and "Achievement in Planning" from New Jersey Planning Officials.  Ms. Kist has negotiated redevelopment agreements with both nationally recognized and regional development entities for commercial and residential development projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In 2003, she negotiated a 35-year development agreement valued at over $140 million with one of the world's largest cruise lines to establish a cruise ship terminal in the State of New Jersey.  

From July 2000 to November 2002, Ms. Kist was Law Director of the City of Bayonne, New Jersey. She was Assistant City Attorney for the City of Bayonne from August 1998 to July 2000. In 2001, she led the legal team that negotiated the first of its kind early transfer (FOSET) and environmental services cooperative agreement (ESCA) with the United States Army.  These agreements permitted the transfer of environmentally contaminated property to local control for remediation, without the transfer of financial responsibility or CERCLA liability.  Her endeavors in military base redevelopment were recognized in 2005 when she received the Community Leadership Award - Closed Base Community by the Association of Defense Communities (ADC).     

Ms. Kist is also a frequent speaker on environmental and land use topics, particularly relating to military bases. A partial list of her speaking engagements includes:

September 26, 2006 meeting of the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority on Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process.

July 31, 2006 Association of Defense Communities (ADC formerly NAID) Annual Conference – on The Bayonne Redevelopment  Story: Early Transfers, ESCAs, Environmental Insurance and  Collaboration.  

November 14, 2005 conference at Monmouth University entitled "Fort Monmouth:  Today, Tomorrow and in the Future" - subject was The Importance of Broad-Based Consensus Building.

November 4, 2005 Land Use Law Seminar sponsored by CLE International - panelist - subject was "Redevelopment Issues".  

July 21, 2005 Webcast sponsored by International City/County Management Association (ICMA) - panelist -  subject of webcast was BRAC '05: What You Don't Know CAN Hurt You - The Basics of Cleanup and Reuse.   

June 5, 2005 NAID/ADC Annual Conference - panelist - subject matter Innovations for Successful LRA Organizations.  

August 11, 2003 NAID Annual Conference - panelist - subject matter - Real Estate Initiatives on Closing and Active Military Bases.  

Ms. Kist is a 1986 graduate of Caldwell College, where she received her B.A. cum laude in History and English.  At Caldwell, she was the recipient of the Brady Award for Senior History Essay as well as the Interdisciplinary Honors Award.    She received her J.D. from Seton Hall University Law School, where she served on the Appellate Moot Court Board.  Following law school, she clerked for Judges Leonard Sachar and Edward Toy of the Superior Court of New Jersey – Union County Vicinage. Ms. Kist is also a member of the Board of Trustees of St. Dominic Academy, Jersey City, New Jersey. She is a New Jersey native and lifetime resident.

Bar Admissions:
New Jersey (1991)
New York (1995)

Professional Memberships, Associations and Activities:
Hudson County Bar Association
New Jersey Bar Association
New York Bar Association
Association of Defense Communities (formerly known as the National Association of Installation Developers)
Trustee, St. Dominic Academy, Jersey City, NJ