About Us

ABOUT US

Richard Whalen, the founder of the firm, is an attorney with more than 25 years' legal experience in zoning, land use, and real estate transactional work. His zoning and land use background includes serving as a Deputy Town Attorney for the Town of East Hampton for more than 14 years, from 1989 to 2003. In that capacity he acted for many years as counsel to both the Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board.

In private practice Mr. Whalen has represented hundreds of clients in all types of zoning matters, from subdivisions to zone change requests, wetland and natural resources special permit applications to site plan and variance requests. He has served on a variety of East Hampton Town committees since his departure from Town employment, including the Nature Preserve Committee. He is also a board member of the East Hampton Business Alliance.

In addition to his professional experience, Mr. Whalen has been a long-time student of East Hampton’s history and geography, interests that dovetail well with his legal work in local real estate and zoning.

An Amagansett resident and avid outdoorsman, Rick has led hundreds of hikes for the East Hampton Trails Preservation Society over the past thirty years. When not at work, he can usually be found running, hiking, mountain biking, skiing, or snow-shoeing on local trails.

Richard Whalen

David Filer

David is an East Hampton resident whose family
has lived here for ten generations. David served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

David Filer, is an East Hampton resident whose family has lived here for ten generations. He graduated with a BA in English Literature and History from Lynchburg College. After working in the insurance business on the East End for two years, he received a Master’s Degree in English Education while teaching high school students in Virginia. He co-founded and ran an East Hampton-based mail order bookstore for six years, leaving East Hampton again to attend Brooklyn Law School, where he obtained a JD in 2002.

David served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, hired by the legendary Robert M. Morgenthau in 2002. In his 16 years as a prosecutor, David prosecuted crime at all levels, including domestic violence, weapons possession, narcotics, assaults, larcenies, robberies, and shootings. His successful prosecution of felony domestic violence cases resulted in significant jail sentences for the perpetrators and some sense of justice for the victims. He became the Criminal Court Supervisor of a trial bureau where he supervised and trained new attorneys. In his later years at the DA’s Office, David joined the Office’s elite Sex Crimes Unit where he investigated violent sexual assaults.

In 2016, David became the Co-Director of the New York County District Attorney’s Office Prosecution Clinic where he oversaw law students who prosecuted their own cases in New York City Criminal Court, and served as an adjunct professor of law at New York Law School.

In addition, David is trained extensively in divorce mediation and negotiated divorce. He actively works to educate divorcing couples on the benefits of non-adversarial divorce, promoting peaceful resolution of family conflict through mediation and collaborative divorce.

Tyler Armstrong

Tyler is an East Hampton local who is a former Town Trustee. He gradated from Hampshire College and is a student of Ecology and Chemistry. In his spare time he enjoys hiking, clamming and cooking.

Tyler Armstrong, is an East Hampton local who joined the firm full-time in 2018 as a researcher and planner. He graduated from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts where he studied Ecology, Hydrology, Chemistry, as well as creative and professional writing.

After returning home to the East End, he worked for three years as a Nature Educator at the South Fork Natural History Museum, creating and leading educational programming for children and adults. He then worked for two years assisting with the production of property appraisals for Clark and Marshall Appraisers.

In 2015, Tyler was elected to the Trustees of the Freeholders and Commonalty of the Town of East Hampton and served as a Trustee for two years. He is currently an appointed member of both the East Hampton Town Nature Preserve Committee, and the Waterfront Advisory Committee.

Tyler has continued to pursue his love of nature education by leading seasonal programming for Shine summer camp, and all-ages kayak tours of local waters for Weekend Warrior. In his free time, he enjoys creative writing, playing drums, hiking, clamming, cooking, and observing the natural splendor of the East End.

Jeffrey Freireich

Jeffrey is admitted to the Bar of the States of New York & New Jersey and holds an MBA in finance from the NYU Stern Graduate School of Business and a JD degree from Hofstra University School of Law.

Jeffrey Freireich has 30+ years of experience in the real estate industry. He holds an MBA degree in finance from the NYU Stern Graduate School of Business, and a JD degree from Hofstra University School of Law. He began his career practicing law in NYC before becoming an executive in the oil industry. He then helped found the NY/NJ based real estate firm of Kushner Companies. During his 21 year career at Kushner Companies he was in charge of land development, zoning matters, acquisitions and entitlements. He served as Vice Chairman and Director until 2007. In 2008 he formed JF Real Estate Group and has been actively involved in establishing various real estate ventures. He serves as a consultant to private and public real estate clients, and is the former Executive Director of the East Hampton Business Alliance.

Kim Ovando

Kim Received a BS in Criminal Justice from St Josephs College. Kim is involved in all aspects of the firms different practice groups. She resides in Montauk where her family runs a local business.

Madeleine Narvilas

Madeleine brings a unique combination of skills and experience to the firm. She has worked with the UN, was Assistant NYC DA at Manhattan DA office, and was Assistant EH town Attorney. She joined the Law Offices of Richard E. Whalen in May 2017

Madeleine Narvilas received her MS from the Columbia University School of Social Work and her JD from Benjamin Cardozo School of Law.

Madeleine brings a unique combination of skills and experience to the firm. Over the course of her career as an attorney and clinician, Madeleine has served in such diverse roles as expert witness/clinical consultant to London-based Integrated Care Management Ltd, representative to the UN Economic and Social Council, therapist through NYC Dept of Mental Health to victims of the September 11 terrorist attack, and an Assistant DA for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. Madeleine worked as an Assistant Town Attorney for the Town of East Hampton from 2007 to 2010. She also served as Counsel to the East Hampton Town Architectural Review Board.

Kim Ovando grew up in Montauk, where her family runs a local business. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from St. Joseph’s College in 2013. Kim joined the Firm in 2016 as a Legal Assistant. Throughout her time at the firm, she’s been involved in all aspects of the firm’s real estate and land use practice, including residential and commercial sales transactions, coordinating the preparation of real estate conveyance documents, organizing and assisting with closings, and performing real property searches. In addition, Kim is instrumental in running the office. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and family in Montauk, as well as visits with her extended family in Guatemala.

Marilyn Young

Marilyn a long time NYC resident has extensive experience in the real estate industry. She has lived abroad, but now makes her home in East Hampton.

Marilyn Young was born in Greenwich Village. She spent many years in and around New York City, attending parochial schools, Bennett College, and graduating from NYU. She has a long corporate career history, working for Sinclair Oil, Sperry Rand Corporation, and National Bulk Carriers, where she worked directly with the Chairman. Marilyn was the owner of a travel agency, was a long-time New York City real estate broker, and later was head of her own real estate firm. She has lived in Frankfurt, Germany, and has travelled extensively throughout Europe. Marilyn “retired” to East Hampton, where she enjoys entertaining, along with her German husband Wolfgang, and visiting with her extended family