Michael H. Sahn

University of Michigan (with High Distinction)

Indiana University School of Law (cum laude)

State of New York

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York

U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York

U.S. Supreme Court

Trustee, Northwell Health System

Member, Community Board, Southside Hospital

Chairman, Board of Zoning Appeals, Incorporated Village of Flower Hill

Member, Nassau County Bar Association

Previously served as co-chair, Real Property Law Committee

Member, Paralegal Studies Program Advisory Committee (Hofstra University)

Chairman, Administrative Agencies Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association (1983-1985)

Member, Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York (WBASNY)

Contact

Michael Sahn

p: 516.228.1300

e: msahn@sahnward.com

Michael H. Sahn

Co-Managing Member

Michael H. Sahn is the Co-Managing Member of the Firm. He concentrates his practice in the areas of zoning and land use planning, real estate law and transactions, corporate, municipal and environmental law. He also represents the firm's clients in civil litigation and appeals.

Mr. Sahn is a Member of the Board of Advisors of Northwell Health System. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of Zoning Appeals of the Incorporated Village of Flower Hill. He is a Member of the Nassau County Bar Association, and currently serves as the Chairman of the Bar Association’s Government Relations Committee. Previously he served as the co-chair of the Real Property Law Committee and as Chairman of the Administrative Agencies Committee. He is frequently invited to lecture before professional groups in his areas of expertise. He also is a regular contributor of editorial and opinion articles to Innovate Long Island.

Mr. Sahn began his legal career as a Deputy Town Attorney of the Town of North Hempstead, Nassau County, New York, in 1977. At the Town of North Hempstead, Mr. Sahn served as Counsel to the Board of Zoning and Appeals from 1978 through 1979, and as Senior Deputy Town Attorney in 1979. He then served as Commissioner of Planning and Research Development for the Town of North Hempstead from 1979 to 1981. In 1981, he joined the law firm of Margiotta & Ricigliano in Uniondale, New York, where he served as a partner of the firm. Additionally, from 1984 through 1997, Mr. Sahn served as Associate Counsel to New York State Senator Michael J. Tully, Jr. representing the Seventh Senate District in the New York State Senate. From 1997 to 1998, he served as Associate Counsel to New York State Senator Michael Balboni, also representing the Seventh Senate District in the New York State Senate.

Mr. Sahn has written numerous articles on various areas of the law, including his most recent articles for Nassau Lawyer, The Journal of the Nassau County Bar Association, entitled, “Leveraging the Power of AI: A Municipal and Land Use Attorney’s Guide to Enhanced Efficiency and Effectiveness” (September 2023, Vol. 73, No. 1); “Uncertainty of the Administrative State After West Virginia v. EPA” (September 2022, Vol. 72, No. 1); and include “Deferential Treatment of Zoning and Land Use Applications" (January 2019, Vol. 68, No. 5).

Mr. Sahn is also a regular contributor of articles for Innovate Long Island including: “LI Braces for Change After Monumental Chevron Decision” (September 13, 2024), “New Ideas Needed as LI Affordable-Housing Debate Rages” (June 28, 2024), “As Huge Trials Unfold, Little Details Can Play a Big Part” (May 3, 2024), “The need for (and dangers of) social media regulation” (March 8, 2024), “In Government, An Age-Old Issue with No Easy Solution” (January 5, 2024), “With the House at Stake, NY’s Redistricting War Rages” (October 13, 2023), “The Climate’s Already Changed. Will LI Land-Use Laws?” (August 11, 2023), “As Fatalities Rise, Stiffer DWI Laws Are Just the Ticket” (June 9, 2023), “As AI Evolves, The Battle for Control Begins in Court” (March 3, 2023), “Hochul Comes Out Swinging in Rekindled Housing Fight” (January 13, 2023), “Conservative SCOTUS’s Next Target: Affirmative Action” (November 11, 2022), “Long Island’s Strong Case for Parking-Mandate Reform” (August 19, 2022), “Now Hear This: In Zoning, Public Participation Is Busted” (May 27, 2022), “EV Ambitions Are Nice-But What’s The Action Plan?” (April 15, 2022), “Legal Levity Abounds, Even In Cold, Calculating Courts” (March 4, 2022), “Use It or Lose It: LI’s Affordable Housing Crossroads” (December 3, 2021), “SCOTUS: It All Hangs In the Balance (Or Lack Thereof” (October 15, 2021), “Risk, Opportunity In COVID/Climate Change Combo” (September 2, 2021), “So Much to Gain, Everything to Lose In Offshore Wind” (June 11, 2021 edition), “As Pandemic Ends, Zoning Laws Must Deal with Reality” (March 19, 2021 edition), “As Interests Align, Expect ‘Net Zero’ Investment to Rise” (February 5, 2021 edition), “COVID’s Tough, But Climate Change Is the Bigger Threat” (December 11, 2020 edition), “As Voting Evolves, National Voting Law Must Follow” (November 5, 2020 edition), “Covid Will End, But Land Use Will Be Changed Forever” (October 30, 2020 edition), “Election Day 2020: America Start Your Chaos” (September 25, 2020 edition), “This Land Is My Land; Eminent Domain to the Rescue?” (August 21, 2020 edition), “Understanding Executive Orders (At Least, Trying to” (July 24, 2020 edition), “Sustainable Land Use-A Pandemic-Recovery Priority” (June 12, 2020 edition), “The New War of States, And Why We Might All Lose” (May 8, 2020 edition), “Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail: A Post Pandemic Blueprint” (March 31, 2020), “As Climate Changes, A Strong Case for New Land Laws” (January 30, 2020 edition), "Infrastructure Bonding: Pay Now, Or Pay More Later" (August 18, 2016 edition) and "Big Projects Deserve Environmental Oversight" (April 21, 2016 issue).

Other articles Mr. Sahn wrote for various publications include "Zoning Laws Must Change to Meet Changing Times," which appeared in the January 9-15, 2016 edition of Long Island Business News; two articles he co-authored with Firm Associate Nicholas Cappadora for Nassau Lawyer: "Ripeness for Land Use Disputes - Williamson is Here to Stay" (September 2016 issue) and "When Is A Local Land Use Dispute Ripe for Federal Court Review?" (October 2015 issue); two articles that appeared in New York Real Estate Journal: "Resiliency and Sustainability - Can Long Island Follow New York City's Lead?", which he co-authored with Firm Partner Daniel H. Braff (July 16, 2013 edition) and "NYC Local Law 84 Data Due May 1," (May 24-June 6, 2011 edition). He also co-wrote two articles with Partner Adam Koblenz for Nassau Lawyer: "Navigating Unchartered Waters in Land Use Development - Proceeding in the Wake of the Supreme Court's Ruling in Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management District" (September 2013) and "Interpreting Koontz One Year Later" (September 2014). He also writes articles for the Firm's newsletter.

For every year from 2010 through 2023, Mr. Sahn has been selected to the list of New York Metro Super Lawyers, being recognized in the practice area of Land Use/Zoning. In 2011, he received the Leadership in Law Award from Long Island Business News.

He also received awards from other media outlets, including recognition as a Top Business Leader of Nassau County in 2022 from Blank Slate Media and was named to Long Island Business News Top Law Influencers of 2023 and 2024. Mr. Sahn was also recognized by The Herald as one of the Top Chief Officers in 2024.

Mr. Sahn holds an AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell and was named to the 2022 and 2023 AV Preeminent Attorney-Judicial Edition. He is peer rated for the highest level of professional excellence.

Mr. Sahn was admitted to practice in the State of New York in 1977 and was subsequently admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York in 1978, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in 1980. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Sahn graduated from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan with High Distinction and from Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana, Cum Laude.