Knauf Shaw LLP

Knauf Shaw LLP is a boutique law firm in Rochester, NY, focused on environmental and energy law, land use, zoning, municipal law, and commercial real estate. Alan Knauf founded the firm in 1986, and Linda Shaw joined as partner in 1998. The practice has since grown to include additional named partners — Dwight Kanyuck and Amy Kendall (2018) and Jonathan Tantillo (2022) — along with several associate attorneys. The firm serves clients across New York State, from Long Island to Niagara Falls.

Knauf Shaw's practice spans a range of environmental and land use legal services, including:

• Brownfield redevelopment and Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) applications
• Environmental remediation and compliance guidance
• Renewable energy project counsel
• Water and wetlands law
• State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) proceedings
• Land use, zoning, and municipal law
• Environmental and land use litigation in state and federal courts
• Insurance coverage disputes related to environmental claims

The firm handles matters under federal statutes such as CERCLA, RCRA, the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act, as well as New York-specific laws including the Oil Spill Act and the Green Amendment. Their litigation work covers the full lifecycle of a case, from investigation through trial.

Knauf Shaw's attorneys were directly involved in the creation of New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program law and have advised on subsequent legislative amendments to the program. The firm has represented municipalities for over 30 years and worked on site remediation projects with the NYSDEC for more than 25 years. Their portfolio includes significant appellate cases in environmental law. The firm holds Tier One recognition from Best Lawyers Best Law Firms in Environmental Law and Litigation and has been named among the top law firms in New York for construction, real estate, and environmental law by Super Lawyers.

Knauf Shaw LLP is located in Innovation Square at 100 South Clinton Avenue in downtown Rochester, NY 14604. The building — formerly the Xerox Tower and still the tallest structure in the city at 30 stories — sits in the center of Rochester's downtown business district. The firm relocated to this address in April 2023. Downtown Rochester offers convenient access to the Monroe County courthouse complex and state agency offices, and the area is well-served by public transit and nearby parking garages.