Gordon J. Davis
Partner
Gordon’s experience includes:
- Expanding and renovating the American Museum of Natural History, including the Rose Planetarium and proposed Gilder Center
- Reclaiming Bryant Park
- Expanding the United States Tennis Association’s Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Park
- Overseeing the planned rebuilding of New York’s Penn Station (Amtrak) and the Mt. Sinai Health System’s Hess Center for Science and Medicine
- Negotiating funding and construction of capital facilities for the Dance Theater of Harlem, the Studio Museum in Harlem, the New York Public Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Cooper Union
- Negotiating and funding numerous capital projects and facilities at the NYPL, including restoration of the 42nd Street Central Library and its Rose Main Reading Room
Prior to joining Venable, Gordon served as special assistant to New York Mayor John Lindsay and was appointed commissioner of the New York City Planning Commission. Mayor Ed Koch appointed Gordon to be his first commissioner of the Department of Parks and Recreation for the City of New York. After leaving public service and prior to becoming a partner at Venable, Gordon was a partner in the law firms of Lord Day & Lord and LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae.
Related Practices
Experience
Experience
Government Experience
- Commissioner, New York City Planning Commission
- Commissioner, Department of Parks and Recreation for the City of New York
- Special Assistant, Administration of New York Mayor John Lindsay
Board Experience
- Past board member, The Phoenix Companies, Inc.
- Past board member, Consolidated Edison
- Past board member, New York magazine, Inc.
- Past board member, Dreyfus Inc.
- Board member, various Dreyfus mutual funds managed by the Bank of New York Mellon
- Founding trustee and lifetime trustee, Central Park Conservancy
- Founding chairman and board member, Jazz at Lincoln Center
- Founding member, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.
- Board member, Studio Museum in Harlem
- Board member, New York Public Library
- Board member, New York Public Theater
- Trustee emeritus, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Insights
Insights
Credentials
Credentials
Education
- J.D. Harvard Law School 1967
- B.A. Williams College 1963
Bar Admissions
- New York
Recognition
Recognition
- Super Lawyers, New York Metro
- City of New York, Medal for Exceptional Service
- Williams College
- Honorary Doctor of Law Degree
- Bicentennial Medal for Distinguished Achievement
- Bard College, Honorary Doctor of Law Degree
- Central Park Conservancy, Frederick Law Olmsted Medal
- Jazz at Lincoln Center, Ed Bradley Award for Leadership
- Studio Museum in Harlem, Award for Leadership
- Lincoln Center, Founding Legend (Designated by the 10 constituent organizations of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Lincoln Center, Inc.)
- Black Enterprise, America's Top Black Lawyers
- New York, New York City's Top Lawyers