Sarah Reynolds (Provided photo)

LAKE PLACID — Norfolk Beier PLLC has announced that Sarah Reynolds has joined the firm as senior counsel.

Reynolds’ practice focuses on representing individuals and businesses in matters related to permitting, litigation, dispute resolution, and other aspects of real property, land use and zoning.

Before joining Norfolk Beier PLLC, Reynolds spent nearly 20 years as an attorney with New York state’s Adirondack Park Agency, where she managed the interpretation and administration of the park’s environmental and land-use laws. Reynolds was responsible for guiding applicants, employees and board members through the review process for the most complex subdivision and development proposals presented to the Agency. When these matters resulted in litigation, Reynolds worked closely with the Office of the Attorney General to develop strategies, draft documents and prepare for court.

During her time at the Agency, Reynolds also wrote and edited countless permits and variances, settlement agreements, policies, press statements, contracts, publications, and legislative and regulatory proposals. She regularly presented at public meetings and planning conferences on complex land use topics, advised municipalities on interpreting their zoning codes, and collaborated with stakeholders to resolve differences and implement solutions on various issues.

To improve consistency, efficiency and fairness in the agency’s review process, Reynolds revised and streamlined numerous documents, including the templates for jurisdictional inquiry responses, subdivision and development permits, area variances, and settlement agreements. Additionally, she developed a program to interpret and explain the agency’s laws through internal guidance for employees, informational flyers and public presentations tailored for landowners, local government officials, businesses and contractors.

Reynolds has long been a leading expert on the complicated system of zoning and land use laws that apply within the Adirondack Park. She enjoys challenges and brings sophisticated analytical, writing and communication skills to her work.

Reynolds is actively involved in the community, serving as a board member for the Adirondack Mountain Club and a former member of the North Country SPCA and Dewey Mountain Friends. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association. Since 2017, Reynolds has also taught yoga classes in Saranac Lake and Lake Placid.

Reynolds is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. She received a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, a master’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. Before and during law school, Reynolds worked in New York City and Washington, D.C., for the firms Arnold and Porter and DLA Piper.