NEW YORK CITY-Carl F. Schwartz and Laurie Grasso — two of the most prominent and recognizable Manhattan commercial real estate attorneys from Herrick, Feinstein LLP —have left the firm for Hunton & Williams, the firm has unveiled. In their new roles, Schwartz will serve as chair of the firm’s New York real estate group, focusing on development, private equity, opportunity funds and structured finance, and Grasso will serve as partner.

In an interview with GlobeSt.com, Grasso – who previously represented clients on transactions at 70 Pine St., 100 Wall St. and Teacher’s Village in Newark – says that the team will work together to greater expand the company’s presence in Manhattan. “Hunton & Williams has a great reputation in commercial real estate throughout the country, so we want to do that in New York,” she says. “We want to establish the platform so they can become one of the go-to real estate firms here.”

After opening 13 new offices over a 10-year period, Hunton & Williams is in growth mode. The firm has 800 attorneys across the country, and more than 70 attorneys at their Midtown offices at 200 Park Ave, a company spokeswoman says. And while unavailable for immediate comment, Schwartz says in a statement that the team is “excited to provide clients with a national platform and widely recognized equity fund, REIT and finance practices.”