Mintz, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. was recently named the exclusive legal sponsor of AREA, a real estate technology venture accelerator program based in New York City. As a sponsor, the firm will offer in-kind legal services to real estate technology startup companies participating in the intensive three-month program.

AREA invests in early-stage companies who are innovating at the intersection of real estate and technology. The organization chooses six startups per cohort to participate in the program. In addition to $50,000 in seed capital and in-kind software and legal services, selected companies receive mentorship from leading real estate companies and investors, office space, and a curriculum designed to prepare them to bring their concept to market.

The program is chaired by Daniel Rose, the industry specialist who developed One Financial Center in Boston and many iconic buildings in New York. The managing partners include David S. Rose, founder of New York Angels, and Lauren Rose, a fourth generation real estate entrepreneur. The venture’s new program director is John Henry, founder of CoFound Harlem, a non-profit technology accelerator.

Daniel I. DeWolf, Co-Chair of the firm’s Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Practice Group and Chair of the Technology Practice Group, and Jeffrey A. Moerdler, head of the Real Estate and Communications Practices in New York, serve as mentors to the participating companies. They also provide tutorials on real estate law and corporate finance law.  

“We are proud of the unique partnership we have forged with AREA,” said Mr. DeWolf. “We look forward to working with this organization and to helping the promising teams in its program successfully bring their products to market.”

Mr. DeWolf has a wealth of experience in private equity and venture capital, having co-founded Dawntreader Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm based in New York. His practice focuses on representing emerging technology companies, venture capital, private equity, sports and entertainment, corporate governance, and general corporate law. He is also an Editor of MintzEdge, an online resource for entrepreneurs that includes useful tools and information for starting and growing a company.

Mr. Moerdler  has almost 30 years of experience as a general commercial real estate attorney and has worked with many large national companies — particularly in the high-tech, telecommunications, financial services, health care, supermarket, and oil and gas sectors — as well as numerous smaller local clients. His real estate practice is both national and local and in the past 30 years, he has developed a unique specialty practice in the intersection of real estate with technology, communications, and energy issues.