John B. Madden

John B. Madden | special counsel

212-382-4302  

John Madden practices primarily in the field of design and construction, with a concentration serving not-for-profit institutions.

Mr. Madden clerked for Lloyd F. MacMahon, then Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, in 1979-80 following graduation from Harvard Law School. He then practiced for 27 years both as a trial lawyer (serving as first chair in 13 commercial trials and arbitrations going to verdict), and as a corporate lawyer negotiating and drafting commercial agreements. From 2007-2010 Mr. Madden served as General Counsel & Secretary for Lincoln Center Development Project, Inc., which undertook the $1.2 billion renovation of the  Lincoln Center  campus.

Since 2010, Mr. Madden has practiced with his own firm, focusing on projects for not-for-profit clients in the New York City area, and was a founding member of Nelson Madden Black LLP in 2016. He has significant experience with New York Religious Corporations Law, New York Not-for-Profit Law and related governance issues.

Mr. Madden’s work has included representation of San Francisco Theological Seminary in assuring its ongoing existence as a religious institution in the context of a merger with a public institution, the University of Redlands; and representation of Greek Orthodox American Leaders, a group of lay members of the Greek Orthodox Church in litigation with the Church concerning governance issues.

Education

•  Yale College , B.A. 1976, magna cum laude
•  Harvard Law School,  J.D. 1979, cum laude

Bar Admissions:   New York State 

•  United States District Court, Southern District of New York 
•  United States District Court, Eastern District of New York  
•  Second Circuit Court of Appeals 

Associations

• Episcopal Diocese of New York – Standing Committee, 2010-2013 (President, 2012-2013); Trustee, 2014-2019; Real Estate Committee, and Audit Committee, Chair