Nicole Cuttino
General Counsel

Nicole Cuttino is the General Counsel of Friends of the High Line, where she provides legal support across the organization for the operation, maintenance, design, construction, and advocacy of the High Line as an iconic New York City public space. Cuttino has broad legal experience over the past 20 years working in the private, non- profit, and government sectors in New York City, with extensive experience in real estate transactions, including public and private construction and development projects. She is passionate about developing enjoyable and accessible public open spaces with free programming to build community, improve health and wellness, and create educational and recreational opportunities for all ages.

Prior to joining Friends of the High Line, Cuttino served as the Deputy General Counsel at Hudson River Park Trust, a New York state public authority, where she served an integral role in several major real estate transactions to develop Hudson River Park, the second largest park in Manhattan, including the design, construction, and development of Little Island, Pier 26, Pier 57, and Gansevoort Peninsula, as well as negotiating air rights transactions, large commercial leases, licenses and permits, and various agreements for the procurement of goods and services.

Cuttino also served as a Senior Staff Attorney at Lawyers Alliance for New York, the leading provider of legal services for nonprofits in New York City, where she advised over 200 education-based nonprofits on nonprofit law, corporate governance matters, employment policies, lobbying and fundraising activity, and real estate transactions, and compliance with other federal, state, and local laws.

Cuttino started her career at Wall Street law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, LLP, where she worked in both the Real Estate Finance and Financial Restructuring divisions.

Cuttino received a J.D. from Howard University School of Law and a B.A. from the
University of Virginia.