PACHECO & LUGO, PLLC
PARTNERS
Carmen A. Pacheco
Carmen A. Pacheco is the founding partner of Pacheco & Lugo, PLLC. Pacheco & Lugo, PLLC is the first Hispanic women-owned law firm of New York. It was established at One World Trade Center in January 1992.
Ms. Pacheco is a native of Brooklyn. She graduated with honors from St. John's University School of Law. While attending law school, Ms. Pacheco received the distinction of becoming a member of the St. John's Law Review where she published an article. Since attending St. John's, she published an article in the Federal Rules of Decision regarding discovery in Federal Courts. Ms. Pacheco is admitted to practice before the New York State Courts and United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. In 1981, she received her Bachelor of Arts from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. As part of her college curriculum, she studied Castillian in the Universidad de Cadiz in Spain. Ms. Pacheco was a Regents Scholarship recipient. She is fluent in Spanish.
In August of 1985, she joined the then 350 attorney global litigation law firm of Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker. There she worked as a litigation associate. Thereafter in 1987, she joined the litigation and corporate teams of the Wall Street firm of Carter, Ledyard & Milburn the law firm where former President Franklin D. Roosevelt performed his apprenticeship.
Since becoming an attorney, Ms. Pacheco has been active in the New York State Bar Association Executive Committee on Federal and Commercial Litigation. She is also an active member of the New York State Bar Association, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, American Bar Association, New York County Lawyers Association, Puerto Rican Bar Association, and the Hispanic National Bar Association. She is also an active member of the prestigious “The American Inns of Court Foundation”. She has lectured in real estate and corporate matters for various organizations and institutional lending agencies including the Federal National Mortgage Agency, State of New York Mortgage Agency, United States Small Business Administration; York College Small Business Development Center, and the National Urban League. She has also lectured at Cardozo Law School and St. John's University School of Law. Ms. Pacheco is an instructor at the New York County Lawyers (CLE division). She was a judge for the Gabrielle Competition at Fordham Law School and Negotiation Competition at St. John’s University School of Law. Ms. Pacheco serves as a Foreclosure Commissioner for the United States Department of Housing & Urban Development.
Ms. Pacheco currently serves on the National Congressional Business Advisory Council. She served as a delegate to the United States Women’s Business Leadership Council, as a Delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business, and as an United States of America delegate to the Annual Summit for Businesswomen of the Americas. She also served as an Executive Board Member of the Board of Trustees of the Brooklyn College Foundation; as an Advisory Board member of the Fannie Mae Foundation; as an Advisory Board member of the Bank of New York Community Development Corporation; as a board member of Economic Development Committee for the Northern Manhattan Collaborates; as a board member of CloseOutNow.com; as a board member of the East Harlem College and Career Counseling Program.; board member SOBRO; and as a member of the New York State Minority Business Opportunity Committee. She is the founder and President of the Global Link of Businesswomen Exchange ("GLOBE") and founding board member of The One Hundred Hispanic Women. She is the founder of the National Law Firm Council and is also the founder and former Chairperson of The Brooklyn Response, Inc. (non-profit community and economic development corporation).
PARTNER RECOGNITIONS
Ms. Pacheco received the “Business Women of the Year” award from the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (2006). She also received the “Business Women of the Year” award from the New York State Hispanic Business Coalition (2005). In 2001, Ms. Pacheco received the “Pioneer” award from the Puerto Rican Bar Association for contributing to the positive imagery of Hispanic lawyers. Ms. Pacheco received the “Women of the Year 2000 Award” from the Hispanic Day Parade (2000). She received the "Distinguished Person Award" from the Hispanic Day Parade for contributing to the positive imagery of the Hispanic person (1998). In 1997, Ms. Pacheco received the “Second Circuit Court of Appeals Award” from Clerk's Office for her contribution to the law. She also received “The Bridges to the Future Award” from The Coalition of 100 Black Women, The Asian Women in Business, and The 100 Hispanic Women (1997), and El Diario’s International Women of the Year award (1997). In 1996, she was the recipient of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade, Inc. “Business Women of the Year Award” for her “untiring efforts in providing a positive image to our youth”, and a commendation from the Office of the Comptroller City of New York for “the groundbreaking success” as the founding partner of the first Hispanic women-owned law firm in New York (1996). She also received the “Men and Women Caucus Award” for her outstanding dedication to the advancement of small business (1995). In 1994, she was honored as "Women of the Year" by the Brooklyn Democrats, "Hispanic Business Woman of the Year" by the New York State Department of Economic Development and Puerto Rican/Latino Business Development Center, and the "New York State Comptroller Civic Service Award" for her hard work and unwavering commitment in the areas of financing and economic development, the "Valores Humanos Award", a humanitarian award, for establishing a distinguished Hispanic Wall Street law firm, the New York University "La Herencia Latina" honor in recognition of her dedication to the Latino community, and “The Emergency Medical Service Hispanic Society Award”, for providing valuable assistance and legal expertise in the formation and organization of the corporation and in aiding the Hispanic Community. Ms. Pacheco also received the "Ramon E. Betances Award" for heroism in saving the lives of people during the World Trade Center bombing disaster (1993); the Daily News "Viva New York 1993 Civic Award" in recognition of her outstanding community achievement and leadership in the Hispanic community; and the "Vale Un Peru Award” for her distinguished community service and her unselfish devotion in the diffusion of the Peruvian culture (1992).
As a result her achievements, Ms. Pacheco’s biography is published in 141 CONG. REC. H (daily ed. Nov. 1, 1995)(statement of Rep. Towns).
Ms. Pacheco has appeared on various television programs: 1) “Important Person of the Week” (Channel 47); 2) "Business Women of the Week" (cable channel); 3) “Technology and the Law” (Channel 47); 4) "The Changing Role of the Hispanic Women" (FOX TV shown throughout USA); 5) Segment on The Cypress Hills Cemetery Case being handled by Pacheco & Lugo (Ocurrio Asi); 6) Good Day New York, Hispanic Heritage Month “Role Models” (Fox, Channel 5); 7) Radio WADO 1280 an AM frequency Spanish radio talk show program regarding Economic Development ; 8) CNN. Ms. Pacheco is the co-radio talk host “Pacheco & Lugo in Action” on WADO 1280; and she occasional appears on Spanish Language Television news to discuss and provide opinion on legal maters .
Ms. Pacheco was recognized as one of fifty distinguished women throughout the Americas and Caribbean.
Betty Lugo
Betty Lugo is a partner in the firm of Pacheco & Lugo, Attorneys at Law, the first Hispanic women-owned law firm in New York. It was established at One World Trade Center in January 1992.
Ms. Lugo is a native of Brooklyn. She accomplished the distinction of Cum Laude from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York from where she received her Bachelor of Arts in 1981. She received her Juris Doctor from Albany Law School of Union University in 1984. She is admitted to practice before the New York State Courts and United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Ms. Lugo is fluent in Spanish.
In July of 1984, she joined the Office of the District Attorney of Nassau County where she worked as an Assistant District Attorney through 1987. Thereafter, she became a civil litigator managing extensive caseloads of general liability matters from inception through trial. Ms. Lugo worked as a civil trial attorney as an associate for a Long Island trial law firm. There she conducted trials, hearings, arbitrations, and argued appeals in complex and sophisticated litigation matters. Her substantive areas of litigation practice included: insurance, general, commercial and automobile liability; products liability; municipal liability; construction law, labor law; and real estate.
In addition, through the years, Ms. Lugo has provided corporate services to small and medium sized businesses. These services included organization and licensing of professional organizations, counseling clients on day-to-day corporate matters, drafting contracts, licensing agreements, shareholder agreements and negotiating transactions. Ms. Lugo has represented lenders, real estate developers and purchasers in commercial and real estate transactions. She has acted as a Receiver of property and Referee in foreclosure matters and partnership dissolutions. Ms. Lugo has served as a Court appointed Conservator, Guardian, Trustee, and Court Evaluator. Ms. Lugo has also served as a Foreclosure Commissioner for the United States Department of Housing & Urban Development.
Ms. Lugo is a member of the prestigious Board of Trustees of Albany Law School of Union University. She serves on the Mayor of New York City Marshal’s Committee. She is also an Executive Board Member of the National Alumni Association of Albany Law School of Union University. Ms. Lugo also serves on the National Congressional Business Advisory Council. She is a board member of Aspira. Ms. Lugo served as a delegate alternate to the White House Conference on Small Business. She served as President of the Hispanic National Bar Association Region I from 1992 through 1993. She is Treasurer of the Global Link of Business Women Exchange ("GLOBE"). She is a founding member of 100 Hispanic Women. She is a member of the Republican County Law Committee. She is legal counsel to the Nassau County Republican Hispanic Assembly and served on the Board of the Nassau County Federation of Republican Women. Ms. Lugo is a member of the New York State Bar Association Section on Torts, Insurance, Labor, and Environmental Law; Brooklyn Bar Association, Kings County Inns of Court, Hispanic National Bar Association; and the Puerto Rican Bar Association.
Ms. Lugo is an instructor with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. She has lectured in real estate matters and corporate matters for various organizations and institutional lending agencies including the Federal National Mortgage Agency, State of New York Mortgage Agency, various banks and not for profit organizations. Ms. Lugo has appeared on various television programs: Good Day New York, (FOX TV, in NY Channel 5); Important Person of the Week (Channel 47); "Business Women of the Week" (cable channel); "The Changing Role of the Hispanic Women" (FOX TV, in NY Channel 5); and Good Day Street Talk, (FOX TV, in NY Channel; and 6); CNN in Spanish. She has also appeared on an FM radio program "Law You Should Know"; Radio WADO an AM Spanish radio talk show program regarding Economic Development and the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers.
PARTNER RECOGNITIONS
Ms. Lugo received the “Pioneer in the Law” Award from the Puerto Rican Bar Association (2000). She received the “Distinguished Person Award” from the Hispanic Day Parade Committee for contributing to the positive imagery of the Hispanic person (1998). In 1997 she received the Second Circuit Court of Appeals Award from the Clerk's Office Hispanic Heritage Committee in 1997 for her contribution to the law. She received the "The Bridges to the Future Award" from The Coalition of 100 Black Women, The Asian Women in Business, and The 100 Hispanic Women (1997) and the "Rising Star Award" from the New York State Department of Labor (1997). In 1997 she was recognized as one of fifty distinguished Women throughout the Americas and the Caribbean by Temas Magazine. In 1996 she was honored as a "Business Honoree" by the New York City Comptroller's Office. In July 1995 she received the "Navigator of the Year Award" from Directions for Our Youth for her work and commitment to the youth of today and cultivating the leaders of tomorrow. In 1994 she was honored as "The Hispanic Business Woman of the Year" by the New York State Department of Economic Development and the Puerto Rican/Latino Business Development Center. In 1994 she received the "New York State Comptroller Civic Service Award" for her hard work and unwavering commitment in the areas of finance and economic development; the "Valores Humanos Award", a humanitarian award, for establishing a distinguished Hispanic Wall Street law firm; the New York University "La Herencia Latina" award in recognition of her dedication and contribution to the Hispanic community; The Emergency Medical Service Hispanic Society award for providing valuable assistance and legal expertise in the formation and organization of the corporation and in aiding the Hispanic Community. In 1991 she received the Ramon Emeterio Betances Award "Young Professional" Award from the New York Puerto Rican Day Parade Committee.
Ms. Lugo has appeared on various television programs: Good Day New York, (FOX TV, in NY Channel 5); Important Person of the Week (Channel 47); "Business Women of the Week" (cable channel); "The Changing Role of the Hispanic Women" (FOX TV, in NY Channel 5); Good Day Street Talk, (FOX TV, in NY Channel 5) and others.
