Peter Stuart Britell

Peter Stuart Britell, 82, lawyer, artist, writer, scholar, renaissance man



Peter Stuart Britell died peacefully on Oct. 17, 2023, aged 82.

Britell was born in Utica, NY in 1940, to parents Patrick Britell, an insurance executive, and his wife, Stella, a homemaker.

After primary school and middle school in Amsterdam, NY, he graduated in 1959 as Valedictorian from the Taft School, cum laude; in 1963 he graduated from Harvard College, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa; and from Harvard Law School, cum laude.

One of the leading real estate attorneys in New York City in the late 20th century and early 21st century, Britell began his career at Lord Day & Lord, embarking on a journey through the law that would include work on some of the most high-profile public works projects in New York City's history, including the redevelopment of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the New York Public Library on 42nd Street; the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the World Trade Center; and the redevelopment of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts including The Juilliard School and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

His career included partnerships at Coudert Brothers, Dewey & LeBoeuf, and Venable LLP.

Britell also received an LLM in Taxation from New York University.

A devoted man of letters, Britell wrote five novels and a work of 700 Haiku, along with myriad articles in the New York Law Journal; he also authored the preeminent treatise on the law of limited-liability companies, which continues to bear his name.

A passionate philanthropist, Britell was the pro bono chairman of Housing and Services, Inc. in New York City for more than 13 years, helping to create more than $200 million in housing for low-income tenants and homeless New Yorkers. Among the pro bono work he did, he was extremely proud of his work in helping with the restoration of Minton's Playhouse in Harlem.

He was also one of the pioneers of the law of green buildings, teaching annual courses in the subject at the University of Miami School of Law and authoring the pioneering textbook in the field, Law of Green Buildings.

He was passionate about endurance sports, completing the race up Mount Washington as well as more than 40 triathlons over four decades of competition. In addition to swimming, biking, and running, he was also an active rower, spending countless hours rowing his boat Miss Sunshine on the Saugatuck River.

After suffering a stroke in 2015, Britell completely reinvented himself, launching a new career as a painter, with nearly 1,000 abstract prints.

Britell loved so many things, and brought his kindness and calm brilliance to his every endeavor. He loved the law, the water, and Mozart and classical music; he loved the summers of his youth spent with his boat on Lake George; he loved reading and books; he loved studying history and he loved the outdoors; most of all, he loved his family - his two sons Nicholas and Alexander, and the love of his life, Andrea, his wife of 46 years.

Peter Britell is survived by Andrea, Nicholas, and Alexander, and two wonderful grandchildren, Olivia Britell and Gabriella Britell.