Michele L. Babcock has over twenty years of experience representing both local governments and private applicants in all aspects of land use, zoning, municipal law, SEQR compliance, and environmental permitting.  She regularly guides residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects through the subdivision and site plan approval process, ensuring compliance with applicable zoning regulations and securing permits at the federal, state, county, and local levels.

Ms. Babcock also serves as counsel to Planning Boards, Zoning Boards of Appeals, Town Boards, and Village Boards of Trustees, advising on a broad range of legal matters including variances and special use permits, MS4 stormwater compliance as well as municipal operations such as personnel, procurement, and administrative governance. 

Michele was admitted to the New York State Bar in March 2004 and is a member of the New York State Bar Association. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a concentration in Law and Justice from SUNY Cortland in 2000 and a Juris Doctor degree from Hofstra University School of Law in 2003. While attending law school, she studied at the Faculte de Droit de I’Universite de Nice with the Hon. Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  She is admitted to practice in the Southern and Northern Districts of the State of New York and to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Michele has participated in the Pattern for Progress Fellows Program (Class of 2011), Leadership Orange (Class of 2011), and Leadership Sullivan (Class of 2018) where she served as Vice President.  She also previously served on the Board of Trustees for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh, as the Vice-Chair, Secretary and board member of the Access: Supports for Living Foundation Board, member and Chairwomen of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce Women MEAN Business Committee, Vice Chair and board member of the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum, the Vice President and Recording Secretary to the Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties and delegate to the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York. Michele also served as a Board Member of the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce and the Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce Foundation and is a current member of the Business Advisory Council to the Mount Saint Mary College School of Business.

Michele received the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award by the Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties and the Orange County Rising Star Award in 2009.  She was recognized as one of Sullivan County’s Business and Professional Women of the Year in 2017 and was inducted into the Leadership Orange Hall of Fame in 2018.  In 2019, Michele received the Distinguished Attorney Award from the Women’s Bar Association of Orange and Sullivan Counties and was recognized as an Outstanding Women in Law by Hofstra University which recognizes and celebrates women who have made meaningful and inspiring contributions to the legal community.  In 2020, Michele received the Women In Business award from Hudson Valley Magazine for being one of the most influential executive women in the Hudson Valley and was recognized as a New York Woman Leader in the Law by the New York Law Journal.  In 2021, Michele was recognized by Hudson Valley Magazine as a top lawyer in the Hudson Valley and received the ATHENA Leadership Award from the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce.  In 2023, Michele was recognized as a Top-Rated Woman Leader in Law by Martindale-Hubbell.