Business

Business Beat: Stakey named associate for real estate law group

Darren Stakey

Riverhead native Darren Stakey was announced as the newest associate at the East Meadow office for the Real Estate Practice Group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP. 

Prior to becoming an associate with Certilman Balin, Mr. Stakey clerked at the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth’s highest court and the oldest appellate court in the nation. Mr. Stakey is certified to practice law in New York, California, and the District of Columbia, as well as the federal district court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Mr. Stakey was the salutatorian of the full-time division at Touro College Jacob D. Fuschberg Law Center in Spring 2015. During his time there, he donated more than 700 hours of pro bono legal services, according to a press release. Other achievements of Mr. Stakey include being published in the Touro Law Review, being a national quarterfinalist for the Moot Court Honors Board (one of the honor societies at Touro Law) and being the recipient of the Honorable George C. Pratt Fellowship.

In 2014, Mr. Stakey served as the intern for the firm’s real estate group as the Touro Board of Governors Summer Associate. He also interned for the Honorable federal Magistrate Judge Gary R. Brown, and the Honorable federal district Senior Judge Leonard D. Wexler, at the Eastern District of New York.

Before becoming a lawyer, Mr. Stakey worked as a ground handler in the private aviation industry and he is also a professional singer and songwriter. He performs under the name Stay Key. He is a member of theAmerican Society of Composers, Artists and Publishers and he is now affiliated with On-The-Go Music, according to the release.

Perhaps one of his most interesting musical accomplishments was last August when Mr. Stakey played the piano and sang for 111 consecutive hours at a fundraiser for Autism Speaks, attempting to break two Guinness Book of World Records in Riverhead.