Rick Chandler serves as Special Advisor in Anderson Kill's Government Relations Practice, bringing more than 30 years of executive leadership in government, engineering, construction, and regulatory affairs. A former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), Rick advises developers, property owners, businesses, nonprofit organizations, institutions, and community organizations on complex matters involving government agencies, regulatory compliance, permitting, construction, land use, and public policy.

Drawing on decades of experience inside New York City government, Rick helps clients understand how agencies evaluate projects, navigate regulatory requirements, anticipate challenges, and develop practical strategies to move important initiatives forward. His firsthand knowledge of government operations and decision-making provides clients with a unique perspective when projects require engagement with city agencies, elected officials, community stakeholders, or regulatory authorities.

Rick served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Buildings from 2014 to 2019, leading one of the nation's largest and most complex construction regulatory agencies during one of the most active development periods in the city's history. Under his leadership, the department underwent significant modernization, including the launch of DOB NOW, expansion of the agency's technical workforce, strengthened building safety initiatives, and implementation of enhanced training standards for the construction industry.

Prior to serving as Commissioner, Rick held numerous leadership positions within the Department of Buildings across four New York City boroughs, giving him an exceptional understanding of the city's diverse development, construction, and regulatory landscape. Throughout his career in both the public and private sectors, he has advised institutional clients, commercial real estate owners and developers, hospitality organizations, engineering firms, and other stakeholders on complex construction, infrastructure, and regulatory matters.

As a licensed professional engineer with a master's degree in civil engineering from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska, Rick combines technical expertise with decades of executive government experience. Today, he works alongside Anderson Kill's Government Relations team to provide the firm's hallmark ‘relentless’ advocacy, helping clients overcome regulatory obstacles, navigate government processes, build productive relationships with public officials and agencies, and achieve successful outcomes on their most significant projects.