Our Team

Jay S. Cantor has more than 30 years of residential real estate experience. For more than 30 years, Jay S. Cantor has been a well-respected attorney in Dutchess County practicing primarily in the area of residential real estate law.

His extensive experience in the area of residential real estate has given him vast exposure to, and knowledge of, the current practice and needs of real estate purchasers, sellers, and lending institutions in today's challenging real estate market.

Over the years, Jay has developed a keen and skillful ability to negotiate difficult transactions and get them to the closing table, while at the same time remaining a competent and skillful advocate who vigorously protects the legal rights of his clients.

Jay was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 23, 1955. After completing his B.A. degree at Brooklyn College in 1977, he studied international law at the University of Exeter in Great Britain and obtained his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 1980. Three years later, Jay took his law degree north, and in 1985 he formed an alliance with William M. Tendy, Jr. Together, Bill and Jay formed the law firm of Tendy & Cantor, which rapidly evolved into one of the most well-regarded and well-respected law firms in the Hudson Valley. Today, Jay continues that tradition of excellence by providing quality legal services to many Hudson Valley clients.

Jay has the prestigious and rare distinction to have achieved an AV rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. Martindale-Hubbell, a well-known nationwide legal organization, ranks attorneys based upon the review and evaluation of their professional expertise by their peers. The Martindale-Hubbell AV rating is the highest rating an attorney can achieve and this distinction is awarded to only approximately 2% of all attorneys in the United States. Attorneys who achieve this distinction are considered by Martindale-Hubbell to be preeminent in their fields.

Although Jay's specialty is primarily in the area of residential real estate, he also continues to practice in the area of personal injury law.

Jay has served as a guest lecturer for the New York State and Dutchess County Bar Associations, where he has lectured extensively to other lawyers regarding the practice of residential real estate as well as legal ethics and professionalism. He has also served as a guest speaker to many realtor organizations.

Jay and his wife Laura, a realtor, are the parents of four wonderful children and are extremely proud of all of their incredible accomplishments. Jay and Laura currently reside in Fishkill, New York.