About CELSO

Celso helps clients navigate the challenges of zoning and land development throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. He regularly represents developers, property owners, and municipalities before zoning boards, planning commissions, and Pennsylvania courts. With a dual background in law and finance, Celso provides practical, results-driven guidance that advances client goals while building consensus among stakeholders.

Specialties

REAL ESTATE

LAND USE & ZONING

Admin Contact

Janet Ulmer
JUlmer@HRMML.com

Celso L. Leite, Jr.

(215) 661-0400 • CLeite@HRMML.com

Celso Leite, Jr. is a member of the firm’s Real Estate and Land Use Department, where his practice centers on zoning and land development matters. He regularly advises and represents private developers, property owners, and local governments before zoning hearing boards, planning commissions, municipal governing bodies, and Pennsylvania courts. His practice extends across Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, and Chester Counties, and he has also appeared before the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. Through this work, Celso has developed a reputation for navigating complex regulatory frameworks, building consensus among stakeholders, and guiding projects from concept to approval with a practical, solutions-oriented approach.

A lifelong Montgomery County resident, Celso graduated summa cum laude from Villanova University in the School of Business, earning a degree in finance with a co-major in real estate. His strong foundation in business and finance informs his legal practice, allowing him to view zoning and land use issues not only through a legal lens but also from the perspective of economic feasibility and long-term project sustainability. Celso went on to attend Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law as a Charles Widger Leadership Scholar. During law school, he pursued the Business Law Concentration and served as Managing Editor for Outside Articles of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal, further sharpening his skills in research, analysis, and writing.

Before joining the firm, Celso practiced corporate and real estate law throughout the greater Philadelphia region. This experience broadened his understanding of how real estate transactions, financing structures, and governance intersect with land use and zoning, giving him a holistic perspective that benefits both private clients and municipalities alike.