JOHN R. APPLER, a corporate and commercial real-estate attorney, has joined Hancock Estabrook, LLP as a partner in the firm. He has joined the firm’s corporate and real-estate practice areas, concentrating his practice on business law, commercial real estate, and private-equity funding. Appler represents clients in all aspects of their businesses, ranging from daily operations that include contract preparation and negotiations to succession planning and mergers and acquisitions. He acts as primary business counsel to a multitude of clients across New York state including professional-service entities, manufacturers, banks and other lending institutions, and technology companies, Hancock Estabrook said. Appler’s real-estate practice involves the purchase and sale of commercial real estate, land and project development, and the representation of landlords and tenants in complex leasing matters.