Tell us about your role at Pace Law School, and what you typically handle?
At Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, I teach Property, Real Estate Transactions & Finance, Housing, Advanced Real Property, and Historic Preservation.
What is the most enjoyable aspect of your current role?
I especially enjoy exploring developments in the law and working to encourage students to care about the world.
Are there any memorable experiences—such as a pro bono or client win—or colleagues from NP that made a significant impact on your career?
I have taken on many matters pro bono—landlord-tenant, condos and co-ops issues, consumer contracts. One stands out: I established a wrongful eviction of a tenant when her landlord refused to assign another unit after a fire in her unit. In 1995, I was awarded the New York State Pro Bono Attorney of the Year award.
How has your experience at NP influenced the direction of your career?
Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle imparted upon me the importance of excellence and earnestness in my work.
What brought you to Pace Law School? Can you touch upon your career trajectory?
After leaving Nixon, I worked in a small general practice firm in Washington, D.C. From there, I went into teaching, thinking I would have more opportunities to explore legal issues.
Are there any other developments in your professional and/or personal life you’d like to share with the NP Alumni community?
I was recently elected as a fellow in the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. I am chair of the Legal Education Group of the Real Property Trust and Estate Law Section of the American Bar Association.
How do you plan on using NP Alumni to keep in touch with former colleagues?
I hope to reach out to catch up with former colleagues, especially those from my class—a great, supportive, ambitious and caring group.
Outside of your legal practice, what do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy hiking (I have a summer home in Colorado), reading biographies and fiction, and playing the piano.
Are you involved with any organizations? If so, what drew you to these causes?
I serve on the board of directors of the Jay Heritage Center, Rye, New York, and I am chair of the board of trustees of the Brooklyn Music School. The Jay Heritage Center is a National Historic Landmark, and the center works to preserve the legacy of John Jay as well as the architectural values of the site. The Brooklyn Music School was founded more than 110 years ago, with a mission to make music instruction accessible to all.
What is your industry outlook? How is COVID shifting your professional approach?
When COVID shut down the world, we, like most educational institutions, had to shift to remote teaching, in which there are many challenges. We are learning to employ new technologies to make the experience as nearly as engaging as the real thing and to find new ways to interact. While we will not be back full-time in person in the fall, our enrollment is stable, and while there are many safety protocols in place, distance may be the new normal, but there are many losses. Outside of classes, I plan to sign up to take some landlord-tenant cases pro bono when the moratorium on evictions expires.