Richard – Extern
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Richard Silverberg, and I am a 2L at Hofstra Law School, graduating in 2023. I worked with Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. as an extern in the fall of 2021 with the transactional and banking team. When I first started law school, I wasn’t really sure what kind of law I wanted to go into. Real estate was something that particularly interested me, so I figured I would try and get an externship with some of the best in the field, which brought me to Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. I really enjoyed my time here. Before I actually applied, I had heard of Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. from another student at my school who had externed here. He spoke highly of the firm and the aggressive litigation practice they run here.
What was your experience in the transactional and banking department?
I spent most of my time in the transactional banking department, but I also got a feel for some of the litigation team, which was nice. When I started at Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C., I had never done any transactional work, and law school doesn’t really prepare you for transactional law. You mainly focus on cases and litigation. It was nice to learn transactional work, and everyone here was super knowledgeable and very helpful in getting everything done.
What did this externship teach you?
This externship really taught me a lot about how to carry myself as an attorney. While I’m not an attorney yet, you need that experience before you actually step into the field. Going to real estate closings and being at a table full of attorneys, when I was for the most part the only non-attorney, helped me build my character and present myself as an attorney, even though I wasn’t one yet. All the attorneys in the transactional and banking team that I worked with gave me enough work to feel comfortable but also allowed me to take on more if I wanted. They were always available for help, and they knew everything about the work we were doing.
How did the transactional and banking team support you?
The transactional and banking team collaborates directly with you as an extern. They’ll sit in with you at a closing and teach you every form you’re looking at, explaining what it says, what it does, and what you need to know about it. There’s a lot that goes into real estate closings that you wouldn’t know until you sit in on one. Each member of the team, from paralegals to heads of departments, knows everything about a real estate transaction and will show you and teach you that. But they’ll also expect you to want to learn and put in the necessary work to get to where you need to be.
What was an exciting moment you had with the firm?
An exciting moment I had with Adam Leitman Bailey, P.C. was doing my first closing by myself. I had sat in on two or three closings before doing my first one on my own, and I felt empowered and comfortable. Everyone here is friendly, and they’ll give you their phone numbers and contact information. If you have any issues at the closing table, you can just give them a call or send them a text or picture, and they can analyze something as if they’re sitting right there with you. You really get a full-blown immersion in a real estate transaction here. You’re not just observing and analyzing—you’re doing the work yourself.
What advice would you give to the next batch of interns?
My advice to the next batch of interns would be to be comfortable asking questions. You’re not expected to know the ins and outs of real estate law when you come in as an extern. You’re expected to want to learn, and the best way to learn is by asking questions when you don’t understand something. Don’t presume knowledge and don’t think that people assume you know everything. Be comfortable asking questions, and they will help you and guide you in the right direction.
How would you describe the firm?
An elevator pitch for the firm would be: it’s a tight-knit group, like a family. It’s not like a big firm where you don’t know one face from another. You’ll know everyone in the office, and they’ll know you. Everyone is willing to help each other—it really is like a family here.