Debbas of Romer Debbas: Began firm before turning 30

Name: Pierre Debbas Title: Founding Partner Company/firm: Romer Debbas, LLP Years with company/firm: 3.5 Years in field: 9 Years in real estate industry: 9 Address: 183 Madison Ave., Suite 904, New York, NY 10022 Telephone: 212-888-3100 Email: [email protected] URL: www.romerdebbas.com Real estate organizations / affiliations: NYS Bar Association Real Property Law Section Which professional accomplishment, honor or achievement has meant the most to you and why? My most cherished accomplishment was forming our law firm. I had a goal that I wanted to start my own firm before I turned 30 and 2 weeks before my 30th birthday, I had started my solo practice. In less than a year, I partnered up with my good friend Michael Romer and we formed Romer Debbas, LLP. Within two and a half years we grew the firm from the two of us to eight lawyers and 14 employees, where we focus on all transactional elements of commercial and residential real estate. Last year we were both nominated as Rising Stars in Superlawyers as two of the best real estate lawyers in N.Y.C. under the age of 40. Which project, deal or transaction was the "game changer" in the advancement of your career? My first transaction as a solo practitioner was for a landmark 10,000 s/f commercial building at 31 Mount Morris Park West. This transaction was one of the most complex that I had worked on and was nominated for deal of the year by REBNY. Even the Wall Street Journal wrote an article about it for which I was quoted in. That transaction definitely sparked my solo practice and helped me build our firm to what it is today.