The women attorneys of Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana LLP: Kathryn Sammon Burns

Name: Kathryn Sammon Burns Title: Associate Company/firm: Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo, Cohn & Terrana LLP Years with company/firm: 3 Years in field: 3 Kathryn Sammon Burns concentrates her practice in real estate and banking litigation, residential and commercial foreclosures, workouts, and debtor and creditor rights. Burns is admitted to the New York State Bar and is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Nassau County Bar Association. Her article "How New Residential Foreclosure Laws Affect Commercial Lending" was published in the New York Real Estate Journal (2010). Who was your mentor and why? Since joining the firm, partner James Ricca has been my mentor. I work directly with Ricca in all facets of his practice, including commercial real estate transactions, real estate litigation, commercial and residential foreclosures and corporate work, allowing me the opportunity of learning many areas of law early in my career. Ricca has been a great teacher, combining methods of 'baptism by fire' with a pragmatic professorial approach. Ricca has helped me mold and specialize my practice area, and has provided me with the resources, encouragement and practical experience to advance in that field. Ricca's mentorship has been, and continues to be, invaluable. How do you stay ahead of the curve? My practice area, foreclosures and real estate litigation, is ever changing. There have been two waves of major revisions to the law since 2008. There are constantly new requirements, new burdens of proof, and new defenses. It is essential to continuously educate myself in all matters related to my field. What was effective last month may not be effective next month. Every week there are decisions published which outline the latest demands. Before work and at the end of the day I sift through the daily mound of newspapers, journals, bar association newsletters, and emailed legal updates for any information that will help my clients stay ahead of the curve. What obstacles have you overcome to get where you are today? My schooling, both undergraduate and postgraduate, provided lessons in perseverance and time management. While in college I was a Division I scholarship athlete, juggling a rigorous athletic schedule with majoring in two subjects. In addition, I held several jobs and internships throughout each year. While attending law school I worked for the firm as a summer associate and law clerk, was involved with a number of organizations, and was also co-editor-in-chief and managing editor of my Law Journal. Coping with those demanding times has given me the skills to work more efficiently and manage my time effectively, which has greatly assisted me in my work today.