Hempstead, NY On January 24, judge Gail Prudenti, dean of the Maurice A. Deane School of Law led a forum and Q&A session featuring Wilbur Breslin, a real estate developer on Long Island. The event was attended by 100 law students, alumni and members of the real estate community to relaunch the Wilbur F. Breslin Center for Real Estate Studies that has now become part of Hofstra Law.

With 65 years in the real estate industry and completing major influential projects on L.I., such as the Hempstead redevelopment, Breslin offered his expertise and advice on dealing with challenges in developing properties on L.I. and what lawyers and business students need to know before entering the industry.

He emphasized the importance for lawyers to work with government officials on what improvements can be made with regard to proper land planning and how new developments need to contribute to the community.

For those lawyers and business students looking to enter the field, Mr. Breslin recommended they get experience in such basics as financing. He also suggested working in the real estate department of a bank before entering the field.

“We were pleased and honored to have the distinguished Mr. Breslin offer valuable information about the real estate industry on Long Island to our students and guests,” says Judge Prudenti. “Now that the Wilbur F. Breslin Center for Real Estate Studies is under our jurisdiction with Professor Ashira Ostrow as the Executive Director, we look forward to offering a variety of important classes on land use for municipal planning, real estate investment opportunities and career development.”

The Wilbur F. Breslin Center for Real Estate Studies is designed to meet the need for education and training of attorneys in the complex field of real estate law, offer instruction for and foster relationships between real estate professionals, and provide a center of excellence for the interdisciplinary study of real estate business and law.