Schwartz of Herrick, Feinstein: Involved with select group of not-for-profits.

Name: Belinda Schwartz Title: Chair, Real Estate Department of New York Company Name: Herrick, Feinstein LLP Years in Commercial Real Estate: 31 In the last 12 months, which project, transaction, honor or accomplishment are you most proud of and why? I was made chair of Herrick's Real Estate Department this year which is a huge honor. I am the first woman to chair the department at this firm. I bring years of experience to the table and have tremendous respect for the other members of the department and the firm and I hope to expand our team into an even bigger power-house than we already are. What were your biggest fears when you started out in your profession? I feared that people would think I was doing too much of a juggling act: trying to be a fantastic "partnership-track" lawyer, but also have a great marriage and be a really good mom, while staying connected to the real estate industry. When you start out you always wonder if you can do it all. Who are three women- living or dead - that you would like to have drinks with and why? I would love to meet Justice O'Connor or Justice Ginsberg because they had it even harder than our generation and broke through the glass ceiling in spite of all the restrictions at the time. Hillary Clinton, because I think she is crazy smart and I am a political junkie. I would also like to meet Indra Nooyi, the chair of Pepsico, because I like her no-nonsense approach to leading a major, high-profile company. What was your first job and what did you learn from it? My first real job was working for a real estate developer between college and law school. I learned that I needed to understand the business side of real estate in order to be an excellent lawyer. Understanding the economics of the deal is crucial. What is your favorite quote? I'm always saying "it takes a village." It's just such a true quote because teamwork is essential in this business. What social media and/or face to face networking activities do you find most beneficial professionally? I am a people person. Put me in a room with anyone and I can find something to talk to them about. Social Media is a great tool but I find that being able to put a face on someone is really important, especially when closing a deal. What are you doing differently in 2014 that has had positive impact on your career? I am getting more involved with a select group of not-for-profits. I feel that I can assist them while networking and marketing the firm. I like connecting the not-for-profits to others they would not typically meet in every day circumstances. What are you doing to increase your client base from local / regional markets to national / global markets? I have started a few initiatives that are particularly focused on real estate enterprises in the Middle East and Europe. As sophisticated investors, they want to diversify their holdings. I am concentrating on introducing them to opportunities in the U.S market, particularly New York. In addition, many of our clients outside of New York are very interested in expanding their real estate portfolios and the next year will be crucial in further developing those relationships.