Millennium Magazine_6th Ed

283 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine LAW AND LAW ENFORCEMENT A fter Leonard M. Wasserman, Esq., received a BA from Columbia University, he quickly found a position working with the Housing and Development Administration. He had thoughts of pursuing a degree in urban planning, but his supervisor believed law would be a good fit to match his go-getter personality. Mr. Wasserman also came to the realization that he was “better with words than colored pencils.” In 1972, he obtained a JD from Brooklyn Law School. In 1973, he was admitted to the New York State Bar. From 1985 to 2011, Mr. Wasserman served as the Chief of the Economic Development Division of the New York City Law Department, retiring from that role in July 2011. Now an AV Preeminent Rated Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, he currently serves as a part-time consultant to the New York City Economic Development Corporation and is also an adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School. In the earlier years of his career, Mr. Wasserman served as a law clerk in the Southern District and spent time in private practice. Mr. Wasserman is dedicated to achieving public benefits through the socially sensitive and equitable realization of urban development projects. He recalls his involvement in the realization of the 42nd Street Project, which altered the quality of life in Manhattan, as the crowning achievement of his career. As the project evolved over 20 years until it achieved its development goals, watching the project slowly emerge before his eyes is something he will always remember. Looking ahead in his career, Mr. Wasserman intends to use his accumulated experience to support development projects, which will make New York City a better place for everyone, as well as mentor and teach others. He is a member of the Jewish Theological Seminary’s Jewish Studies Advisory Board, New York State Bar Association and American Bar Association. Additionally, he is an active volunteer with his local homeless shelter, environmental activist organizations, the Urban Land Institute and the New Israel Fund. He also teaches Talmud and Hebrew language to informal groups of adults. LEONARD M. WASSERMAN, ESQ. CONSULTANT, ADJUNCT PROFESSOR New York City Economic Development Corporation New York, NY