Making a Difference

If it were up to David Lebor, new law graduates interested in pursuing corporate law would have to work in-house first to get a better sense of how an organization is run.

"It wouldn't be a bad idea if they would start off as a trainee and watch how companies operate," says Lebor, chief administrative officer and general counsel for Philadelphia-based multifamily developer, Dranoff Properties. "I think that would help them in rendering advice inside law firms."

Lebor, a native of London, came over to the United States in 1973 to pursue his education. After achieving his undergraduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh and his graduate degree in criminology at the University of Pennsylvania, Lebor earned his law degree at Georgetown University Law Center.

He began his career as a real estate lawyer at Blank Rome. His 25 years of real estate legal experience includes work in investment and financing, sales, acquisitions and equity investment, community development, leasing, and property management. One of his clients at Blank Rome was Dranoff Properties, for which he served as outside counsel since the company's founding.

While he made a seamless transition from a law firm to working in-house, there are some challenges he wants others following in his footsteps to be aware of.

"In a law firm, you're dealing with just law and looking out for the client and have their business interests at heart," he says. "But you have blinders on cause you don't have a real understanding of how a client's company works. One thing you see in-house is a much larger and broader picture of how the company is put together and functions on a daily basis. Although that doesn't mean you substantially change the advice you give, it does help temper it."

Another challenge is learning to manage more tasks on your own.

"Large law firms coddle their lawyers to make them more efficient," Lebor says. "Anything you need is provided to you. When you go in-house you have to do many of those things yourself because you're more part of the company."

Additionally, the issues a GC sees on a daily basis are more varied than inside a law firm.

"I get to see many different issues, such as personnel, and it's a larger plate with many more things that need to be addressed," Lebor says. "Knowing what needs to be a priority is a challenge, but I'm able to meet that and I enjoy the variety."

In his position at Dranoff, Lebor, who is the only attorney in the company's legal department, provides in-house legal services to Dranoff Properties and its affiliates, including overseeing and advising all legal administrative functions, evaluating new projects and negotiating transactions. He's also responsible for selecting and supervising outside counsel.

"We use different firms for outside counsel like Blank Rome," says Lebor. "We look for firms that provide services in an efficient and timely fashion but which still offers good advice and has our best interests at heart."

Lebor was hired by Dranoff Properties in October 2008.

"I essentially represented the company and its founder, Carl Dranoff, since the inception and we always got along very well," says Lebor. "We had a very good relationship and it was a wonderful opportunity for me to move in-house. People are generally very friendly here. One of the nice things about coming here is that people are more integrated with each other and it's easy to talk about the company with everyone. I'm honored to be here."

Lebor was brought in-house at a time when most companies and firms were shedding attorneys. About two weeks before the hiring details were finalized, Lebor asked Dranoff if the company was sure that they wanted to make this new hire.

"He was absolutely certain that he wanted to do this," recalls Lebor. "He said that you have to look to the future. As with previous downturns, he told me that we will get past this and that it's important to plan now."

Dranoff says that it was an easy decision to hire Lebor.

"David is very affable, has a good sense of humor, and is a very strong detailed person, which in our business, is very important," says Dranoff. "He has been our senior real estate attorney for a decade since I started the company. He's been the main outside attorney I dealt with at Blank Rome and has done all of our real estate work — agreements, acquisitions, lending, contracts — all of the heavy-duty legal work for our company since I founded it in 1998."

While Lebor had the impeccable skill set to become Dranoff's new GC, having a strong relationship and connection to the firm also played a factor in its hiring decision.

"I have known Carl for more than 15 years and we have a good symmetry with each other," says Lebor. "We know when to laugh at each other, when to get upset with each other, and how to move forward together. We've had a very good relationship and we knew that things would click and that it was a good fit."

According to Dranoff, the transition was quick and smooth because of Lebor's familiarly with the company's affairs.

"Having him in-house allows us to have a much more economical approach. Even though we still use the outside counsel, we're getting the benefit of a very seasoned, savvy guy like David, but from the inside he can help shape policy and strategy moving forward," says Dranoff. "He's making his presence felt in a very positive way. For a company like ours that is entrepreneurial and growing, and has many projects in different municipalities and states, having someone in-house that can organize all of our legal affairs is a huge asset to us."

Dranoff Properties develops luxury condominiums, townhomes, flats, loft apartments and other residential living facilities. Every Dranoff property is built and owned by the company.

"The kind of product that we put out is always top quality," says Lebor. "The company truly cares about its residents and that's why we have a 24-hour concierge at every facility. We do high-end construction, and the kinds of amenities and the attention to detail is also at the very highest level. That's not to say other companies don't do good work, but Carl does it consistently and constantly always had done it."

Although the financial crisis that burst onto the real estate scene in 2008 was a frightening time for developers, Lebor says that all of its current projects are continuing on schedule.

"We have four major projects on the boards, one which is in the middle of construction, two of which are in the middle of pre-development, and another project which is upcoming," he says. "They are all moving ahead in a good manner and in a timely basis. We don't anticipate any slowdowns."

One upcoming project that Lebor is particularly proud of is 777 South Broad, a mix of luxury apartments over high-end retail on the South end of the Avenue of the Arts.

"The company has always been at the cutting-edge, and our newest product, 777, is going to be the first mixed-use residential project that will be a LEED-registered building in Philadelphia," says Lebor.

777 South Broad includes over 18,000 square feet of retail space and 146 luxury loft style residences. The five-story building, designed by JK Roller Architects, will incorporate state-of-the-art technology to reduce Philadelphia's carbon footprint and high-efficiency heating and cooling systems. The high-tech roof will dissipate summertime heat, while floor-to-ceiling glass will use natural light to bathe residents in warm winter sunlight.

A comprehensive carbon management plan makes full use of public transportation, including SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) and PhillyCarShare. Eco-friendly refrigerants minimize ozone impact, while green carpeting, paints and coatings will reduce harmful emissions. Low-flow plumbing fixtures conserve water and locally produced materials reduce transportation costs and pollution, while construction waste is recycled to shrink landfills.

As he looks ahead to the company's short- and long-term goals, Lebor says that it plans to continue to expand and provide sustainable buildings, whether it's building new projects or taking old projects and retrofitting them.

"We are also currently involved in transportation-related development and we are building residential projects," he says. "The company has always been recognized as an equation changer. When you bring people to the buildings, you create a whole new culture mentality."

That's one of the reasons why Lebor got into law in the first place — to make a difference in the lives of others.

"If you look at the various professions, outside of medicine, which is also a helping profession, the legal profession engages in things that are helpful to the community at large," he says.

Following his own mantra of helping others, Lebor regularly lectures for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and teaches real estate law courses at Temple University. He also serves as a director on the board of Habitat for Humanity in Philadelphia.

When he's not busy working, teaching or volunteering, Lebor enjoys going to the theater and opera with his wife, Dr. Talia Eisenstein, and spending time with their three children, Etana, Orly and Ronit.

"I love classical music and I like to read," he says. "We also like to travel. My wife and I travel about three to four times a year. I believe that you're a better lawyer if you enjoy life."

One final advice that Lebor likes to dole out to today's attorneys interested in moving from a law firm to in-house is to understand the larger picture.

"When one does transition from a firm to in-house, it's good to understand the business the client is in before you go and understand it well," he says. "You need to know what they do on a day-to-day basis. Try to understand the larger picture. A successful GC offers advice and integrates it into the business model and the issues that are central to the company in which they are involved." •

Daniel Casciato is a Pittsburgh-based writer who writes articles on business, finance and law.