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I have been interested in real estate law for as long as I can remember. It feels concrete; you can see it, drive past it, and walk through it. When I was growing up, my stepmother worked as a title attorney, and I worked on the residential side of a title company before coming to Friedlander Misler. The direction felt obvious: real estate law was where my personal interest and my legal training could meet.

What drew me in most was the arc of a deal. You negotiate a lease, watch it go through ten rounds of revisions, and after that final turn of the draft you can point to something tangible: a signed document, a transition of possession, a business that now has a home.

Coming to Friedlander Misler

I heard about Friedlander Misler through a friend. The pitch was straightforward: a tight-knit group of attorneys who are experienced authorities in commercial real estate, all working out of the same office, with a culture built around collaboration. That last part mattered to me. I had heard too many stories about associates learning in isolation, figuring things out alone. Here, the partners are present, they want you to succeed, and will work with you to accomplish that goal. That wasn’t just something said in an interview; it turned out to be true.

In my first three months, I have learned more than I expected. One moment that stands out: I was reviewing a commercial lease with Amy Serafino, one of our leasing attorneys who is extremely well-versed in the area. Virtually every page had revisions—it was essentially a full redline. I spent about an hour and a half going through it on my own, making my own comments, then we reviewed it together. She walked through her reasoning without making it feel like a critique. That kind of mentorship — patient, substantive, grounded — is not something you can take for granted.

Why the D.C. Market

I grew up in Connecticut, went to New York University for college, and attended law school in Chicago. D.C. was a deliberate choice. The market here is strong: government, established law firms, and a dense commercial real estate ecosystem with deep roots. The city also has a lot of history, which I appreciate.

One thing I did not fully anticipate is how national the work is at Friedlander Misler. We are not just doing DMV deals. Closing documents come in from Georgia, Florida, California, and throughout the country. That means staying current on jurisdiction-specific requirements, working closely with local property managers who bring their own expertise, and making sure that whatever we produce is legally sound wherever the property sits.

What a Typical Week Looks Like

No week is the same, which is part of what makes this work interesting. On any given day, I might draft a lease amendment, work through closing documents, or handle a project that came in that morning that needs a same-day turnaround. The work spans multiple partners, and managing it requires real discipline.

My system is simple: I keep a running task list with each pending matter, the partner it belongs to, and whether it is in progress or complete. When something lands on my desk, my first question is always: when does this need to be done, and is it the most pressing thing in front of me right now? It sounds basic, but that kind of time management is what makes everything run smoothly.

The Culture

The culture here is traditional and fast-paced while also being close-knit, collaborative, and fun. When there is a hard conversation to be had, we have it directly. But there is also room for lightheartedness. Every Wednesday, the team eats lunch together in the firm’s kitchen. It’s not a formal meeting, just colleagues catching up about their lives. That might sound small, but when the work is demanding, this break in the day makes a real difference.

Work-life balance is real here, which is not the case at many law firms. As long as you get your work done, the firm respects your time.

Advice for Anyone Considering This Path

If you have even a passing interest in real estate law, expose yourself to it. There are not as many dedicated courses for it in law school as there are for something like healthcare law or litigation, so you have to seek it out. Take the class. Stay in touch with people a year or two ahead of you in school; that kind of relationship and imparted experience is worth more than some of what gets taught in a classroom.

Once you are in it, time management becomes one of the most practical skills you can build. But it is only part of the picture. There are things about this work you will not fully anticipate until you are doing it.

What Surprised Me Most

I did not expect the depth of the client relationships. Some clients have portfolios with hundreds of properties across the country. They have worked with this firm long enough to trust us completely — they call us directly, tell us exactly what they need, and expect us to handle any problem they face promptly and thoughtfully. That trust is not given, but earned over time. Being part of building that trust is something I did not fully anticipate, and it is one of the best parts of the job. I am very excited about the opportunities ahead and look forward to seeing what the future holds at Friedlander Misler.

Jordan S. Hirn is an associate in the Firm’s Real Estate practice group.