Meet the OGCs: James Duberman

Jamie Duberman purchased his first investment property as a 20 year old and flipped it 2 years later, using the proceeds to pay for law school. “I’ve always been interested in real estate, especially construction and the financing side,” says Jamie. “My wife and I have completed so many projects in our own home that it’s a joke in my family that I am most happy when walls are coming down.” No wonder then that Jamie has spent his entire legal career in the real estate sector, including as general counsel of both a title agency and a mortgage company, in private practice as co-founder and managing partner of a full-service real estate law firm, and now as an OGC handling real estate issues for the firm’s clients.

Jamie has handled nearly every aspect of real estate law over the past 30 years, including commercial, residential, industrial, new development, title insurance and mortgage lending, as well as advising on real estate-related issues in corporate transactions, such as partnerships, joint ventures, franchises and licensing arrangements. Of this diverse background, Jamie draws frequently from his years of in-house lawyering. “As a GC, I learned to anticipate issues, collaborate cross-departmentally, and think strategically in support of larger organizational goals,” explains Jamie, “and using this same business-forward approach today, I’m able to offer my clients practical advice that aligns with their business objectives, while also mitigating risks effectively.”

Besides an obvious passion for real estate, Jamie’s entrepreneurial spirit has also played a major role in shaping his career. “I was the direct beneficiary of my dad’s self-employment which allowed him to be at every one of my baseball games through high school,” says Jamie, “and wanting that same flexibility, I’ve always sought out opportunities to work for myself.” After getting his feet wet with New York Life Insurance Company in their real estate limited partnership department, and later as GC of Garden State Mortgage, Jamie set out on his own, founding Gateway Title Agency, where he served as Managing Principal and GC for 10 years. He then co-founded a real estate law firm, counseling clients in all areas of real estate law, as well as on collateral matters such as deal structure, LOI terms, leasing, finance, tax, asset-based loans, workouts, foreclosures, short sales and auction sales.

After 25 years of shouldering the responsibility for his own businesses, Jamie was ready for a change. “I was spending more time on administrative matters than I was on actual legal work, and wanted to get back to the daily practice of law,” he said. Autonomy and flexibility were still very important to him, so a traditional law firm model was not desirable. “I wanted to work from home to avoid the grind of commuting, and I wanted more time to travel with my wife.” Like many of his colleagues, Jamie found what he was looking for at OGC. “I am now able to focus on my clients without the burden of back-office responsibilities.” Happily working with an interesting and diverse portfolio of companies, and supported by a team of accomplished colleagues in a noncompetitive environment, Jamie has never looked back.

More about Jamie Duberman
Jamie is a lifelong New Yorker – after growing up in Brooklyn, he graduated from Hofstra University’s School of Business (where he also played 4 years of varsity baseball) and Brooklyn Law School. One of his most memorable clients was the owner of a Brooklyn apartment building, who he represented following the building’s partial collapse, guiding him through the defense of personal jury/property damage claims, the razing of the property and its eventual redevelopment. Jamie is an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys cycling, swimming and of course, spending time with his family.