Danielle Liberman graduated from Boston University magna cum laude in 2016 with a B.A. in Middle East and North African Studies and graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2019. Danielle is a Real Estate Associate in Greenberg Traurig’s New York office. Danielle focuses her practice on a broad range of complex real estate matters, including the representation of regional, national, corporate, and individual sellers, as well as buyers, borrowers, lenders, landlords, tenants, developers, investors, and entrepreneurs in acquisitions, sales, development, leasing, and financing. She assists clients through the purchase and sale of real estate assets, from contract negotiations, due diligence, and regulatory compliance, to title review and closing.
“I arrived at Boston University with a broad interest in political science and history and a desire to learn how to be a better writer in anticipation of my future application to law school. However, I could not have predicted the ways in which my major in Middle East and North African Studies and minors in Judaic Studies and Hebrew would not only satisfy my desire but also motivate me in my legal career. Through my coursework I was able to perfect my skills in writing along with research and analytical skills, while gaining a solid foundation in the legal, political and socio-economic landscape of the Middle East.
Some of the best experiences at Boston University were through my coursework in the Judaic and Hebrew Studies programs. My courses in the Judaic Studies and Hebrew Program provided me with stimulating coursework coupled with small classes with accomplished scholars who were more than willing to help an intellectually curious student pursue miscellaneous pursuits. I am thankful to have been able to take six semesters of Hebrew in Miriam Angrist’s Hebrew program, all of which integrated exciting topics such as food culture, Israeli film, and Israeli popular music.
The Elie Wiesel Center for Jewish Studies allowed me to further refine the research and writing skills I honed in the classroom through my honors thesis, as well as through an immersive study abroad program in which I was able to learn the basics of Arabic. My thesis, titled “Understanding the Mainstreaming of the Temple Mount Movement,” was the culmination of a year of immersive research and discussions with academia in the field, and was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences I have ever had. Through writing my thesis I deepened my interest in understanding the broader socio-political climate of Israel, which will remain a lifelong passion of mine. I was afforded the opportunity to craft the research project under the invaluable guidance of Professor Zank. My positive experiences in the Elie Wiesel Center encouraged me to pursue a legal career and continues to influence my legal career on a daily basis.
Through my degree, I was able to develop an extensive skillset and learn to ask questions, listen to others and convey my ideas in an understandable and relatable way. However, most importantly, my major and courses allowed me to develop cognitive and presentational skills, allowing me to better understand a complex geo-political region and learn how to better understand others of diverse backgrounds in order to bridge divides to reach a common goal. The skills that my major offered me help in my daily life as a Real Estate Attorney. In my day-to-day work, not only am I closely reading and analyzing contracts, but I negotiate these contracts and try to reach a common ground based on a mutual goal.
While I did not pursue a Ph.D. in my undergraduate field, my undergraduate education continues to influence my daily life and will remain a lifelong interest of mine. When asked by pre-law students what they should major in, I always advise that they should find a major that interests them that can help them build strong reading, writing, and analytical skills, as well as provides challenging and diverse courses. I am forever grateful for the experience I had at Boston University through my undergraduate major and minors, as well as the Elie Wiesel Center for continuous support throughout my degree, along with enriching programming to complement my educational experience.” – Danielle Liberman