Victoria follows the road less travelled

Real Estate Weekly, May 12, 2004

Before joining LePatner & Associates Victoria Drogin, a partner in the firm and one of the profession's most prominent construction attorneys, seriously considered pursuing a different path.

She was fascinated by language, communication and, in her words, "the dialogue, interaction and the motivating forces that determine people's choices--business and otherwise."

To Drogin, the concepts of marketing, branding, business development, and what she calls "client care," seemed not 0nly intuitive and essential, but somewhat at odds with the traditional practice of law.

"At the time, I had embarked on a path that led from law school to a position with a prominent insurance defense law firm," said Drogin.

"I gained a real appreciation of the issues involved in the design and construction of major projects, and how those issues related to insurance coverage litigation. I really enjoyed the interaction with clients and their corporate insurers, and finding creative ways to solve their problems."

But the limitations of a traditional legal practice soon became an obstacle. "I kept thinking there were avenues and business possibilities that we were not exploring. Frankly, I was frustrated and ready to leave law altogether for another, more creative and business oriented field."

Seeking advice and a different perspective, she turned to an old friend, Barry B. LePatner, founding partner of LePatner & Associates LLP.

Recognizing that she had precisely the type of background that had led LePatner & Associates to be a leader in the field of construction law, he invited her to work at his firm, promising her a different, more creative and entrepreneurial business framework.

Said Drogin, "I had always been impressed with Barry's visionary business model and approach to the practice. It didn't take long for Barry to convince me that my goals and interest in marketing, branding and taking a creative approach to building a truly unique law and business practice, could be congruent."

One of Drogin's most fulfilling assignments was to handle the headquarters relocation of WNET, New York City's Public Broadcasting System television affiliate.

Throughout a two-year period, Drogin immersed herself in every detail of the move from a building where the station had enjoyed a 30-year stay. LePatner & Associates served as construction counsel, drafting and negotiating the architectural, engineering and construction management agreements, and attending project meeting to coordinate the construction and design team and keep the project on track.

She said, "The uprooting process for the station's employees (including a move of the transmission towers from atop the World Trade Center) was fraught with anxiety. We were able to help address the specific concerns of the individual executives and employees of the station, and that's what I loved about that project."

Other, less fortunate owners are introduced to Drogin when their projects have already fallen apart.

She and the firm are often called to visit the scene of new buildings, conversions and rehabilitation projects that are in disarray because of shoddy or negligent actions on the part of general contractors and construction managers.

She often wears the hat of a damage control expert, deftly helping owners pick up the pieces, forge ahead on their own to repair the damage and complete the project--then assisting in the inevitable litigation that follows tragic events.

She said, "Helping owners guard against unwarranted construction claims by contractors is one of the most important services we offer. But even more important, we continually tell owners that prevention begins at the earliest stages.

"First, draft and coordinate all of the design and construction agreements with experienced advice from counselors who have been there before. Then, retain or head up a construction team that can--and will--immediately recognize and provide early warnings of problems before they become catastrophic losses."

Today, Drogin manages to balance an intense work schedule with her home and family life.

Laughing, she said, "My two girls aged three and seven years old) keep me in training for my clients!"

On a more serious note, she added, "But technology and the tools we have available to connect us with our clients and those in the field today, make the balance possible--I'm always available to clients; I make sure they know how to find me."

Since 1997, Drogin has been a faculty presenter in a Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) Program. She earned her J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law and received her B.A., cure laude, from Wellesley College, and she is admitted to the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the New York State Bar.