Jennifer Lofaro has played many roles in the world of law, from paralegal to partner. But one thing has always remained consistent: her relentless work ethic.
As a paralegal in 1995 at White Plains firm Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP, Lofaro quickly earned a reputation in the commercial real estate department as a major talent.
“I learned how to do the closings, learned how to manage the transactions,” Lofaro recalls. In short time, she was interacting with clients. It was a good fit, she felt. So, in 2001, she enrolled in Pace Law School, earning a law degree in the evenings while continuing to work full-time as a paralegal. “It was definitely grueling,” she recalls.
Today, Lofaro specializes in real-estate law at Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, the same firm where she started. She was named partner in 2015 and has played a major role in growing the firm’s commercial real estate practice. Lofaro has an impressive command of closings, commercial financing, leasing, lenders, and acquisitions across Westchester and beyond.
What’s next? Lofaro says Westchester’s real estate market is finally gaining momentum after the 2008 recession, and she sees busy years ahead. She’s also quick to cheer on aspiring attorneys. “I would tell current paralegals that if they are contemplating a law degree, they shouldn’t let anything hold them back,” she says.
