The Magical Mentorship of Professor Michael Gerber
Generations of Mentees Describe How the Generous Professor Helped Them
Ask alumni and students who have been mentored by Professor Michael Gerber over the past few decades about how he assisted them, and their effusive responses raise the question: How could the mentorship they describe be the work of just one professor and not a half-dozen?
Sometimes, Gerber is the super-connector who, with a phone call, magically helps a student or alumnus get the elusive interview that changes the trajectory of their careers. Other times, he is the cheerleader who jumps in to reassure a Law School student who is, perhaps, paralyzed by a sense of panic because they scored an interview, or blundered an interview, or failed to obtain a summer associate position. When a job interview is pending, Gerber becomes the sartorial adviser who keeps a stash of new black dress socks and a blue Louis Vuitton “magic tie” in his office, ready for loaning out. He is the tireless responder to a litany of questions about bankruptcy law for those who are as fascinated by the field as their professor. Even late at night, he is the quick-witted scribe who jumps on a call to help sharpen a résumé or craft the perfect thank-you letter.
Perhaps his most enduring legacy is that many of his mentees have adapted his generous and compassionate attitude and they “pay it forward” by helping other Brooklyn Law School alumni because of the way Gerber nurtured them.
With his investiture on Nov. 18 as the first Michael Simmons and Michael Gerber Professor, honoring faculty mentorship, making his new title official, here are some of the stories of his mentees:
The Phone Calls That Changed Everything
Michael Elkin ’84, a litigation partner and former vice chair at Winston & Strawn, who focuses on copyright and digital media litigation, is one of Gerber’s earliest mentees. They met when the professor was teaching his first course in legal writing. “He became a mentor for me pretty much after a few classes, and that mentorship continued for the duration of my law school years and far beyond,” Elkin said. “Professor Gerber is brilliant, engaging, personable, authentic, and funny. He cares deeply about his students and is the best mentor I have ever had.”
Elkin remembers Gerber’s encouraging words, and a pivotal recommendation that he believes changed the trajectory of his career. “He introduced and recommended me to become an associate at his former firm, Proskauer, when I was three years out of BLS, and that opportunity would never have been possible without Professor Gerber. He put his credibility on the line to vouch for me. That position enabled me to obtain access to a professional world where I have greatly benefited for nearly 40 years.”
Sean Han ’19, a sixth-year associate in Greenberg Traurig’s commercial finance practice group, has a similar tale. He first became a mentee of Gerber’s in his 1L year, when he feared that his 3.19 GPA was a dealbreaker for obtaining a summer internship. He had heard that Gerber helped guide students in need and decided to approach him after Contracts class, where Han had fortunately stood out as an active participant.
“Before I could say anything, he asked me if I might need help finding a summer position,” said Han. “He mentioned he enjoyed my enthusiasm for Contracts, and it was during this chat that we found out we share the same alma mater (NYU).”
After Han expressed interest in bankruptcy law, Gerber lost no time, phoning U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert E. Grossman of the Eastern District of New York that same day. “After an interview with the judge a week later, I had a judicial internship lined up for the summer,” Han said. “I’ve repeatedly expressed to my parents, my fiancée, and my friends that this was the pivotal moment in not just my career, but the rest of my life.”
David E. Kaye ’07, a partner in the real estate group at Ropes & Gray in New York City, credits Gerber for making a “tremendous impact on his life,” when he was a 3L and having trouble landing a position after graduation.
“He had insight into my career trajectory and the right place for me to land that I would never have known as a student,” Kaye said. Pivotally, Gerber introduced him to David Djaha ’88, the head of the real estate group at Clifford Chance, a law firm he had applied to, but had not heard from.
“After one phone call from Professor Gerber, I was invited in for an interview. Two days later I had a callback and then an offer,” Kaye said. For the past 17 years, Kaye has worked almost exclusively with Djaha and other lawyers in the group, first at Clifford Chance and now at Ropes & Gray, and he hasn’t forgotten how that happened.
“Any time Professor Gerber contacts me asking to meet with a student, or a student contacts me directly looking for an informational interview or guidance on their career, I help whenever I can to pay it forward,” Kaye said.
A Mentor Who Always Made the Time
Stephen Blank ’07, a financial restructuring and reorganization partner at Alston & Bird in New York City, took a bankruptcy class with Gerber and then proceeded to take any other classes he could with the professor, whom he described as a “mensch in every possible way.”
“He is an educator of the first order and truly gifted as a teacher, but his generosity, warmth, and desire to mentor are truly unmatched,” Blank said. “Professor Gerber truly cares. His interest in me and my career was the first time in my life that I felt like I had someone looking out for me and truly listening to what I hoped to accomplish professionally, and providing guidance on how to get there. I would not be where I am without the mentorship, advice, and friendship of Professor Gerber.”
Blank said the friendship and mentorship didn’t stop after graduation. “He danced at my wedding and has been instrumental in the development and trajectory of my career at each step along the way,” Blank said.
Johana Borjas-Pavon '22, a corporate associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, first met Professor Gerber as a 2L in his Debtors’ and Creditors’ Rights class, in the fall of 2020, during COVID. Gerber’s compassion for students shone through, even virtually.
“With so much uncertainty and isolation resulting from the pandemic, Professor Gerber always began his classes asking us how we were doing and acknowledging the particular challenges we were facing at that moment,” Borjas-Pavon said. “It brightened my day.”
Intrigued by that first course, she signed up for the professor’s Business Reorganizations course that spring, and Gerber quickly became a mentor “who always had the time,” she said. They met for one-to-one Zoom study sessions and a final exam post-mortem and spoke by phone about her résumé and how to prepare for a job interview.
“Professor Gerber has an impeccable memory and an unbelievable super-human power to give and support others in any way he can,” Borjas-Pavon said, adding that his “common sense” approach to life and willingness to help others set a high bar that she tries to emulate. “Professor Gerber’s life exemplifies his motto, ‘lend a hand at every opportunity,’” she said.
Swati Bose ’07 enjoyed bankruptcy law, but ended up not practicing in the field for health reasons and instead went into business as an entrepreneur. She operated a wine bar in Washington, D.C., for the past decade and is now opening a wine shop in Arlington, Va. Still, she remembers and appreciates the mentorship she received from the law professor.
“Professor Gerber was an amazing mentor. He helped me gain a summer position at a small firm in Manhattan,” Bose said. “Later, I had a slightly unusual path as I was graduating from law school and Professor Gerber helped me navigate it. I clerked for a federal bankruptcy judge in Trenton after graduation, and it was one of my favorite jobs.”
Her husband still remembers her mentions of Gerber and how he helped her during that time. “Were it not for that chronic health issue, I would have stayed in law and continued to practice bankruptcy. And that path would have been largely due to Professor Gerber,” Bose said.
Jake Starr ’24, an associate with the bankruptcy, reorganization, and creditors’ rights group at Pryor Cashman, first met Gerber through his Business Boot Camp course and came to know Gerber better in his 3L year after taking his Debtors’ and Creditors’ Rights course.
The professor’s expertise in the subject matter and his passion to pass on his knowledge to the next generation of students made the class ideal, Starr said.
“As a curious student, eager to learn, I would ambush Professor Gerber with an endless number of questions,” Starr said. “Rather than get annoyed, Professor Gerber would diligently answer each question—and when he would see a look on my face and think I may be confused—he would go back to square one to ensure that I would not leave his office, or the classroom, confused.”
Starr, who had attended the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University prior to law school, had been interested in corporate law, but Gerber inspired him to zero in on bankruptcy. “After sitting in that Debtors’ and Creditors’ Rights course, I knew that the bankruptcy and reorganization legal field was where I was supposed to be.”
Staying in Touch Long After Law School
Jennifer L. Marines ’05, co-chair of the restructuring group and global vice chair of Morrison Foerster, took Professor Gerber's classes, but became his mentee because she was chosen for the Law School’s International Business Law Fellowship, an honor bestowed on only one or two students each year.
The professor “worked tirelessly to guide fellows and ensure they found meaningful opportunities within the school and the broader legal community,” Marines said. After her 1L year, Gerber helped Marines land a coveted summer clerkship with Hon. Stuart Bernstein, then Chief Judge of the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. “That invaluable experience set me on the path to becoming a bankruptcy lawyer,” Marines said.
Regularly invited to speak at Law School roundtables, panels, and the Business Boot Camp, Marines has appreciated being able to meet a stream of talented students and graduates through Gerber.
“His practice of connecting me with promising junior attorneys has significantly contributed to the growth of Morrison Foerster’s restructuring practice, providing and enhancing the strength of our team,” Marines said.
Denise M. Faltischek ’00, chief strategy officer and head of international at global consumer products company Tilray Brands, met Gerber through a fellow student, and the connection has blossomed for both parties.
With help from Gerber, she interned for Judge James Garrity, a bankruptcy judge in the Southern District of New York.
“The most amazing thing about Professor Gerber and why he is so deserving of this professorship is that he took the time to advise me while I was a student at BLS even though I never actually took one of his classes,” Faltischek said. “I was introduced to him by a student who had taken one of his classes when I was a third year and Professor Gerber provided me with career advice. We have stayed in touch to this day.”
Faltischek’s business acumen has brought her back to the Law School many times over the years, including for panel discussions related to business, as well as the annual Business Boot Camp, for which Gerber serves as Director.
“It is a fantastic program providing students with practical information to prepare them for work post-graduation,” Faltischek said. “I am always truly amazed by the number of students Professor Gerber has impacted through these programs.”
Current Students Still Knock on Gerber’s Door
Gerber is still helping students get a foot in the door in bankruptcy. Gittel Fekete ’25 first met Gerber in her 1L year when she took his Contracts class, and she instantly admired his engaging teaching style and the way he set clear expectations for student success.
“My interest in bankruptcy law really took off when he explained fraudulent conveyances through a story about Jack and the Beanstalk,” Fekete said, adding that Gerber’s assistance with the challenging On-Campus Interview (OCI) process proved invaluable. “He helped me secure an internship in bankruptcy court, where the experience solidified my passion for the field.”
On a personal level, Gerber is a “mensch,” she said, whose exceptionally caring attitude toward students shines through. “Though I’m no longer in his classes, he continues to mentor me and offer guidance,” Fekete said. “I feel fortunate to have him as a mentor, and I know, from the relationships he maintains with former students, that his mentorship will last well beyond graduation.”
Jonathan Lent ’26 took a Contracts class with Gerber as a 1L, and after the professor asked if anyone was interested in bankruptcy law, their mentoring relationship began.
“He diligently tried to help me find a job for the summer of 2025, but the search was increasingly challenging,” Lent said. “After On-Campus Interviews (OCI), I did not receive an offer, and the pressure to find a job began to mount. Professor Gerber seemed just as invested in my success as I was. He was confident in my abilities, and he made me feel the same.”
When an alumnus called Gerber in search of a new associate, he suggested Lent as a summer associate. He received an interview invitation “the very next day,” Lent said. Gerber introduced him to other alumni at the same firm and jumped on a late-night phone call to help draft thank-you letters after the interview.
“Our hard work paid off and a week later, I received an offer,” Lent said. “Professor Gerber is an amazing human being and someone I want to emulate not only in my career but also as a person. He has consistently believed in me, even during times when I doubted myself, and I will be forever grateful to him for that.”
Nicolas Santacruz ’26, a part-time student who works as a paralegal and is now in his third year, first met Gerber because he was Santacruz’s adviser, but became better acquainted after taking his Contracts class.
“I really got to know him as a deeply knowledgeable but also hilarious professor who could teach me and make me laugh in one sentence,” Santacruz said. “I liked him so much I audited his Debtors’ and Creditors’ Rights class the next semester.”
Santacruz benefited from Gerber’s proactive assistance with fine-tuning his résumé and preparing for interviews. He credits assistance from Gerber as pivotal to obtaining an internship with Chief Judge [Martin] Glenn in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, which was “an incredible opportunity to learn from one of the most knowledgeable bankruptcy judges around,” Santacruz said.
“Beyond the classroom, he has demonstrated a genuine and sustained investment in my professional development,” Santacruz said. “What sets him apart is his belief in his students’ potential and his willingness to go above and beyond to help them realize it.”