Efficient Online Legal Research for Paralegals and Associates (2025 Edition)

Mariana Fradman | New York City Paralegal Association

Mariana Fradman has over 25 years of specializing in commercial real estate transactions (acquisitions/sales, air/development rights transfers, joint ventures, mortgage lending (bond and affordable housing), energy projects, community development, not-for-profit and mixed use, strategic planning, workouts and 1031 exchanges, project and space leasing); corporate and corporate housekeeping; M&A transactions and financial restructuring. Currently, as a senior specialist at the Real Estate and Investments Group in the Office of the General Counsel at New York Life Insurance Company, she is responsible for legal support for all real estate investments and corporate real estate managed by New York Life Real Estate Investors, a division of NYL Investors LLC, including mortgage, mezzanine and structured financing, CMBS, real property acquisitions, dispositions, fund formation and governance, loan servicing, asset management and leasing related activities. In addition, Mariana is an adjunct instructor teaching ethics, business law, contracts and real estate law at the ABA-approved Paralegal Certificate Program, Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, New York.

Mariana has a B.S. in mechanical engineering, Odessa Polytechnic University – Ukraine (1985), B.S. in Paralegal Studies, NYC Technical College, New York (1999); and MBA in General Business Administration, University of Phoenix, Arizona (2005). In addition, Mariana is a New York State Certified Paralegal.

Mariana is a long-standing member of New York City Paralegal Association (“NYCPA”). She has been in numerous leadership roles, including president, vice president and treasurer, has held positions of the CLE and Mentor Program chairs and assisted various committees. She also served as an Ethics and Professional Responsibility coordinator and was a member of the Ad Hoc Committee on Rogue Paralegals and Ethics Committee for the National Federation of Paralegal Association. Mariana presented at various continuing legal education seminars in-person and online, including, but not limited to Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus, New York Career Institute, Lorman Education Services, Paralegal Knowledge Institute, Clear Law Institute, National Federation of Paralegal Associations and at numerous CLE seminars presented by NYCPA. Her articles were published in The Paralegal Society Blog, The Paralegal Resource and the National Paralegal Reporter. Mariana is a recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award, West Legal Studies Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement; Distinguished Faculty Badge, Lorman Educational Services; Appreciation Award and numerous Certificates of Appreciation, NYCPA; and a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Tau Phi Sigma Honor Societies.

I. First Steps: Security, relevance and reliability | 1:00pm – 1:20pm

II. Where Do You Start: Understanding the key details and questions, finding laws and information | 1:20pm – 1:40pm

III. Achieve Your Research Goals: Key words and search terms, refining search terms, and how to use variety of sources | 1:40pm – 2:00pm

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

IV. Free Legal Research Tools | 2:10pm – 2:40pm

V. Artificial Intelligence: Yay or nay? | 2:40pm – 3:10pm