2025 Ones To Watch - Rising Stars: Michael Cronin, Ruberto, Israel & Weiner

“Michael has shown an ability to grasp new concepts across a varying field of commercial real estate and land use topics. He has participated in board hearings and site visits for complex matters, such as wireless telecommunication facilities, and assisted in settling abutter suits relating to a complex easement and solar siting project. He has also assisted in drafting and documentation for sophisticated land use transactions involving retail stores, hotels, inns, restaurants, and residential development projects.” - Michael Rosen, Shareholder & Chair of Corp Dept. at Ruberto, Israel, & Weiner.

What recent professional milestone or project are you most proud of, and why? I helped a well- known Connecticut- based pizza restaurant secure its liquor license for a new Seaport location. While small compared to the larger projects we handle at RIW, this one meant a lot to me personally. Growing up in CT, I’ve been a fan of this spot for years. Being able to support its expansion into my own neighborhood brings a piece of my childhood to the community I live in now-blending personal pride with professional impact.

What’s one challenge you’ve overcome in your career so far, and what did it teach you? One challenge that I overcame in my career is rejection. Recently, as I have begun trying to branch myself out and bring in clients, I find it hard to convince people to seek a young, inexperienced attorney to represent them and take their business. However, I’ve learned that this is all a part of the process, and even though I haven’t built up a giant book of business yet, I feel more confident in approaching potential clients and have learned how to advocate for myself.

If you could give advice to someone just starting out in your field, what would it be? Don’t be afraid of failure and criticism. You will do almost everything wrong before you learn how to do it right. If you let fear of failure stop you from trying or let criticism turn into doubt rather than treating it like a lesson, you will never get to that next stage. Everything can be spun in a positive light if you treat it that way.

Who has played a pivotal role in your development, and how have they influenced you? My current mentor, Michael Rosen has played a pivotal role in my development in the last year. My move to RIW was a slight change of pace in that more responsibility fell on my shoulders than in my previous roles. Although it was intimidating, Michael knows when to guide me and when to encourage me to handle things on my own. In the last year, I have felt far more confident in my abilities as a lawyer and feel like I’ve improved more than all of my previous years combined.