Ann Waeger is an attorney who follows her heart. As Woodbridge’s 2020 “Lawyer of the Year” winner in Environmental Law, Waeger found her way into the environmental practice after joining a boutique firm as a real estate lawyer. Shortly thereafter, the Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA) was passed and she found herself working closely with colleagues on the environmental side of transactions. That experience proved invaluable as a hands-on opportunity to develop expertise related to the use of environmental insurance policies as a risk management tool to address environmental issues that came into play in connection with real estate transactions.
From that point on, Waeger continued to pursue the practice and is now part of a team of attorneys at Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis that concentrate in several niche areas of environmental law, including her own. “What I most enjoy about the team is the camaraderie among its members and how well we work together—I have worked with some of my colleagues for over 30 years and we practically read each other’s minds.”
When Waeger isn’t at her desk, she enjoys being active and spending time outdoors. “My husband and I love to travel, particularly to our national parks. Locally we like to take leisurely bicycle rides,” Waeger said before describing a recent purchase to pursue a longtime ambition. “I have also acquired a piano and I am very excited about the prospect of learning how to play—a dream of mine since I was a child.”
In addition, Waeger is passionate about paying it forward by encouraging young attorneys to follow their ambitions and enter the commercial real estate field. “For more than 20 years, the firm and I have been strong supporters of CREW Network and CREW NJ, its chapter in New Jersey, a professional organization whose mission is to transform the commercial real estate industry by advancing women globally,” Waeger explained. “I have also personally supported the CREW Network Foundation, which among other things, awards scholarships to college students who are pursuing a career in commercial real estate. Over the years I have also enjoyed serving as a mentor to a number of CREW members in connection with my participation in CREW Network Leadership Programs.”
