For Ira J. Adler, giving back to the community is the natural thing to do and it's certainly not something to boast about.

In fact, the David Award winner and senior partner at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP of East Meadow likes to keep a low profile when it comes to talking about his work in the community.

"I feel that I've done well professionally and the community should reap the benefit of it," said Adler, whose generosity has assisted a number of organizations including the American Cancer Society and the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts.

"I think everybody should care. There are a million charities out there and we can't help them all," he said, adding, "Luckily there are a lot of people who do spend their energy and money."

He's been involved in the American Cancer Society for years working with the theater party committee and on the annual golf outing.

His activities with local trade organizations like the Long Island Builder's Institute, New York State Builders Association and the Queens County Builders and Contractors Association are fundamental. "I feel it's very important to support and be active in these organizations," said the highly respected attorney who has spent a great deal of time representing builders and developers.

In a legal career that spans more than three decades, Adler has been involved in the growth and development of the region, both commercially and philanthropically. He leads one of the nation's most active condominium and cooperative law departments. Adler enjoys a distinguished reputation for his work in community association law and has represented builders, developers and converters of condominium, cooperative and home owner association developments throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

He is the author of numerous articles on community association law and the co-author of the Chapter on Condominium, Cooperative and Home Owner Associations in Real Estate Titles published by the New York State Bar Association. He is also a frequent lecturer on community association law.

Adler is a director of the New York Builders and Contractors Association, a life director of the Long Island Builders Institute and a former four-term vice president of the organization.

He currently serves as director of the Real Estate Institute of the C.W. Post Center of Long Island University and is a member of the Tilles Center for Performing Arts Council of Overseers.

"The arts play an important role in our world. We all need culture," Adler said.

The David Award winner has been honored on numerous occasions for his generosity and tireless work in the community. He was named Humanitarian of the Year in 1994 by the Rehabilitation Institute and the Long Island Division of the American Cancer Society named him Man of the Year in 1995. The Tilles Center for the Performing Arts honored him with their Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998, and the American Jewish Committee honored him with the Franklin H. Ornstein Humanitarian Award last year.

Adler cherishes time with his family. The father of two has two grandchildren and a third on the way. He also enjoys music and travel. His favorite place is Paris. "I love to eat in Paris," he said.

Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP was founded in 1965 and has grown into one of Long Island's largest full-service law firms with 75 attorneys and offices in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The firm is involved in many charitable activities that span numerous organizations. Practice areas include real estate, tax certiorari, corporate/securities, cooperative and condominium, commercial lending, debtor/creditor rights and bankruptcy, employment, mortgage foreclosure, municipal law/government relations, criminal law, labor relations, litigation, personal injury, and estate and tax planning/probate law.