PROFILE: Law student on the beat with FBI

As Brad Newberg was being chased by a bulldog down a Bronx alleyway, the University Law student fervently wished he had decided to scoop ice cream or mow lawns for his summer vacation. But Newberg had opted to forgo a normal minimum wage job last summer. Instead, he interned at the Department of Investigation, which works closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "It was the perfect experience," explained the second-year Law student. "I got to do everything a normal FBI agent does but carry a gun and a badge. It was just like the movies." Although Newberg is presently focused on becoming a judge, as a University undergraduate he did not share the same intensity. While he managed to graduate with a dual degree in the College and Wharton, Newberg said his real concentration was in "Sega Genesis and Koch's Deli." And because the course load was not too demanding, Newberg took two months off during his senior year to visit numerous law schools. He ultimately decided to attend Penn Law School. Experiencing a renewed vigor and deciding that he had played enough video games, Newberg went for "the real action" the summer after his senior year. At that time, New York City, his hometown, was undergoing a freeze and desperately needed workers in the DOI. "The job sort of fell into my hands," Newburg said. "I got incredible experience and in exchange the DOI received an Ivy League student who agreed to work for free." Since Newberg worked with FBI agents, he was forced to submit to a basic background check. "For all I know, the agents called my old girlfriend and my third-grade teacher," Newberg said. For security reasons, the agents took six separate prints of each of Newberg's fingers and thumbs. He said the process took over a hour. After the examination was over, Newberg began working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Federal Plaza in New York City. The DOI office knew that he wanted experience, so Newberg began by writing briefs and assisting both DOI and FBI agents. "The first brief I wrote was six pages long," Newberg said. "By the ninth revision, it was down to the single page that my boss wanted." In addition to assisting around the office, Newberg developed a close relationship with his colleagues when he began attending stings and stakeouts. "I had a fantastic boss who let me do almost anything," explained Newberg. "The only thing she was worried about was me getting shot." Even though he was never paid, Newberg frequently worked overtime because of how much he enjoyed the job. And by the end of the summer, Newberg was handling his own file of cases and "found it difficult to leave the office" at the end of the day. "As a going away present, one of the agents gave me a bullet inscribed with my name," Newberg said. "He informed that I shouldn't try to make it into a necklace because it could explode." "I walked home very slowly that night," he added. Newberg, who is said to closely resemble famous comedian Jerry Seinfeld, explained that his alter-persona helped him quickly become recognized around the office. "There is rarely a day that goes by without someone commenting that I look like Jerry Seinfeld," Newberg said. He added that he has every Seinfeld episode on videotape because he "has to keep up with requests." When Newberg went on a cross- country trip with friends, strangers thought he actually was the comedian. "I went on the trip with two friends who were 6'3'' and 250 pounds," Newberg said. "They turned out to be perfect body guards." The eclectic Newberg is also writing a novel along the lines of Presumed Innocent and Jagged Edge. The main character is loosely based on himself. He added that he hopes to finish the novel by the time he graduates from law school. Along with all Newberg's accomplishments, he became engaged to Wharton senior Melanie Parr over winter break. They met when Newberg randomly typed "finger" on a computer in a Wharton computer lab. Newberg proposed by presenting Parr with a Werther's Original with an engagement ring hidden inside. "I consider myself an extremely lucky person," Newberg said about his life in general.