The arrival of partners Randy Eckers, Michael Estreicher, Taila Martin, Alexander (A.J.) Sokoloff, and Samuel Lee; associates Marissa Hight, Nicoletta Lakatos, Amanda Fick-Cambria, Brandon Sapala and Jessica Gersten; contract attorney Erica Blank and consultant Anne Eckhoff bolsters Reed Smith’s industry-leading real estate finance offering for its bank and lender clients. The group, which will be based in New York, joins Reed Smith from Akerman LLP.
This group expands Reed Smith’s best-in-class real estate finance capabilities to support lenders on a complete spectrum of their legal needs, including debt origination, REIT formation and compliance, fund formation, securitization and CRE CLO capabilities, tax credit planning, and structured finance and repo facility representation. The group also complements Reed Smith’s existing finance capabilities in its representation of commercial lenders in every type of financing across all asset groups and helps position the firm to respond to the recent uptick in bridge debt and construction loans.
“Over the past several years, we have been laser-focused on building transactional depth in finance across multiple disciplines, including real estate finance,” said Jodi Schwimmer, global co-chair of Reed Smith’s Financial Industry Group. The addition of this exceptional group of lawyers - lawyers who are real dealmakers - positions us as a premiere firm in the market, capable of meeting client needs from origination to securitization and all points in between.”
Reed Smith’s global network of real estate and real estate finance lawyers is recognized for providing strategic counsel to investors, developers, lenders and corporate clients in all real estate asset classes and categories. The practice also advises clients on complex real estate financing at all stages, including origination, securitization, servicing, syndication, workout, and enforcement of loans secured by real estate assets throughout North America and beyond.
“Joining Reed Smith presented us with the ideal situation, based on the strength and strategic focus of the firm’s finance practice, its commitment to the industries in which my colleagues and I have built our practices, the firm’s culture of collaboration, and its global footprint,” said Eckers, who previously served as chair of Akerman’s Real Estate Finance Practice. “We are excited to join Reed Smith and to contribute to what we believe is among the best, most comprehensive real estate finance practices in the market.”
In addition to providing counsel to lender clients throughout the real estate finance lifecycle, the practice is also well positioned to guide lenders through the pitfalls of any distressed financing circumstances that may arise, such as forbearance arrangements, foreclosure, discounted pay-offs, workouts, restructuring (in or out of bankruptcy) and loan sales, a valuable capability given challenging and turbulent economic times.
“The addition of this team instantly enhances our real estate finance capabilities in New York, one of the most intriguing and expensive real estate markets around the globe,” said Cindy Minniti, Reed Smith’s New York office managing partner. “This group, in addition to other recent significant joiners, reinforces our commitment to growing a highly sophisticated finance practice that is at the top of its class.”
More about the team
Randy Eckers, partner, represents large lending institutions, private equity funds, debt funds, banks, bond investors, and property owners in a wide variety of commercial real estate financing, structured financing, and secondary market transactions. Eckers also regularly represents lenders in all types of fixed and floating rate loan transactions, including the origination, purchase, sale and work-out of CMBS, portfolio, bridge (including, “bridge-to-agency”), C-PACE, syndicated, mezzanine, construction and USDA loans, as well as preferred equity investments, with respect to office buildings, multifamily properties, health-care facilities, condominiums, hotels, storage facilities, shopping centers and other retail, commercial, and mixed-use assets. His practice also includes the representation of broker-dealers in the acquisition and disposition of GNMA and FNMA securities.
Eckers previously served as chair of Akerman’s Real Estate Finance Practice.
Michael Estreicher, partner, represents banks, large lending institutions, investment funds, and other institutional investors, owners, and developers in a variety of commercial real estate and financing transactions. His practice includes representing lenders and borrowers in all types of loan transactions, including CMBS, portfolio, bridge, syndicated, mezzanine and construction loans, as well as preferred equity investments, with respect to office buildings, multifamily properties, health care facilities, condominiums, hotels, storage facilities, shopping centers and other retail, commercial, and mixed-use assets. Estreicher also advises financial institutions in the acquisition, disposition, and restructuring of their interests in these financing structures as well as the acquisition and disposition of real property. In addition, he has experience with respect to workouts and restructuring of troubled debt.
Taila Martin, partner, regularly represents regional and national commercial banks, insurance companies, debt and investment funds and other corporate clients in all aspects of commercial real estate finance. Her practice is focused on mortgage and mezzanine debt origination, joint venture financing, acquisitions and dispositions, and construction lending, all in a wide variety of assets classes, including office parks and buildings, hotels, shopping centers, multi-family, skilled nursing facilities and other health care assets, and single-family rentals. In addition, Martin represents clients in the private placement of tax-exempt bonds and other public finance matters.
Alexander (A.J.) Sokoloff, partner, focuses on complex real estate related transactions, including the representation of banks, REITs, debt and private equity funds, and developers in connection with mortgage, mezzanine, A/B and syndicated financings, real property acquisitions, dispositions, and leases. Sokoloff also advises clients in the acquisition, disposition, and development of real property. Additionally, Sokoloff also represents bond investors in the acquisition and disposition of GNMA and FNMA securities, including the table-funding of underlying FHA loans.
Samuel Lee, partner, has more than 20 years of experience representing financial institutions, banks, life insurance companies, investment funds, and other institutional investors in a variety of commercial real estate finance transactions. He focuses his practice on the representation of these institutions in a wide variety of portfolio and secondary market transactions, including syndicated loans, securitized loans, and other types of capital markets financings. Lee also regularly advises these institutions in the acquisition, disposition, and restructuring of their interests in these financing structures.
About Reed Smith
Reed Smith is a dynamic international law firm dedicated to helping clients move their businesses forward. With an inclusive culture and innovative mindset, we deliver smarter, more creative legal services that drive better outcomes for our clients. Our deep industry knowledge, long-standing relationships and collaborative structure make us the go-to partner for complex disputes, transactions, and regulatory matters.
For more information, please visit www.reedsmith.com.
