Real Estate Finance

We regularly handle matters ranging from traditional mortgage debt to large, sophisticated, high-profile, and market-leading structured finance transactions.

A large portion of our work involves helping clients navigate the increasingly complex debt markets in their home jurisdiction and abroad. Our transaction teams are led by partners with significant real estate debt knowledge. Our array of clients include insurance companies, investment and commercial banks, and foreign investment trusts that extend debt, as well as owners, operators, and developers who accept debt, together with servicers and other debt market intermediaries.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Portfolio and CMBS Mortgage and Mezzanine Loan Origination

Our lawyers are experienced in the financing of all commercial real estate asset classes and debt types, including permanent and bridge financing, construction lending, senior and subordinate mezzanine debt, participation interests and preferred equity investments. We often assist our clients in the development of commercial mortgage conduit and portfolio lending programs, the development of loan program document forms and administration standards, and practices in accordance with rating agency and investor requirements. We have significant experience representing both lenders and borrowers in a variety of commercial mortgage finance transactions, including multi-property, cross-collateralized, and cross-border financings, as well as traditional single-asset mortgage financings.

CMBS and CRE-CLO Securitization and Servicing

We regularly represent participants in the commercial mortgage-backed securitization (CMBS) and commercial real estate collateralized loan obligation (CRE-CLO) markets in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia. We have been involved in the structuring and documenting of domestic and cross-border securitizations of portfolios of real estate loans as well as single-borrower transactions involving landmark real estate assets; the representation of investment banks selling into securitizations; the representation of various CMBS and CRE-CLO issuers, underwriters, investors, master servicers, and special servicers in all aspects of performing and non-performing commercial mortgage loans (our cradle-to-grave lending experience enables us to effectively assist special servicers with complex real estate workout matters involving securitizations); and the development of new real estate-related assets for securitization, including assisting in the development of new product rating agency criteria.

We offer a full array of legal services to the mortgage banking and consumer finance industry worldwide, including regulatory compliance, underwriting, and due diligence in connection with acquisitions and disposals of loan portfolios; loan servicing arrangements and acquisitions; and mergers of loan servicing, asset management, and mortgage banking and consumer finance concerns. In conjunction with our Securitization and Structured Finance practice and our Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities lawyers, we regularly advise clients throughout the world in connection with the securitization of conduit loans, A/B notes, senior or mezzanine structures, CMBS tranches, and servicing rights, among other CRE assets.