Karen Gelernt is a partner in the Global Finance & Debt Products Group. Her practice involves the representation of domestic and foreign banks, investment banks and other financial institutions in a variety of financing, mortgage and other financial asset transactions.
Karen has substantial experience in structuring and negotiating warehouse lines, repurchase agreements and other financing structures, including rewarehousing and repledge facilities, as well as purchase and sales, involving such diverse assets as mortgage assets, real-estate-owned properties, franchise loans, preferred equity, mezzanine loans, student loans, loan receivables, equipment leases, various government insured and guaranteed loans (including FHA, VA, SBA, FmHA and FFELP loans), securities, tax liens, interests in lottery winnings, credit card receivables, Chapter 13 payment plan receivables, participation interests, and servicing rights and receivables.
Karen has worked on financings involving nonprofit borrowers, investment funds and REITs. In addition, she has experience working on debtor-in-possession financings and restructuring distressed facilities.
Karen has expertise in transfers of servicing rights and receivables related to mortgage loans and in certain residential mortgage loan regulatory regimes. She also has significant expertise with respect to bankruptcy safe harbors.
Karen is the author of Secondary Market Residential Mortgage Transactions (Thompson Financial, 2008).