Real Estate Finance & Capital Markets
Real estate finance capability has been a hallmark of Alston & Bird’s real estate services for many years. Building upon this legacy, Alston & Bird has become a national leader in real estate capital formation and capital markets transactions. We regularly rank among the leading law firms nationally in closing real estate loans, particularly large mortgage loans, and are consistently ranked among the nation’s leading law firms for our work in the real estate capital markets sector. Over the course of the last two decades, we have demonstrated considerable expertise in issuing, maintaining, restructuring and defeasing real estate equity and debt securities. Our real estate finance client list is a virtual “who’s who” of the industry.
EXPERIENCE – ORIGINATIONS
Alston & Bird represents money center banks, the real estate capital markets groups of investment banks, life insurance companies and various other institutional lenders in the origination of loans secured by real estate or interests in real estate. With practice team members in New York, Charlotte and Atlanta, we put our deep bench into play to lead transactions across the country. We have a particularly long experience list in multiproperty, multijurisdictional financings and in complex financing transactions.
EXPERIENCE – COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES
Since the emergence of commercial mortgage securitization in the early 1990s, Alston & Bird lawyers have played significant roles in the creation, development and documentation of the CMBS financing and have been involved as counsel in every phase of the creation and management of commercial mortgage securitized lending programs. We participate in the evolution of CMBS protocols. We have represented all parties in the CMBS process, including originators as described above, warehouse lenders, depositors, master and special servicers, trustees, mezzanine lenders and “B-Note” buyers, borrowers and CMBS investors. Currently, we focus our CMBS practice upon the representation of CMBS originators, master servicers and special servicers. In addition, we enjoy the support of our highly credentialed tax lawyers in advising clients on REMIC and other relevant tax considerations, including REMIC tax compliance and the issuance of REMIC opinions.
INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS
Our attorneys are active participants in the Mortgage Bankers Association and the Commercial Mortgage Securities Association, serving on various standing committees and task forces. The list of activities in relevant industry organizations is long and includes an Alston & Bird attorney chairing the CMSA’s Strategic Issues Task Force and its Document Integrity Committee.
WHY ALSTON & BIRD?
With more than 50 lawyers engaged in the real estate finance practice and with our leadership in the real estate capital markets industry, our clients have access to leading industry knowledge and experience as well as to real time insight into current and emerging issues in the industry. We participate at the forefront of industry thinking and developments and we close real estate financings almost every day. These financings range from the “typical” CMBS first mortgage loan to the most challenging and complex of deals involving unique and marquee projects around the country. We know the issues and we know the solutions.