Patterson Belknap Launches Commercial Real Estate Workouts and Litigation Group
Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP today announced the launch of its Commercial Real Estate Workouts and Litigation Group. The group draws on its vast experience across multiple disciplines in advising clients on navigating their options in complex deal structures including workouts, bankruptcies, receiverships, and UCC dispositions, and, if necessary, exercising or defending their rights in the litigation arena.
The recent changes to the economic landscape have created an unsettled environment in the commercial real estate market. If the past is a guidepost, disputes are inevitable—particularly in commercial real estate transactions involving high-dollar amounts and complex structures. Patterson Belknap’s team leverages its experience from varied perspectives, rather than viewing a matter from the standpoint of a single player in the arena. Over the years, our team has represented key stakeholders from many different aspects of the industry, including lenders and borrowers (mortgage and mezzanine), sponsors, guarantors, property owners and developers, property management companies, lessors and lessees, and CMBS investors.
The Commercial Real Estate Workouts and Litigation team is comprised of members from Patterson Belknap’s elite Real Estate, Litigation, Business Reorganization and Creditors’ Rights, and Corporate practices. The group has successfully handled commercial real estate litigation and arbitrations involving financial institutions, commercial borrowers, banks, landlords, and real estate developers, among others.
The team also leverages its substantial experience in structured finance litigation—which has been a key area of the Firm’s practice since the Great Recession. For more than a decade, Patterson Belknap attorneys have recovered billions of dollars on behalf of clients in this area, and the Firm is one of the most active law firms in structured finance litigation, having handled disputes involving hundreds of RMBS and CMBS transactions. The Firm’s clients in the structured finance space include a broad array of entities, including hedge funds, other institutional investors, bond insurers, and REITs.
Patterson Belknap’s Structured Finance Litigation and Real Estate practices have been recognized in the Chambers USA guide of leading law firms. Based on comments from clients and peers, the guide notes: “They have a superlative record in the RMBS space. They’re extremely strong and have maintained their excellence.” Another interviewee states, “The lawyers at Patterson are collegial, thorough and passionate about their work” … “[t]heir work is top-notch, and their expertise in the mortgage-backed securities space is at the top of the field.” The guide also notes that our “real estate team inspires ‘the utmost confidence’ in its clients.” The guide also offers a client’s quote: “The diligent and respected lawyers in this group pay great attention to detail and are always willing to go the extra mile to get the job done.”
“The launch of our Commercial Real Estate Workouts and Litigation Group gives shape to the work that our attorneys have been doing for years,” said Peter W. Tomlinson, co-head of the Firm’s Structured Finance Litigation practice and co-chair of the Firm. “Our team is well-versed in the commercial real estate market and understands how seasoned counsel can make a critical difference in avoiding a dispute before it arises or resolving it through litigation or out-of-court settlement,” added Mr. Tomlinson.