McDermott Will & Schulte

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

• ‘McDermott Will & Emery’s Real Estate Finance practice, led in our matters by partners Mal Serure and Zena Ho, is distinguished by the same exceptional qualities that define their Real Estate practice—responsiveness, commercial judgment, and an unwavering commitment to understanding the client’s needs. Mal and Zena consistently deliver advice that is both technically sophisticated and practically aligned with the client’s objectives, ensuring that transactions progress efficiently and with clarity.'

• 'What makes this practice particularly unique is that the same partners handle both the real estate and the finance aspects of a transaction seamlessly. McDermott’s ability to manage both areas through a single, integrated team is a significant competitive advantage. This structure dramatically improves efficiency, enhances consistency of advice, and reduces the burden on the client to coordinate multiple advisors.'
• 'Mal Secure and Zena Ho’s capacity to anticipate issues across both property and financing dimensions enables them to provide holistic, solution-oriented guidance. Their communication is always clear and concise, and they engage with clients in a collaborative manner that ensures alignment on priorities. They reliably exceed expectations in terms of timeliness, quality, and strategic insight.'
• 'Compared with other firms, McDermott’s Real Estate Finance team stands out for its combination of deep subject-matter expertise, cross-disciplinary capability, and exceptionally client-centric service. This integrated approach is highly valued and sets them apart in a market where such versatility is rare.’

• ‘The individuals we work with at McDermott—particularly Mal Serure and Zena Ho—distinguish themselves through a combination of responsiveness, commercial insight, and an exceptional ability to understand the client’s objectives. Their guidance is consistently clear, pragmatic, and tailored to the specific needs of both the matter and the client, which sets them apart from many of their competitors. We value not only their technical expertise but also their judgment and collaborative working style. Their ability to exceed expectations, offer concise and commercially meaningful commentary, and maintain a client-first mindset makes them standout advisors among U.S. counsel in the real estate and finance space.'

Key clients

• Arbor Realty Trust
• S3 Capital (affiliate of Spruce Capital Partners)
• BDO USA
• Barclays
• Ernst & Young
• Angelo Gordon
• Apollo Global Management
• Apollo Insurance Solutions Group LP
• BentallGreenOak (BGO) Strategic Capital Partners (“BGO-SCP”)
• Brookfield Properties Group
• Colony Credit Real Estate Inc. (now known as BrightSpire Capital, Inc.)
• DK Fund, LP – Draper & Kramer, Incorporated

Work highlights