Dechert LLP’s real estate finance practice excels in the structuring and origination of complex commercial real estate financings. The team stands out for advising major lenders on structured finance, leveraged finance and securitisation matters across all asset classes. Alongside its deep expertise in CMBS transactions, the practice is also well versed in distressed debt investment, loan modifications, and restructurings. Practice heads Laura Swihart and Stewart McQueen lead a deep bench of specialists from New York and North Carolina, respectively. Swihart is an expert in handling securitsed and structured finance matters for a range of clients including issuers, underwriters, mortgage loan sellers and subordinate bond buyers. Core to Mcqueen’s practice is advice on CRE CLO transactions for parties from issuers to collateral managers. New York based David Forti is co-chair of the firm and is highly reputed for transactions relating to mezzanine financing and loan sales and purchases. Forming a leading nation-wide practice, key practitioners include Matthew Ginsburg and lender-focused Jason S Rozes in Philadelphia and Devin M. Swaney in New York, who is an expert in public and private asset-backed securitisations. Financial institutions in New York rely on Matthew H. Fischer for establishing servicing and corresponding lending facilities for mortgage loans. Other lawyers of note are Gennady A. Gorel, Kenneth Hackman and Nitya Kumar Goyal in Pennsylvania. Richard Jones retired in 2024.
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Key clients
- Apollo Commercial Real Estate
- Arbor Realty Trust, Inc.
- Bank of America
- Cerberus Capital Management
- Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp.
- Citi Real Estate Funding Inc.
- CoreVest American Finance Lender LLC
- Credit Suisse
- Deutsche Bank
- Farmer Mac
Work highlights
- Represented Freddie Mac in over 690 securitizations totaling approximately US$610 billion since 2009, including advising on approximately 55 deals in 2023 with the cumulative issuance of more than US$36.7 billion.
- Represented Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. as lead lender and Citi Real Estate Funding Inc., Bank of Montreal, Barclays Capital Real Estate Inc. and German American Capital Corporation as co-lenders in the origination of a US$1.5 billion mortgage loan to subsidiaries of Blackstone, Inc., secured by 120 industrial properties in 8 states.
- Advised MF1 in the offering and issuance of notes. The managed US$1.12 billion CRE CLO transaction was collateralized by a pool of whole mortgage loans and participation interests secured by multifamily properties.
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Practice head
Laura Swihart; Stewart Mcqueen
Other key lawyers
David Forti; Matthew Ginsburg; Jason S Rozes; Devin M. Swaney; Matthew H. Fischer; Gennady A. Gorel; Kenneth Hackman; Nitya Kumar Goyal; Victoria Boland