Am Law 100 firm Polsinelli is pleased to welcome new attorney Stacia A. Wells as shareholder in the firm’s newest office in Miami. Wells joins the firm’s national Capital Markets/Commercial Lending Practice, representing financial institutions, REITs, private equity funds, alternative lenders and commercial borrowers in finance and restructuring transactions. Prior to joining the firm, Wells practiced at Bilzin Sumberg for the last seven years.
“Stacia is a fantastic addition to our commercial lending team and the growing group of talented lawyers we have in Miami. Polsinelli has been very intentionally growing our nationwide private equity finance and commercial lending practice across the country and Stacia is a key part of that,” said Kraig Kohring, Polsinelli’s Real Estate and Financial Services Department Chair. “We are equally excited to have her located in Florida, as part of our expanding presence in the Southeast region, aligning with the growing client demand we are experiencing.”
Kohring added, “Stacia’s a top-notch lawyer. Her accomplishments are very impressive and she’s certainly a rising star in the finance markets that our clients and our firm are focused on. We look forward to tapping into Stacia’s expertise and extensive experience, as well as utilizing her unique skills to provide our clients with the sophisticated finance transactional support they consistently need.”
Wells focuses her practice on the representation of private equity funds, hedge funds, mortgage originators, alternative lenders, mezzanine lenders and borrowers across a wide spectrum of industries. She regularly represents clients in debt capital market transactions, joint ventures and other secured and unsecured senior, mezzanine and subordinate financings, securitizations, project financings and acquisition financings. She also represents clients in aviation and maritime finance transactions.
In addition to her commercial lending work, Wells has extensive experience in real estate finance. She regularly represents developers, investors, purchasers, lenders, borrowers and operators on a broad range of real estate matters. Her real estate finance practice spans several real estate asset classes, including vacant land, mixed-use development, retail, health care, hotels and infrastructure.
“I look forward to my new position at Polsinelli and the opportunity to drive business growth locally and regionally with the firm’s Capital Markets/Commercial Lending Practice,” said Wells. “I’m especially proud to be collaborating with the talented Miami team, as well as other attorneys in Polsinelli offices coast to coast, resolving our clients’ issues and achieving their business objectives.”
Wells’ experience includes the representation of various joint ventures with projects across the country, in the negotiation and closing of syndicated construction loan facilities with an aggregate value of over $600 million. Locally in Miami, she previously represented a developer in the $590 million refinancing of the Miami Design District, and represented a developer in connection with a $4 billion, 185-acre development in North Miami. In addition, she supported the seller in the sale of Jungle Island, the 18-acre theme park in downtown Miami.
“We’re glad to have Stacia join our team as she is a great addition to our group as we continue to grow our Miami office,” said Polsinelli Miami Office Managing Partner J. Everett Wilson. “Since opening our office this spring, we are committed to strategic growth across all of Polsinelli’s departments so we can continue to best serve our local, regional and national clients from the Miami office and beyond.”
Wells’ achievements have earned her numerous awards and distinctions over the course of her career. Most recently, she was recognized by Chambers USA in Banking and Finance for 2019, in addition to being named to the Florida Super Lawyers Rising Stars list every year since 2013. Wells was also recognized among 2015’s Deals and Dealmakers by Real Estate Forum.
Outside of Polsinelli, Wells actively fulfills committee roles for the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section, including the Commercial Finance Committee, Membership Committee and Content Committee. She is also a member of the Miami Finance Forum and serves as an Executive Council Member within the Miami Chapter of Ellevate Network, a global network of professional women committed to elevating each other through education, inspiration and opportunity.
Wells graduated summa cum laude from Tufts University and earned a J.D. from Stanford Law School.
Polsinelli’s Miami office opened in February 2019 with a special focus on the health care industry, along with real estate, financial services, and corporate and M&A services. As the economic, financial and cultural center of Florida, Miami offers the firm’s local and national clients access to cutting-edge business innovation, while also rounding out its geographic footprint in the Southeast.
Source: www.polsinelli.com
