Arent Fox LLP is pleased to announce the expansion of its nationally recognized Real Estate practice with the addition of partners Mark S. Fawer and Carolyn Austin and associate Brandilyn Y. Dumas. Mr. Fawer, Ms. Austin, and Ms. Dumas are joining the firm’s New York office, where they will focus on representing lenders, private equity funds, real estate developers, real estate investment trusts, and other investors in the financing, acquisition, disposition, and development of multifamily, retail, industrial, office, and hotel properties.
“Mark has significant experience handling high profile real estate transactions across the country and is a well-recognized authority in New York,” said New York Managing Partner Michael S. Blass. “Further, his ability to provide counsel on complex financing matters makes him a strong addition to Arent Fox’s leading Real Estate practice.”
Mr. Fawer was previously the chair of Brown Rudnick LLP’s Real Estate practice in New York, where he represented a variety of financial institutions and funds in bridge, construction, permanent, mezzanine, and preferred equity real estate financing transactions and restructurings, as well as intercreditor and securitized loan pooling and servicing disputes. Recently, Mr. Fawer closed the restructuring of a $330 million senior loan involving a new $25 million mezzanine facility, which was secured by a portfolio of 11 branded and independent hotels that are located in six different states.
“Expanding on our nationally recognized real estate finance and transactional capabilities remains a focus for our group,” said Real Estate practice leader Kenneth S. Jacob. “The addition of Mark and Carolyn continues our recent growth in this area. Their sophisticated counsel to both borrowers and lenders on complex financing deals will be a great asset to our clients.” Mr. Fawer and Ms. Austin join the firm following the arrival of real estate finance partner David M. Martin in the Washington, DC office and real estate transactions partner M.J. Pritchett in the San Francisco office.
Mr. Fawer routinely advises operating and capital partners in the structuring and negotiation of sophisticated partnership, joint venture, and limited liability company operating agreements. His practice also includes the representation of opportunistic buyers and sellers of a variety of real estate debt, including whole senior and mezzanine loans, participations, and syndicated and securitized interests, as well as landlords and tenants in commercial space and ground lease transactions, and hotel operators and owners in the negotiation of hotel management and franchise agreements. He received his JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Ms. Austin’s practice focuses on counseling clients in sophisticated financing transactions, while representing both lenders and borrowers in matters involving all asset classes and types. Her work concentrates in the origination, purchase, disposition, and restructuring of senior and mezzanine real estate and corporate loans and loan participation interests, as well as the acquisition, financing, development, refinancing, recapitalization, and sale of single-asset and portfolios of multifamily, retail, industrial, office, and hotel properties. Ms. Austin received her JD from the St. John’s University School of Law.
