LeAnn is a practical and experienced commercial real estate attorney, assisting developers, lenders, corporations, and investors in all phases and types of complex real estate transactions.
Licensed in Ohio and Florida, LeAnn has a special interest in commercial asset redevelopment, joint ventures, conservation and environmental credit projects, legal opinion practice, and in resolving difficult title issues. LeAnn’s graduate education and prior experience as in-house counsel for public corporations and a regional non-profit conservation organization sharpened her skills in operational strategy, management, and critical problem-solving, all of which allow her to provide efficient and pragmatic counsel for her clients at Benesch.
Representative Experience
- Managed and executed portfolio disposition program of shopping center and mall anchor properties located throughout the United States and Puerto Rico for publicly traded REIT as both outside and seconded counsel, including over $2.5 billion in asset sales, winding down and modification of joint venture relationships, and other legal, corporate and operational support.
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Represented private lender client in conversion and restructuring of debt position to equity interest and negotiation of $155MM in new senior and mezzanine debt and construction financing secured by luxury hotel property located in Manhattan.
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Represented a large national shopping center developer in acquisition financing and refinancing transactions, including shopping centers located in Florida, Ohio, Texas and California.
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Represented a publicly traded REIT in the portfolio and one-off acquisition and disposition of various triple-net lease and quasi-triple-net lease retail properties located throughout the United States.
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Represented a national multifamily developer in various new construction financing and agency refinancing transactions for various multifamily development projects, including multifamily developments located in Nevada, Texas, and New Jersey.
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Represented a large global investment firm as borrower in construction financing transaction secured by ground leased multifamily property located in New Jersey.
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Represented an institutional real estate investment manager in various preferred equity investments, including acquisition and restructuring finance transactions secured by multifamily properties in New York and Ohio and industrial properties in Connecticut.
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Represented a digital intelligence company in restructuring its headquarters office lease in Illinois and facilitated negotiation and execution of various new international office leases in India, Spain and Mexico following corporate spin-off and acquisition by private equity company.
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Represented a national natural resource management and consulting services company in various fee and easement acquisition transactions relating to ecological restoration and mitigation bank development projects, including acquisition of land and perpetual easements in Ohio and Indiana.
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Represented a private family investment group in acquisition of shopping center and multifamily properties in South Carolina and Arizona, respectively, including negotiation of new acquisition financing and utilization of 1031 exchange proceeds.