Eric Greenfield serves as a Shareholder and Chair for Polsinelli’s Real Estate Industry Group. He is well-versed in both domestic and cross-border real estate transactions, with a practice spanning across structuring, negotiating and documenting various aspects of commercial real estate deals, encompassing acquisitions, dispositions, financings, joint ventures and development projects. Recognized consistently in Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law, Eric brings his experience to a diverse clientele, including developers, lenders, REITs, real estate funds, private equity firms, pension funds and other institutional investors.

Eric’s practice is international, and he frequently collaborates with investors, lenders, borrowers, fund sponsors, purchasers, sellers and joint venture partners across the United States, Europe, Australia and Latin America. His areas of focus include student housing and a broad spectrum of commercial real estate classes such as office, industrial, logistics centers, self-storage, health care, medical office building (MOBs), life science, hotel, multi-family, cooperatives, mobile home, senior housing, retail, dark store and mixed-use properties.

Leveraging his multifaceted skill set and real-time real estate and private equity insights, Eric has effectively executed transactions across 12 countries and 49 states, along with the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Education

  • University of Illinois College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2003)
    • Harno Scholar; CALI Award, Negotiations and Real Estate Transactions
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (B.S., 2000)

    Bar Admission

    • Illinois

    Court Admissions

    • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

    Professional Affiliations

    • Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Chicago Chapter
    • American Bar Association
    • Illinois Bar Association
    • Chicago Bar Association
    • American Cancer Society
      • Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Committee
    • Children's Memorial Hospital
      • Medical Research Junior Board Foundation

    Recognition

    • Recognized as a Stellar Performance Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, 2026
    • Recognized by GlobeSt.com as a 2024 Multifamily Influencers
    • Ranked in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Real Estate, Illinois, 2017-2025
    • Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law, 2009-2026
    • Recognized as a Stand-out Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, 2024
    • GlobeSt.com Real Estate Forum 2023 Industrial Influencer
    • Inducted into the 2022 Midwest Real Estate Journal's Hall of Fame, 2023
    • Honored in Connect CRE's Lawyers in Real Estate Award, Chicago & Midwest, 2021-2022
    • Recognized as Notable Gen X Leader in Accounting, Consulting and Law, Crain's Chicago Business, 2021-2022
    • Recognized as Real Estate Lawyer of the Year by the Illinois Real Estate Journal, 2021 & 2024
    • Recognized as Leading Lawyer by Leading Lawyers Magazine, 2019
    • Recognized as Notable Gen X Leaders in Law by Crain’s Chicago Business, 2019
    • Selected for inclusion in Illinois Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" for Real Estate, 2009-­2018
    • 2010 Chambers and Partners USA Award for Excellence in Real Estate