Polsinelli Bolsters New York Real Estate Practice with Eight-Lawyer Team

Polsinelli is pleased to announce that it has further strengthened its Real Estate capabilities with the addition of an experienced eight-lawyer team, most of whom are joining in the firm’s New York office. The group includes Shareholders Robert (Rob) B. Koonin, Stefanie M. Graham, Cynthia (Cindy) M. Thomas and Darius E. Niknamfard as well as four associates.

“We have built a powerhouse real estate team nationwide, and expanding our presence in New York and the wider Northeast has been a strategic priority,” said Kraig Kohring, Polsinelli’s Real Estate & Financial Services Department Chair. “This group’s arrival reflects our strong growth momentum, and we are excited that our New York team has now grown to over 25 real estate-focused attorneys, backed by over 250 nationwide. Rob and his group add great bench strength and a dynamic presence in the city and the wider Real Estate, Real Estate Finance and Health Care Finance practices we have built across the country.”

Polsinelli’s Real Estate and Real Estate Finance Practices have experienced substantial growth over the last 12 months, welcoming more than 20 new attorneys nationwide prior to this group’s arrival. Their addition comes on the heels of the recent additions Barbara A. Trachtenberg in Boston, Marcy Hart in Philadelphia, Kristopher J. Stark in Chicago, and Matthew L. Friedrich in Los Angeles.

“We could not be more excited to join Polsinelli’s exceptional Real Estate Team in New York, which has an established and dynamic debt practice,” said Koonin. Our group’s experience not only strengthens the debt practice but also adds expertise on the equity, developer and dirt side of the deal, allowing us to represent a wide array of clients in nearly every type of real estate transaction. In addition, many of our clients are lenders or operators in the senior living space, sitting at the intersection of real estate and health care, which are two of Polsinelli’s strongest practice groups nationwide.”

Shareholder Rob B. Koonin (New York) has a national real estate practice and is known for his strategic counsel to clients across a broad range of asset classes and industries. He represents some of the nation’s largest financial institutions, senior housing operators, family offices, private equity funds, real estate owners and developers, and advises clients on all aspects of real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, development, financing and leasing. Prior to joining Polsinelli, Koonin helped lead the Real Estate Practice at a national law firm.

Shareholder Stefanie M. Graham (New York) has extensive experience representing real estate owners, developers, managers, landlords and tenants in acquisitions, dispositions, development, financing and leasing. She advises clients throughout the entire process of asset acquisition and also advises borrowers and private lenders on the full range of debt and financing matters.

Shareholder Cindy M. Thomas (New York) brings deep experience to a wide range of commercial real estate matters, assisting clients through every stage of complex transactions, from structuring and negotiation to closing. She counsels clients on the acquisition, financing and sale of assets across diverse sectors, including health care, multifamily housing, senior living and hospitality.

Shareholder Darius E. Niknamfard (New York) concentrates his practice on representing corporations, private equity funds, family offices and other entities in buying, selling and leasing a full spectrum of real estate holdings across the United States, including office, industrial, shopping center and senior living properties. He has significant experience in the health care sector, guiding hospital systems, senior living operators, medical groups, skilled nursing operators and nonprofits in real estate transactions.

In addition to the attorneys above, Christine DiBiase, Matt Jackson, Danielle R. Schwartz and Chanel Fakhouri will be joining the firm as associates.

Associate Christine DiBiase (Boston) represents clients in all aspects of real estate including commercial acquisitions and dispositions, financing, leasing and development of mixed use, residential, office and industrial properties. She earned her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and her B.A. from Emmanuel College.

Associate Chanel Fakhouri (Chicago) represents lenders in all types of loans including term loans, mezzanine loans and revolving loans. She earned her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law and her B.S. from DePaul University.

Associate Matt Jackson (New York) focuses his practice on all aspects of real estate, including financing, leasing and disposition of real estate across all asset classes. He earned his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law and his M.A., magna cum laude, from Duke University.

Associate Danielle R. Schwartz (New York) supports clients on real estate transactions across all asset classes. She earned her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and her B.A. from Lehigh University.

Polsinelli’s nationally recognized Real Estate Practice handles all aspects of real estate deals – from acquisition through development, construction, debt and equity financing, leasing and disposition. With decades of experience and a broad array of knowledge in all aspects of the real estate industry, attorneys in the Real Estate Practice recognize both the opportunities and challenges that real estate matters present to clients. The group has been involved in office, industrial, student housing, health care, retail, mixed-use, resort and hospitality, data centers, multifamily and single-family residential transactions in virtually every state in the country.