Overview

John is a leading California commercial finance and transactional attorney. He has extensive experience representing financial institutions, real estate developers and owners, and institutional investors in complex commercial credit facilities and real property acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and restructuring the financial arrangements of troubled assets.

John regularly counsels borrowers, institutional investors, and lenders in connection with the acquisition, development, construction, and long-term financing of retail, office, multifamily, and industrial properties, including multi-state transactions. He also frequently acts as local counsel to out-of-state law firms for transactions involving real property located in California. John has broad experience assisting clients in connection with the purchase and sale of loans, loan defeasance, loan modifications, and workouts.

From structuring transactions to negotiating letters of intent to closing, clients value John’s practical business approach, skill as a creative dealmaker, and experience in successfully closing complex transactions.

Experience

Represented an institutional investor in connection with obtaining a $1.0 billion master line of credit.

Represented the borrower in connection with a hybrid/core credit facility of over $2 billion comprising a term loan, revolving credit loan and note offerings involving over 50 commercial properties.

Represented the borrower in connection with a $990 million portfolio loan secured by 17 properties located in Arizona, California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington.

Represented the borrower in connection with a $35 million mortgage financing of a retail center in Aurora, Colorado.

Represented the lender in connection with a $22 million mortgage financing of a hotel in Portland, Oregon.

Represented a public pension fund in connection with purchase of a multi-family project in Massachusetts and the assumption of a $67 million Freddie Mac loan.

Represented a mezzanine lender in connection with the restructuring of two loans secured by interests in the ownership of an office park located in Northern California.

Represented the borrower in connection with the $86 million acquisition financing of a development project in Hawaii.

Represented the borrower in connection with the defeasance of a $29 million securitized loan.

Insights

News

Speaking Engagements

Publications

Awards & Affiliations

Honors & Recognitions

Southern California Super Lawyers, 2004, 2025

Professional Affiliations

American College of Mortgage Attorneys

American Bar Association

American Bar Association, Chair of the Real Estate Financing Group of the Real Property Trust and Estate Law Section; Formerly the Chair of Workouts, Foreclosure and Bankruptcy Subcommittee of the Real Estate Financing Group

American Bar Association's E-Report, Editor

Uniform Law Commission's Drafting Committee on Appointment and Powers of Real Estate Receivers, ABA Advisor

American Bar Foundation, Fellow

Bar & Court Admissions

  • State Bar of California

Education

J.D., Columbia University Law School, 1997

M.P.A., Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, 1992

B.A., Pomona College, 1989

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