ATTORNEYS
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Steven "Sonny" F. Ginsberg
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9614 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Commercial Finance
Sonny has 20 years of experience in real estate, finance and corporate law, and assists clients from both the lending and development side. He works with financial institutions and national funds to develop lending forms and guidelines, and has expertise in structuring complex debt and equity vehicles. Sonny also assists owner and operator clients in the acquisition, zoning, development, leasing and financing of commercial real estate, with a particular emphasis in hospitality and telecommunications. Sonny speaks regularly at local and national conferences, and is a repeat recipient of the Illinois Leading Lawyer acknowledgement.
EDUCATION
Cornell University, B.A., 1987
University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1991
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
California
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
American Bar Association
Chicago Bar Association
Illinois Bar Association
Named as a Leading Lawyer by Leading Lawyers Network
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Oak Park Residence Corporation - Board of Directors
Village Manager Association of Oak Park - Board of Directors
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Darryl P. Jacobs
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9615 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Darryl Jacobs is a member of the Chicago law firm, Ginsberg Jacobs LLC. He concentrates his practice on international, federal and state tax matters, with a principal focus on pass through entities — including partnerships, LLCs and S corporations. He also has experience in corporate law, real estate and employment law. Most of Darryl’s career has been spent in the income taxation field, although his experience extends beyond it. Before returning to private practice in 2003, he was executive vice president and general counsel at a large wireless retailer, responsible for all tax issues and filings, in addition to various securities filings, litigation management, corporate and lending agreements, leases, and employment matters. In addition, his corporate experience includes mergers and acquisitions, complex corporate transactions and private placements.
Darryl regularly counsels developers, investors, syndicators and lenders on New Markets Tax Credits, rehabilitation credits, low-income housing credits and preservation easements. He has extensive experience in the structuring of joint ventures, limited liability companies and partnerships. He also has significant experience representing clients before the Internal Revenue Service and in the U.S. Tax Court. Additionally, Darryl is a regularly featured speaker at local and national tax conferences.
EDUCATION
University of Illinois, B.S. in Accountancy, 1985, University Honors
Harvard Law School, J.D., 1988, Cum Laude
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
American Bar Association
Certified Public Accountant and winner of the Elijah Watts Sells Award (awarded to top 5% of CPA exam finishers)
Named as a Leading Lawyer by Leading Lawyers Network
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Ana L. Acena
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9618 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Commercial Finance
Ana specializes in commercial real estate law, in particular acquisitions and dispositions of commercial real estate on behalf of investors, developers and lenders—including the financing, corporate structuring, 1031 exchange and development aspects of these transactions. Ana’s acquisition and disposition experience covers all types of real property, including multi-tenant residential, shopping mall, hotel and lodging, telecommunications sites and office/industrial properties in multiple U.S. states. She has had experience with numerous multi-state portfolio transactions. Ana has represented lenders, guarantors and borrowers in connection with new loans and the re-structuring of loans and related collateral, including SBA guaranteed loans, and advising on the real estate aspects of bankruptcy matters.
Ana has in-depth commercial leasing experience representing both tenants and landlords. She has negotiated office, retail, theater and restaurant leases, including both space and ground leases and subleases, and licenses in Illinois, New York and Colorado.
EDUCATION
University of Chicago, A.B. In Political Science, 1993, with Honors
Cornell Law School, J.D., 1998
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
New York
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
New York Bar Association
American Bar Association
Illinois Bar Association
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Jeffrey E. Altshul
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9629 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Commercial Finance
Jeffrey E. Altshul has more than 25 years of experience representing creditors and lessors in complex commercial finance, lease arrangements and corporate law. Jeff counsels lenders in structuring and documenting loans, purchases and sales of loan portfolios, as well as in workouts and bankruptcy proceedings. He represents investors on distressed opportunities in the United States and Europe and represents clients in the purchases and sales of distressed debt. He has experience representing lenders in numerous lending and structured finance transactions, including Credit Agricole Indosuez, Commerzbank AG, ORIX Financial Services, Inc., Sanwa Business Credit Corporation, Stark Investments, LaSalle Business Credit, U.S. Bank, Fifth Third Bank, CapitalSource Commercial Finance, Fleet Business Credit Corporation. He has also represented agent lenders in a variety of middle-market lending transactions, including CIB Bank, CoVest Banc, American National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago, LaSalle Bank, N.A., Antares Leveraged Capital, Van Kampen Investment Advisory Corp., U.S. Bank, Fifth Third Bank, CapitalSource Commercial Finance, and ORIX Financial Services, Inc. Additionally, Jeff has acted as counsel to Illinois Reform Commission.
EDUCATION
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, B.A., 1978
Drake University Law School, J.D., 1981
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
Wisconsin
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors, 2008-2009 Planning Committee
Turnaround Management Association
Association for Corporate Growth
PUBLICATIONS
"Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education Handbook on Secured Transactions in Illinois"
General Co-Editor and an author of chapter on Remedies for the 2007, 2009 and 2010 Editions
"Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education: Secured Transactions"
General Editor for the 2001 Edition
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Corporate: Due Diligence and Counsel on Tribal Investments to Hedge Fund Representation of major hedge fund company providing due diligence and counseling on tribal investments by private investors, including gaming.
Stark Investments/Distressed Debt and Distressed Claims Acquisitions Represented a large hedge fund in the acquisition and sale of various distressed debt and bankruptcy claims.
Finance: Stark Investments/Distressed Debt and Distressed Claims Acquisitions Represented a large hedge fund in the acquisition and sale of various distressed debt and bankruptcy claims.
Bankruptcy & Workouts: Stark Investments/Distressed Debt and Distressed Claims Acquisitions Represented a large hedge fund in the acquisition and sale of various distressed debt and bankruptcy claims.
Creditors’ Committee Representation in United Airlines Chapter 11 Case
Represented Stark Investments as the largest bondholder and a member of the official creditors’ committees in the United Airlines chapter 11 case.
Real Estate: Acquisition of Healthcare Leasing Company Represented Sanwa Business Credit Corporation in its stock acquisition of a healthcare leasing company.
Representation of Purchasers and Sellers of distressed assets.
Representation of Purchasers and Sellers of portfolios of commercial loans.
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Mark A. Biesiada
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9619 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Mark is an associate with extensive experience in wireless communication and real estate law, which includes the negotiation of telecommunications leases, assessments and other acquisitions and dispositions of wireless facilities. Mark has also conducted zoning presentations and handled all aspects of zoning matters for the sitting of wireless communications facilities. Mark also has experience representing investor/developer clients in retail leasing and multi-residential and commercial real estate transactions.
EDUCATION
Illinois State University, B.S., 1995
John Marshall Law School, J.D., 1998
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
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Frank J. Boucek
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9620 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Frank is an associate in the Commercial Real Estate Department where he represents clients in lease negotiations, including telecommunications leases with large institutions and municipalities. He is experienced in conducting zoning presentations to government officials for telecommunications installations, and has also performed site analysis for locating and identifying properties for telecommunications sites on behalf of large telecommunications clients. Frank previously acted as the regional director of operations for a site development company where he was responsible for all Midwestern operations involving multiple telecommunications clients and projects affecting more than 2,000 cellular tower sites.
EDUCATION
Southern Illinois University, B.S. in Finance, 1996
DePaul Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, M.B.A., 2003
DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 2003, Cum Laude
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
American Bar Association
Illinois State Wireless Association
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Roland W. Burris II
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9626 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Roland concentrates on transactional matters pertaining to the structuring, acquisition, financing and disposition of commercial and multi-tenant residential real estate interests and representing developers, contractors, lenders and investors in a wide-range of real estate financing, investment and development transactions.
With more than ten years of commercial real estate acquisitions experience, having served as vice president of acquisitions for one of the nation’s largest advisors to institutional investors in real estate and having served as a principal in many of the financing, investment and development transactions entered into by real estate developers, contractors, lenders and investors, Roland is uniquely experienced in providing his institutional and entrepreneurial clients with counsel that fits within a broader understanding of the transaction and the motivations, concerns and goals of the principal.
Roland is also an experienced bond attorney having personally served as Co-Bond Counsel, Co-Underwriters Counsel, sole Underwriter’s Counsel, Borrower’s Counsel and Issuer’s Counsel on more than $11 billion of public finance bond offerings.
Roland is a former Senior Counsel with the Illinois Housing Development Authority, and advises and assists clients on matters pertaining to low income housing tax credits, new markets tax credits, and public sector grants, loans and other development incentives.
Roland’s experience also extends to matters related to zoning and land use, and he has successfully obtained zoning variances and amendments on behalf of his clients.
EDUCATION
Howard University, B.B.A. in Finance, 1989
Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1995
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
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Karen Halm-Lutterodt
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9621 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Commercial Finance
Karen focuses her practice in commercial real estate and handles various real estate related litigation matters. Her experience encompasses numerous matters including family law, criminal law, real estate law, land use and zoning. She represents corporate clients in commercial mortgage foreclosures, mechanic’s lien actions and municipal ordinance violations with Illinois cities and villages, including the City of Chicago. Karen began her professional career specializing in telecommunications site development, lease negotiation and representation of telecommunications carriers in zoning and land use matters. Later, Karen gained extensive experience as a negotiator and litigator serving as an Assistant State’s Attorney with the Cook County State’s Attorneys Office, where she prosecuted various criminal cases, both bench and jury trials, before the Circuit Court of Cook County.
EDUCATION
University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL, B.A., 1996
DePaul University, M.A., 2000
The John Marshall Law School, J.D., 2004
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
Cook County Bar Association
American Bar Association
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Michele L. Krause
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9617 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Michele is one of the founding members of the Ginsberg Jacobs team. She specializes in commercial real estate law, with a particular focus on retail and office leasing on behalf of both landlords and tenants. She represents institutional and entrepreneurial clients in sophisticated commercial real estate transactions, including the acquisition, disposition, and leasing of commercial, office, industrial and residential properties. Michele also has extensive experience representing owners, purchasers, and tenants in connection with the legal issues arising from environmentally contaminated properties, including the responsibility for ongoing reporting and remediation requirements, indemnification, access and third party liability issues. Additionally, Michele is helping a major telecommunications company and its related subsidiaries achieve growth and visibility by negotiating their retail and office leases.
Michele has also written about and lectured on many commercial real estate matters. Some examples are:
* Author of “Ten Ways to ‘Green’ A Commercial Lease” (The Business Ledger, October 13, 2008, Vol. 16, No. 21)
* Panelist at The Business Ledger’s September 11, 2008 Newsmakers’ Forum - “The Environment, Energy & Business”
* Co-author of “Avoiding Purchase Option Pitfalls” (Property Writes, second quarter, vol. 8, issue 2)
* Co-author of “Filling the Purchase Option ‘Gap’: Preservation for Suspension of Rental Income and Other Lease Rights After Exercising the Option and Prior to Closing” (The Real Estate Finance Journal, Winter 2005)
* Contributor to “When Is Real Property Exempt From Property Taxes? A “View to Profit” May Defeat the Tax Exempt Status of Real Property Used for Educational Purposes” (Property Writes, first quarter, vol. 9, issue 1)
* Lecturer at the City of Chicago Treasurer’s 2004 3rd Annual Small Business Expo on issues relating to retail and office leasing.
Michele previously served as in-house counsel to BP, plc (formerly Amoco Corporation), where she handled real estate and environmental matters associated with their gasoline service stations, including the auction of a portfolio of surplus properties. Her previous experience as in-house counsel gives Michele the ability to better connect with clients and to fully understand their needs. Michele was named a Leading Lawyer in Real Estate Law: Commercial by Leading Lawyers Network.
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
COURT ADMISSIONS
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
EDUCATION
Illinois State University, B.S., 1991, Criminal Justice, with Departmental Honors
Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology, J.D., 1994
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
American Bar Association (ABA)
Commercial Real Estate Executive Women of Chicago (CREW), Board of Directors, Secretary for a term beginning January 1, 2010, and also Recipient of the CREW 2008 Membership Committee Volunteer of the Year Award
International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
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Ari J. Rosenthal
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9625 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Commercial Finance
Ari J. Rosenthal is Of Counsel with the firm of Ginsberg Jacobs LLC. Ari focuses his practice in commercial and real estate related litigation.
Prior to joining Ginsberg Jacobs LLC, Ari served as in-house counsel for Chicago Title Insurance Company, the nation’s largest title insurer from 1984 to 1990. From 1990 to 1998, he was a partner with the prominent Chicago law firm of Bell, Boyd and Lloyd, and thereafter was partner in the law firm of Thompson, Rosenthal & Watts, LLP. His experience includes litigation of complex real estate related matters such as construction defects, commercial and mechanic’s lien foreclosures, leasehold disputes, broker’s liens, lender liability and title insurance issues, as well as general business litigation involving issues of fraud, tortious interference, non-compete agreements, corporate dissolution/shareholder remedies, professional liability and insurance coverage and contract disputes. He has represented a broad range of clients, including Fortune 500, banking, finance and insurance companies.
Ari is a frequent lecturer on the enforcement and litigation of mechanic’s liens and construction disputes, having previously served as chairman of the Chicago Bar Association’s Real Estate Litigation Subcommittee.
EDUCATION
Illinois Wesleyan, B.A., 1981, Honors
DePaul University College of Law, 1984
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
Court Admissions, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, United States Supreme Court
DuPage County Bar Association
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Janet H. Winningham
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9627 Mobile: 630.935.7526 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Janet Winningham is Of Counsel to Ginsberg Jacobs LLC with over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate acquisitions, development, construction, and finance. Janet has been named an Illinois Super Lawyer in Real Estate Finance, and one of the Top 50 Leading Women Real Estate-Related Lawyers in Illinois, based on surveys conducted by Leading Lawyers Network.
Janet has represented lenders in financing transactions including first mortgage loans, mezzanine loans, construction loans, sale-leaseback transactions and other structured financings. Janet has represented mortgage lenders and mezzanine lenders in workouts, foreclosures and loan sales. In addition, she represents owners, developers, contractors and lenders in complex project-based transactions.
Janet routinely represents tenants and landlords in specialty acquisition and leasing of office, industrial, retail, medical office and other special use facilities. She has worked with clients to plan and implement facilities acquisitions, (ground leased, term leased and owned), including build to suit and separate construction of specialty tenant improvements for laboratories, manufacturing and industrial facilities, as well as technology and office uses.
Janet has substantial experience representing owners and developers in connection with construction projects of all sizes and complexity. These projects range from single short-term projects to complex, multi-year, multi-phased, multi-million dollar developments in a wide spectrum of industries, including five-star hotels, hospital expansion and renovation projects valued over $300 million, assisted living facilities and sports facilities.
EDUCATION
DePauw University - Greencastle, Indiana, B.A in English Literature, with Distinction
Loyola University of Chicago—J.D. 1982
- Member, Loyola Law Journal
- Recipient, Hugh L. Dick Memorial Award in Taxation
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
American Bar Association, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section
American Bar Association, Real Property, Construction Law Forum
Illinois Bar Association
Turnaround Management Association
International Women’s Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation
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Matthew R. Zakaras
300 South Wacker Drive Suite 2450 Chicago Illinois 60606 Phone: 312.660.9616 Fax: 312.660.9612 download vCard |
PRACTICE AREAS
Comercial Finance
Matt focuses his practice on complex business transactions, including strategic mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures; the acquisition and sale of loans for distressed companies and real estate; tax-advantaged investing to leverage tax credits and accommodate Section 1031 investors; structuring and documenting private placements and other private equity transactions; and documenting loans.
As a corporate attorney, Matt also represents portfolio companies at all stages in the business life cycle, and has experience in negotiating, drafting and reviewing agreements of all types, including employment, distribution, manufacturing, licensing, outsourcing and other agreements. Matt also has experience in business transactions in the real estate industry, including the representation of investors, sponsors, developers and lenders in new market, low income and rehabilitation tax credit transactions; joint venture transactions; and structuring and implementing transactions to accommodate Section 1031 like kind exchanges, including tenancy-in-common (TIC), Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs) and reverse exchange transactions.
Before joining the firm as one of its founding members, he was a partner in Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC’s corporate and tax groups. In 2009 and 2010, Matt was named an “Illinois Rising Star” by Super Lawyers magazine, a publication of Key Professional Media, Inc.
EDUCATION
Marquette University, B.A., 1998
DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 2001
- Law Review
- Sullivan Fellow
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION AND MEMBERSHIPS
Turnaround Management Association