The firm tapped Lewis G. Feldman as chair of the Los Angeles office and head of public finance for the firm. Feldman most recently served as the Los Angeles real estate head and national public finance practice team leader for Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.
He tells GlobeSt.com the decision to leave Pillsbury was a difficult one for him. "I've enjoyed my time at Pillsbury, but this type of opportunity comes along rarely in ones career, to work with the best in real estate and real estate capital markets," Feldman says. He adds that Goodwin Procter has the nation's largest REIT practice.
In recent years, the firm has structured and executed REIT and REIT M&A deals totaling more than $65 billion. In addition, Goodwin Procter has also advised on $20 billion in real estate investment deals and provided legal advise on the formation of real estate and related funds with private equity capital totaling more than $20 billion.
That level of activity was a good fit with Feldman's own track record. He has advised public and private sector clients in capital market deals topping $50 billion. Clients have included Anschutz Entertainment Group, AvalonBay Communities, KB Home and the State of California, among others.
For now, Goodwin Procter's California platform will include practices focusing on real estate/real estate capital markets and complex litigation, according to an official statement released by the firm. It will also be adding to its practices in technology, life sciences, private equity and intellectual property.
The firm's chairman and managing partner, Regina M. Pisa, says Goodwin Procter will continue its mission of "continued and measured growth" as it establishes a West Coast presence. In all, 10 partners will form Goodwin Procter's California team. Feldman says the number of attorneys on the West Coast could grow "to 25 by the fall [and] we'll be at 50 before you can blink."
Initially joining Feldman in Los Angeles will be three real estate capital markets and public finance partners from Pillsbury Winthrop: Bruce J. Graham, a public finance and real estate lawyer; Robert M. Haight, Jr., a land securities attorney; and multifamily and affordable housing partner Tuan A. Pham, who will split time between the 10100 Santa Monica Blvd. office in Century City and the firm's office in San Francisco.
The Bay Area office is located at 101 California St., in the city's Financial District. Paul Churchill, the former head of Cooley Godward's real estate practice, will take a lead role in San Francisco. Mark Goldberg, another former Cooley Godward real estate attorney, will join Churchill as a partner. San Francisco-based litigation partners will include Forrest A. Hainline and Patrick S. Thompson, who come over from Pillsbury Winthrop.
Also, Goodwin Procter will relocate two partners from New York and Boston. Products liability practice leader Edward S. Weltman joins the San Francisco office while real estate capital markets tax partner Edward L. Glazer will practice out of Los Angeles. "Serving our clients in California and the West is a key component of our long-term bi-coastal strategy," Pisa says.
Although Goodwin Procter has not had a West Coast office until now, the firm has had a hand in significant California real estate deals. Most recently, the firm was one of the legal advisors in the $430-million deal in which LBA Realty acquired office and industrial REIT Bedford Property Investors Inc.
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