Brian A. Cohen

Partner
About

Brian Cohen concentrates his practice in the area of transactional real estate law.

He handles a variety of matters relating to the acquisition, development, operation, financing, leasing, and disposition of various property types, including the drafting and negotiating of purchase agreements, financing documents, easement agreements, leases, condominium declarations, condominium disclosure materials, and hotel, restaurant, and other management agreements.

In addition to Brian's general transactional real estate practice, Brian has specialized experience in senior housing, hotel, manufactured housing, and condominium transactions.

Bar admissionsIllinois

EXPERIENCE

Representative Transactions:
  • Represented a private equity firm in the sale of a portfolio of 59 manufactured housing communities for approximately US$1.3 billion in cash, equity and other consideration
  • Negotiated management agreements for a publicly traded hotel operator across several brands and states, as well as hotel and restaurant management agreements for multiple owners
  • Represented a healthcare REIT in the acquisition of a portfolio of 12 medical office buildings and a parking garage involving numerous ground lease and loan assumptions
  • Represented a national REIT in its conversion of a subordinate tranche of mortgage debt into a majority stake in a joint venture with the borrower, which joint venture owned 25 shopping centers in 13 states at the time of closing
  • Represented the developer of a luxury condominium project containing over 200 residences, nearly 500 parking spaces and several single family homes in condominium, homeowners' declaration and disclosure documentation, as well as contracts with unit purchasers
  • Represented a university in the sale of a 21-property apartment portfolio
  • Represented a private equity real estate firm in a US$1.7 billion transaction involving the acquisition of five office buildings and the assignment of the purchase rights to a sixth office building
  • Represented developers, operators and funds in the acquisition, development, financing and disposition of independent living, assisted living and memory care facilities
  • Represented a developer in all aspects of the development of a mixed-use project spanning two buildings and containing four ownership components, including the negotiation of US$200 million in construction and mezzanine financing, preparation of the condominium and reciprocal easement agreement documents and several debt and equity restructurings
Education
  • J.D., Northwestern University School of Law 2003
  • B.A., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 2000

Awards

Martindale-Hubbell ranks Brian AV Preeminent, its highest rating available. In 2009 and 2010, Brian was named an Illinois Rising Star by Super Lawyers, in research projects conducted jointly by Law & Politics and Chicago magazines. In 2017, Brian was named a Rising Star by Law360.

Bylines

  • "The Condominium Property Report and the Condominium Disclosure Summary" (co-authored with Adam Berkoff); published as a chapter of Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) Illinois Condominium Law (2010 with 2013 supplement)

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Chicago Mortgage Attorneys Association 

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