Profile: Benjamin F Needell

Real Estate

Biography: Real Estate

Benjamin F Needell heads the firm's real estate department. His practice emphasises purchase and sale transactions, financings, securitised real estate loans, real estate development, real estate investment trusts, syndications, major headquarters leases, hotel operation, development and financing, and matters relating to pension fund investments in real estate.

Mr Needell has represented such clients as Apollo Real Estate Investment Fund, Bank of America, Boston Properties, the Clarett Group, Ian Schrager, André Balazs, Reuters, Ernst & Young, Larry Silverstein, Wenner Media Inc, the Empire State Development Corporation, Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation, and Madison Square Garden.

Mr Needell has advised many major real estate developers in the acquisition, construction and development of properties, including handling developments by the Clarett Group, Larry Silverstein, Ian Schrager and André Balazs. He has also led teams in completing some of the largest headquarters transactions in the history of New York City.

Representing buyers or sellers of real estate has always been an important part of Mr Needell's practice. The real estate department has also been very active in real estate investment trusts (REITs), with transactions completed for over 20 initial public offerings for Merrill Lynch, Smith Barney Shearson, Lehman Bros, Credit Suisse First Boston and Prudential Securities. In addition, the real estate department regularly represents AIMCO, Westfield and Boston Properties, three of the nation's largest REITs.