Profile: Lee M Smolen

Real Estate

Biography: Real Estate

Lee M Smolen is a partner and head of Sidley's Chicago real estate group. His practice is concentrated in commercial real estate, with an emphasis on debt and equity financing and structured finance.

Mr Smolen has represented institutional investors, commercial banks, investment banks, insurance companies, pension funds and opportunity funds. He has represented these clients in the full range of loan origination activity, including CMBS, construction, permanent and interim financing arrangements, fee and leasehold financings, sale-leaseback financings, mezzanine financings, structured finance transactions and multi-property and multi-state financings. The loans have involved various types of assets, including hotels, resorts, office buildings, shopping centers, multifamily, condominiums and industrial properties.

Mr Smolen has also represented lenders in connection with loan workouts and restructurings, and handled many real estate loans that were originated for securitisation. Mr Smolen has dealt with the issues that must be addressed in properly documenting and analysing a loan for securitisation. In addition, he has represented both the master and the special servicer in connection with the day to day administration of securitised loans.

Mr Smolen has also represented lenders in connection with the development of their form loan documents and the administration of their loan programmes.

A CPA, Mr Smolen received the Elijah Watt Sells Award the year he took the CPA exam (top 100 scores in the nation; 7th highest score in the state of Illinois). He has been selected to be listed in Who's Who Legal: USA - Real Estate, Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business and PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook.