Howard I. Grossman

Howard is a nationally recognized real estate attorney who has been representing developers, operators, investors, and lenders in their most complex transactions for more than 30 years. He is a leading practitioner in the joint venture arena, adept at structuring sophisticated, multi-party agreements, and negotiating transactions involving diverse capital sources such as private equity, public finance, preferred equity, and senior debt. Howard also focuses his practice on guiding development of urban mixed-use projects that include hotel, apartment, retail, and/or office space.

With vast experience representing both institutional investors and operating partners, Howard offers a 360-degree perspective centered on a deep understanding of the needs and interests of all participants. He has earned a reputation for his ability to view a transaction not just in legal terms, but in business terms as well. He approaches every project with an eye toward fostering cooperation among all parties, identifying practical solutions, and achieving clients’ overarching business goals.

Engagements generally representative of Howard’s practice are as follows:

• Counsel to a Philadelphia-based private equity fund in the acquisition, financing, operation, leasing, and disposition of multiple full service hotel and Class A office properties in urban markets throughout the United States, including leading the negotiation of hotel franchise and management agreements with Marriott, Hilton, and Intercontinental Hotels and leading in the negotiation of major tenant office leases.

• Counsel to a Philadelphia-based private equity fund in the acquisition, financing, and disposition of multiple Class A office properties in primary urban and suburban areas throughout the Eastern and Midwestern United States.

• Counsel to a suburban Philadelphia-based separate account adviser and private equity fund sponsor in the investment in multifamily, office, and hotel properties throughout the Eastern and Midwestern United States, including the recent recapitalization through the provision of highly structured mezzanine debt of an office property portfolio located in Wilmington, Del. and suburban Philadelphia and the recapitalization through a senior preferred equity investment of a hotel portfolio located in suburban Washington.

Howard's keen appreciation of client priorities comes in part from having devoted nearly 10 years to serving as a senior manager at two well-known Philadelphia-area real estate firms. He was director of acquisitions for a top 50 multifamily owner and operator, and chief investment and chief operating officer of a regional multifamily owner and operator whose portfolio included more than 30 assets in eight states. In these positions, Howard was responsible for sourcing, underwriting, financing, and closing multifamily property acquisitions, establishing and managing joint venture equity relationships, and directing the operations and management of the portfolio properties.

Howard is an active member of the Urban Land Institute and serves as a participant on multifamily industry panels. He is involved in a number of charitable endeavors through the Federation of Jewish Agencies, currently serving as a member and on the program committee of Jewish Federation Real Estate.