2008-04-07 23:39:47 -
www.manatt.com - Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, the national law and consulting firm, announced today that Steve Edwards has joined the firm's Orange County office of counsel. A prominent attorney with a broad background in all aspects of real estate law, Mr. Edwards was previously a partner at O'Melveny & Myers in Orange County and served as
co-chair of the O'Melveny's real estate practice group. Mr. Edwards joins Manatt following the addition of real estate and corporate finance partner Masood Sohaili, who joined Manatt's Los Angeles office, and real estate and finance associate Lauren Spiegel, based in the firm's Orange County office, both from O'Melveny earlier this month.
"Steve is one of California's leading real estate specialists, and he is an ideal addition to Manatt's growing practice in Orange County," said Ellen Marshall, administrative partner for the Orange County office. "The importance of the real estate business to the economy of Orange County cannot be overstated. We are committed to the industry and the particular aspects of it that Steve knows so well."
Mr. Edwards has been active in virtually all aspects of the acquisition, sale, exchange, financing, leasing and development of improved and unimproved real estate for institutional clients. Mr. Edwards' practice emphasizes the representation of both developers and capital providers in the formation of joint ventures, limited partnerships and limited liability companies for the acquisition and development of housing and commercial properties. His clients have included pension advisors, real estate investment trusts, investment banking firms, commercial banks, residential and commercial developers, and a number of individual real estate investors.
During his career, Mr. Edwards has been engaged by lenders, equity partners, mezzanine lenders, borrowers and developers for a significant number of work out transactions. He is also highly experienced in the area of real estate investment trusts (REITs) in connection with public offerings, the acquisition of real estate, including portfolio sales, and the formation of UPREITs, Down-REITs and private REITs. Mr. Edwards has been very active in sale/leaseback transactions representing both the buyer/lessor and the seller/lessee.
"Growing our market-leading real estate and land use practice is one of the cornerstones of Manatt's strategic plan, and adding respected attorneys like Steve is an important part of this strategy," said William T. Quicksilver, Manatt's chief executive and managing partner. "As our recent senior-level hires and our combination with Steefel, Levitt & Weiss attest, we are committed to building the preeminent real estate and land use practice in California and one of the elite practices in the nation."
He is recognized for his expertise by Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business.
A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Mr. Edwards holds a B.A. with high honors from Lehigh University and a J.D. from New York University, where he served on the New York University Law Review.
About Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, provides legal and consulting services to a global client base from offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, Palo Alto, San Francisco, and Sacramento, California; New York City and Albany, New York; and Washington, D.C. Manatt includes Manatt Health Solutions, a healthcare policy and strategic business advisory group, and ManattJones Global Strategies, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary that develops and implements strategies to expand client businesses and facilitate their effective competition in global markets. For more information, visit www.manatt.com, www.manatthealthsolutions.com, and www.manattjones.com.
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
William T. Quicksilver, 310-312-4210
Paul H. Irving, 310-312-4196
Ellen Marshall, 714-371-2508
Susan Stone, 310-231-5466
