Three Ervin Cohen & Jessup Partners Named 2022 Commercial Real Estate Visionaries

Ervin Cohen and Jessup LLP is proud to announce that Real Estate Practice Group Chairs Joan Velazquez and Albert Valencia and Partner Elizabeth Dryden, have been recognized as ‘Visionaries’ in Commercial Real Estate Magazine, an annual magazine published in the May 15, 2022 print edition of the Los Angeles Times. The attorneys recognized as visionaries “specialize in commercial real estate and have played a number of essential roles over the last couple of years,” the feature says. The professionals profiled understand the challenges and uncertainty in the industry, providing expert guidance to help “businesses position themselves and their properties for success.”

“This recognition is a testament to the commitment these three lawyers and our real estate team at large provide our clients,” said Co-Managing Partner Randall Leff. “Joan, Elizabeth and Al are enormously talented lawyers who have continually proven their ability to deliver the firm’s clients with the highest degree of strategy and service.”

Joan is experienced in the formation of partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and arranging complex capital structures, including highly leveraged mezzanine financing, subordinated lending arrangements and other creative solutions. “Having structured, documented and closed more than one billion dollars of financing transactions over the past years, she guides clients with distressed properties successfully restructuring existing debt,” says the publication. “As a proven dealmaker who never loses sight of her client’s business goals, Joan understands her duty to mitigate risk and maximize opportunity.”

“Clients look to Albert for his experience in a broad range of real estate asset classes including commercial, office, retail, multi-family, mixed-use and industrial properties,” reports the publication. Albert represents real estate owners, developers, investors, lenders, contractors and asset managers in connection with a wide range of projects, including the acquisition, financing, development, leasing, management and sale of commercial real estate. He regularly represents clients in forming joint-ventures and syndications, negotiating structured finance transactions and assisting property owners in asset management” the feature adds.

Elizabeth, a member of the Real Estate Department, built a practice that covers a broad range of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, office, retail and other commercial leasing, financings, and joint venture and syndication formations. Elizabeth "is a creative problem solver,” says the publication, and “focuses on practical and workable solutions for her clients, collaborating with them to comprehensively understand their business and operations.” She successfully navigates “complex legal matters while balancing big picture issues with deal-specific details,” adds the feature. Adapting to meet each client’s unique legal needs, Elizabeth prioritizes her clients’ concerns without losing sight of her role as an advisor and ardent advocate.