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Jesse Criz

Jesse A. Criz

Partner

US Co-Chair, Investment Funds Practice

Member, Executive Committee


Clients recommend New York M&A partner Christopher Giordano and capital markets lawyer Jesse Criz in Chicago, who together advised Harrison Street Real Estate Capital on its $1.9 billion acquisition of Campus Crest Communities.
The Legal 500
About

Jesse Criz is a partner and the US Co-Chair of DLA Piper's Investment Funds practice.  He has over 25 years of experience guiding clients through their most critical transactions and advising clients on strategic decisions related to all aspects of their business.

He possesses deep experience in taxation, corporate law and vehicle formation, focusing on advising investment management firms, especially the structuring and formation of private investment vehicles and their subsequent investment activities throughout the United States and globally.

Jesse regularly advises firms on structuring all types of funds, co-investments, and separate accounts, and has experience in merger and acquisition transactions within the investment management sector. While leading on sophisticated domestic and international real estate, corporate, and partnership transactions, Jesse has also advised global investment management firms on cross-border real estate investments and the formation of foreign real estate funds in Europe and Canada.

He is formally trained as a tax attorney and has an extensive background representing real estate investment trusts (REITs). 

In addition to Jesse’s leadership role within the Investment Funds practice, he is also a member of the US Executive Committee and part of the US management team for DLA Piper.

Bar admissionsIllinois
Education
  • J.D., Loyola University Chicago School of Law 1998
    Recipient, Hugh L. Dick Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance in Taxation
    cum laude
  • B.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1995
    with honors
  • B.S., Certified Public Accountant
    Illinois

Awards

The Legal 500 United States
  • Recommended, Private Equity Funds (including Venture Capital) (2021, 2023-2024)
  • Recommended, REITs (2017, 2019-2020)
  • Recommended, Real Estate (2016-2017)
Additional Awards
  •  Based on peer reviews, Jesse is listed in The Best Lawyers in America® in the category of real estate law (2020)

Bylines

Seminars

  • Speaker, "Fundraising Best Practices for Small-Medium Sized Funds," 19th Annual Winter Forum On Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing, January 2023

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