Shari Helft Lennon

Shari Helft Lennon

Partner
About

Shari Helft Lennon concentrates her practice in the area of commercial real estate law.

She represents individuals, REITs, real estate private equity funds and other institutional clients in a broad range of commercial real estate transactions involving acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, management and development of various property types throughout the country.

Shari's representation for clients, includes the negotiation of construction, mezzanine and general secured real estate financings, loan workouts and restructurings and the negotiation of large commercial office leases. She specializes in single asset and large portfolio acquisitions and dispositions of various types of asset classes for purchase prices reaching up to US$1 billion, including, in particular, senior housing projects, student housing projects, medical office and life science buildings, and storage facilities across the United States.

Areas of FocusReal Estate
Bar admissionsIllinois

EXPERIENCE

Shari has represented:

  • A pension fund advisor in the purchase of a US$50 million distressed, secured mortgage loan on a large luxury hotel
  • An entertainment company in the negotiation of a partnership with a promotion company for the presentation of worldwide events
  • A mezzanine lender in the UCC foreclosure of its collateral on a US$400 million, 30-property national multi-family portfolio
  • A real estate private equity fund in US$150 million private placements in a private real estate operating company
  • A private real estate company in the acquisition of three US$200 million New York City apartment buildings
  • A real estate private equity fund in a US$1 billion acquisition of a large, single tenant office building and ground lease interest from major university landowner
  • A national co-working company in the negotiation of leases in excess of 100,000 square feet throughout the United States
  • A real estate private equity fund in a $50 million monetization of a long term hospital lease
  • A real estate private equity fund in the $700 million acquisition and financing of 13 assisted living facilities in 7 different states
  • A real estate private equity fund in the $600 million sale of a portfolio of medical office buildings to a large public REIT
  • A real estate fund in the acquisition and financing of over 100 single family rental properties in and around the Chicago, IL metropolitan area
  • A senior housing management development and management company in the negotiation of management agreements for tens of assisted living facilities in multiple states
  • A real estate private equity fund in a $600 million acquisition, development and financing of a portfolio of medical office and life science buildings in California
  • A real estate private equity fund in the development and financing of a portion of Lincoln Yards in Chicago, IL
  • A real estate fund in the acquisition and financing of multifamily properties in and around the Chicago, IL metropolitan area
  • A real estate private equity fund in the $100 million acquisition of a student housing property on the campus of a major New York university
  • A real estate private equity fund in the $70 million sale of an on-campus student housing property in Austin, Texas
     
Education
  • J.D., Columbia University 2005
  • B.A., Intellectual History, University of Pennsylvania 1999

Awards

  • The Legal 500 United States
    2021 - Recommended, Real Estate

Pro Bono

In addition to her commercial practice, Shari is committed to pro bono work. She has worked on Hurricane Katrina land settlement cases and drafts and negotiates leases for non-profit or small business tenants.

Shari has served as counsel to a community land trust which develops affordable housing in and around Highland Park, Illinois and she serves on the board of her local synagogue.

Prior Experience

Before attending law school, Shari was a ski instructor at Vail Resorts and worked as a management consultant in the financial services field with Oliver Wyman & Co. in New York.

Connect