James Yoakum
James has experience in commercial real estate law and real estate finance and has represented clients in executing billions of dollars’ worth of complex commercial mortgage financings, mortgaged-backed securitizations and real estate-backed financing and repurchase facilities. Prior to becoming an attorney, James worked as a real estate sales and leasing agent in Philadelphia and then founded and ran a craft distillery based in Camden, New Jersey. James brings his hard-won practical business experience and deep knowledge of the real estate and beverage alcohol industries to bear on every transaction in which he is involved.
Representative Matters
- Represented a major global bank in negotiating and managing a rapidly-growing portfolio of commercial real estate loan repurchase facilities with a variety of sophisticated counterparties and total lending capacity in excess of $4 billion.
- Core member of the securitization team representing one of the largest issuers of commercial mortgage backed securities.
- Worked on newly developing commercial mortgage finance structures involving direct-issuance of mortgage-backed securities.
- Ongoing representation of an investment fund’s purchases, sales and management of triple-net (NNN) leased properties with a particular focus on properties leased to tenants in the veterinary and specialty healthcare industries. Assisted this particular client with 24 purchase or sale transactions nationwide in 2022.
- Negotiations for new leases, lease modifications and lease renewals for a number of office, retail and industrial tenants including a major regional building-supply company, a high-end clothing company and various Center City and suburban Philadelphia office tenants including nonprofits, law firms and private-equity-backed operating companies.
- Broad representation of real estate investors and developers in the multifamily, office and industrial sectors, including working closely with their leasing brokers, lenders and partners to streamline and apply best-practices to growing investment and development platforms.
- Construction contract negotiations for developers of projects including high-end residential construction, charter schools, urban multifamily projects and healthcare projects, including navigating compliance for projects receiving RACP and other types of government funding.
- Represent a major healthcare nonprofit in connection with construction projects, acquisitions and dispositions and leasing needs throughout the mid-Atlantic region.
- Represent property owners in the negotiation and sale of cell tower sites and easements.
- Support the real estate needs of multiple private-equity backed businesses who have closed on an aggregate of over 100 acquisitions since 2021.
- Represent clients seeking to acquire or transfer liquor licenses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
- Consultation with investors and operators in the craft beer, wine and spirits industries on structuring purchases, sales and financing transactions for those businesses.
- Represented of a New York-based lending group on complex mezzanine debt and preferred equity investments secured by retail development projects in Philadelphia.
Professional Associations
- Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Member, Wharton Club of Philadelphia
Recognition & Accomplishments
Claude M. Ballard Award for Real Estate Excellence