Al has more than 40 years of experience in commercial mortgage financing. He advises major institutional lenders and private investors on construction loans, EB-5 projects, and troubled real estate workouts.

Overview
Representative Matters
Insights
Awards

Al represents insurance companies, commercial banks, private equity firms, and individuals in commercial mortgage financing transactions throughout California and the Southwest. His extensive transactional experience spans from forward loan commitments to construction, bridge, and permanent financing, covering industrial facilities, office buildings, multifamily housing, residential tract developments, retail centers, and hotels.

Al also supports senior construction lenders on projects involving mezzanine and subordinate debt under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program and has substantial experience in restructuring, workouts, and foreclosure of troubled real estate, including properties in bankruptcy. In addition, he advises on real estate transactions, such as acquisitions, leasing, land use, and issues related to contaminated property and sustainable development. Beyond real estate, Al counsels clients on asset-based financing transactions, letters of credit, and Article 9 Commercial Code issues.

Al’s in-depth knowledge and pragmatism help clients navigate complex financial and real estate situations. His commitment to the preservation of affordable housing and service to nonprofit corporations further emphasizes his dedication to community impact.

  • Counseled institutional lenders and private investors in commercial mortgage financing transactions involving diverse properties, enhancing client portfolios and driving regional development in California and the Southwest.
  • Guided senior construction lenders on a variety of projects, including transactions involving mezzanine or subordinate debt provided under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, involving complex intercreditor issues and securing crucial funding for large-scale developments.
  • Represented lenders and investors in the workout and foreclosure of distressed properties, including bankrupt assets.
  • Assisted in acquiring and selling contaminated and sustainable real estate assets, navigating complex land use and environmental regulations to achieve client goals.
  • Representing landlords and tenants in lease transactions involving office buildings, retail centers, and industrial properties, often including construction issues and build-to-suit projects.
  • Supported creditors and borrowers in non-real estate asset-based transactions and Article 9 Commercial Code issues, fortifying client financial positions and expanding operational capabilities.
  • Worked with community nonprofits and tenant associations to preserve affordable housing projects, significantly contributing to community stability and support for vulnerable populations.
  • Provided governance advice to officers and directors of both nonprofit and for-profit entities.
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law (2020-2026)
  • Public Counsel of Los Angeles, President’s Award (2011)

Al represents insurance companies, commercial banks, private equity firms, and individuals in commercial mortgage financing transactions throughout California and the Southwest. His extensive transactional experience spans from forward loan commitments to construction, bridge, and permanent financing, covering industrial facilities, office buildings, multifamily housing, residential tract developments, retail centers, and hotels.

Al also supports senior construction lenders on projects involving mezzanine and subordinate debt under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program and has substantial experience in restructuring, workouts, and foreclosure of troubled real estate, including properties in bankruptcy. In addition, he advises on real estate transactions, such as acquisitions, leasing, land use, and issues related to contaminated property and sustainable development. Beyond real estate, Al counsels clients on asset-based financing transactions, letters of credit, and Article 9 Commercial Code issues.

Al’s in-depth knowledge and pragmatism help clients navigate complex financial and real estate situations. His commitment to the preservation of affordable housing and service to nonprofit corporations further emphasizes his dedication to community impact.

  • Counseled institutional lenders and private investors in commercial mortgage financing transactions involving diverse properties, enhancing client portfolios and driving regional development in California and the Southwest.
  • Guided senior construction lenders on a variety of projects, including transactions involving mezzanine or subordinate debt provided under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, involving complex intercreditor issues and securing crucial funding for large-scale developments.
  • Represented lenders and investors in the workout and foreclosure of distressed properties, including bankrupt assets.
  • Assisted in acquiring and selling contaminated and sustainable real estate assets, navigating complex land use and environmental regulations to achieve client goals.
  • Representing landlords and tenants in lease transactions involving office buildings, retail centers, and industrial properties, often including construction issues and build-to-suit projects.
  • Supported creditors and borrowers in non-real estate asset-based transactions and Article 9 Commercial Code issues, fortifying client financial positions and expanding operational capabilities.
  • Worked with community nonprofits and tenant associations to preserve affordable housing projects, significantly contributing to community stability and support for vulnerable populations.
  • Provided governance advice to officers and directors of both nonprofit and for-profit entities.
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law (2020-2026)
  • Public Counsel of Los Angeles, President’s Award (2011)
  • Fellow, American College of Mortgage Attorneys
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, State Bar of California
  • Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • Past co-chair, Homeless Task Force Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • Member, Stanford Real Estate Council
  • Board of directors, Public Counsel
  • Board of directors, Stanford University Rugby Foundation
  • Former co-chair, centennial capital campaign, Polytechnic School, Pasadena, CA
  • Former chair, board of trustees
  • Former chair, Mayfield Senior School, Pasadena, CA, Audit Committee
  • Former vice chair-development, University of California-Berkeley Parents Board
  • Former chair, City of Pasadena Human Relations Commission

Education

  • Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, J.D., Loyola Law Review, 1981
  • Stanford University, A.B., 1976

Bar Admissions

  • California

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California
  • Author, “Lender’s Remedies to Protect its Security During Foreclosure and Borrower’s Abandonment as an Unpermitted Transfer,” American College of Mortgage Attorneys, Fall 2023.
  • Author, “LA’s Homelessness and Housing Solutions Tax Could be Short-Lived,” The Daily Journal, March 27, 2023.
  • Author, “Eviction Moratoria during Coronavirus Pandemic,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, March 19, 2020.
  • Author, “Tenancy Protection Act of 2019,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, February 14, 2020.
  • Author, “HUD Policy Would Exacerbate a Worsening Crisis,” The Daily Journal, June 7, 2019.
  • Author, “Clarifying the Limits of Title Insurance Claims,” Law360, September 7, 2017.
  • Author, “Cost and Confusion Left Over from the Mortgage Crisis: The Need for Uniformity in Real Estate Law,” UCLA Economic Letter, January 2017.
  • Author, “Homelessness and the Crisis of Affordable Housing: The Abandonment of a Federal Affordable Housing Policy,” Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, Fall 2016.
  • Author, “Calif. Rethinks Energy Disclosure Rule For Building Owners,” December 7, 2015.
  • Author, “California Mandatory Nonresidential Building Energy Use Disclosures Revisited,” Locke Lord QuickStudy, October 29, 2015.
  • Author, “Are Courts Sliding the Genie Back into the Lamp?” Probate and Property, December 1, 2013.
  • Author, “Receivership Sales of Troubled Projects: A Better Alternative To Foreclosure in California,” California Real Property Journal, October 15, 2011.
  • Author, “Can America Afford to Abandon a National Housing Policy?” Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, Spring 1997.
  • Author, “Federal Housing Programs: Is Subsidized Low-Income Housing An Idea Whose Time Has Passed?” California Real Property Journal, Spring 1995.