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Jessica Lingertat steers financings and other transactions related to the construction, development and acquisition of offices, multifamily, hospitality and other large-scale properties. She concentrates on middle-market lender representation, typically loans ranging from $5 million to $40 million. Jessica’s recent matters include:

  • Transit-oriented development in connection with multifamily housing projects in Chicago
  • Multiple industrial site acquisitions by national clients
  • Complex construction financings ($15-20 million) and value-add loans
  • Vertical subdivision projects
  • Representing single family and SFR developers in the acquisition and planning process for complex horizontal development projects

In addition, Jessica serves as local Chicago and Midwest real estate counsel to national clients seeking on-the-ground due diligence, local lender opinion work and project guidance.

Deal Closer in Competitive Real Estate Markets

  • To address clients’ competitive pressures, Jessica creates an efficient deal environment for her lender clients, which include traditional banks and other lending institutions with significant real estate portfolios.
  • Jessica has earned a reputation within Chicago’s commercial real estate community as a practical deal closer who “finds practical solutions rather than causes trouble,” as her clients say. Along the path to closing, Jessica secures the full range of protections for clients while preserving their important business relationships.

Midwest Real Estate Leadership

In addition to her representation of real estate lenders, Jessica also advises and counsels investors, developers, operators, landlords and tenants. Her more than 20-year career includes significant experience in mortgage and construction loans, asset-based lending, operating lines of credit and other commercial loans, including those involving complex distressed assets.

Jessica has received recognition from the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer and is a member of CREW Chicago (Commercial Real Estate Executive Women), Real Estate Finance Forum and the Chicago Mortgage Attorneys Association. Jessica is a media commentator and program panelist on topical real estate issues, including forecasts and trends in real estate markets in the Midwest and across the country. She also has been recognized by Crain's Chicago Business as a “Notable Women in Law” for 2020 and "Notable Gen X Leaders in Law" for 2022.

Credentials

Education

  • Marquette University Law School, J.D., cum laude; editor, Marquette Law Review, 1997
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.A., 1994

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Wisconsin

Affiliations
  • Chicago Mortgage Attorneys Association
  • CREW Chicago (Commercial Real Estate Executive Women)
  • Real Estate Finance Forum
  • Urban Land Institute (ULI)
  • Professional Women in Construction

Key Cases or Transactions
  • Representation of owner, developer and manager of high end single family rental homes in startup related contracts.
  • Representation of bank in refinance loan with funding for tenant improvement and capital expenditure construction elements.
  • Representation of clients in the acquisition, sale and refinance of various commercial properties, including office, hotel, industrial and multi-family projects.
  • Counsel to retail operator on real estate and business matters, including multi-site sale-leaseback transactions and asset sales.
  • Local Counsel to a national client, a provider of hot and cold storage, purchasing 17 sites in a complex REIT transaction; assisted with lending, zoning, due diligence, local transfer and title survey issues.
  • Representation of client in creation of vertical subdivision project.
  • Representation of lenders and developers on multifamily housing projects as part of transit-oriented development in Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area.
  • Counsel for a private lender in connection with large loans for specialty projects, including golf course project and interval-interest resort project.
  • Handled workout for lender whose borrower discovered that its general contractor had diverted in excess of one million dollars in construction loan funds; helped to settle related title claim and resolve mechanics lien issues with borrower and title company.
  • Counsel for mid-sized lenders and borrowers in connection with mortgage and construction loans, asset-based lending, operating lines of credit and other commercial loans.
  • Counsel for regional and national home builders, both private and publicly traded, in the acquisition, entitlement, financing and development of residential communities in the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area.
  • Representation of developers in the acquisition and completion of distressed real estate projects.
  • Due diligence counsel for real estate portions of large M&A transactions.

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