Stephen Bell, Of Counsel
Steve has been running real estate transactions for over 40 years and hasn’t lost a step. He has structured and closed real estate transactions of all kinds and from all perspectives, representing lenders and borrowers, buyers and sellers, landlords and tenants and general contractors and architects, as well as soup to nuts developers and syndicators. He has broad foreclosure and workout expertise as counsel to lenders as well as borrowers and he has taken an active role in litigation arising out of business and ownership disputes and construction, acquisition, leasing and financing of real estate. Because he can draw from a wide range of personal experiences, he is able to facilitate transactions and settlement of disputes by suggesting both proven and novel resolutions to business and legal issues.
Steve has represented clients in a wide variety of businesses, including insurance companies, pension funds, commercial banks and other financial institutions, REITs, governmental entities and real estate companies and entrepreneurs. He prides himself in taking a hands-on role in structuring, negotiating and documenting transactions of all sizes. His broad experience also enables him to contribute to other transactions and real estate litigation being handled by the firm.
Representative Transactions
- Representation of real estate companies in the structuring and implementation of numerous credit-based sale-leaseback transactions totaling over one billion dollars, including acquisition, leaseback on a bond or triple net lease basis, financing, and disposition of various types of properties. Many of the individual transactions involved multiple locations in numerous states. The most recent transaction of this type was the acquisition from a high credit tenant, leaseback and sale of a portfolio of convenience stores/gasoline stations.
- Representation of institutional and other investors in the acquisition, development, construction, disposition and/or financing of major office, industrial and retail properties in Chicago and elsewhere.
- Representation of landlords and tenants in leasing and subleasing transactions in multiple locations throughout the U.S. These transactions have ranged from headquarters leases to major corporations to leases of smaller office spaces for smaller companies but nonetheless important.
- Representation of institutional lenders in various first mortgage and mezzanine loan transactions involving office, retail, apartment, industrial and mixed-use buildings not only in Chicago and its suburbs, but in many other jurisdictions as well.
- Representation of institutional investors in enforcement of loan document remedies, including foreclosure, deeds in lieu of foreclosure and workouts.
- Representation of institutional and developer joint venture partners in structuring, closing and implementing joint venture arrangements and in restructuring thereof and enforcing remedies thereunder.
- Representation of condominium boards in negotiation of contracts and property related and other matters
Professional Activities
- Member, Board of Directors of The Interfaith Youth Core
- Past Member, Board of Directors of Central DuPage Hospital
- Past lecturer in law at the University of Chicago Law School
- Past lecturer on various real estate topics for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education
- Past co-chair of and lecturer for Law Seminar International - Advanced Commercial Leasing
Education
- Harvard University (J.D., 1969, cum laude)
- Wheaton College (A.B., 1966, with high honors)
Bar Admissions
- State of Illinois