February 25, 2016
Willkie represented the Special Committee of the Board of Directors for Arbor Realty Trust.
On February 25, it was announced that Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. agreed to acquire the agency platform of Arbor Commercial Mortgage LLC for $250 million, to be paid 50% in stock and 50% in cash. Willkie represented the Special Committee of the Board of Directors for Arbor Realty Trust in connection with the pending acquisition.
The acquired businesses represent a leading national multifamily agency loan origination and servicing platform with more than 200 direct employees. The businesses originated more than $3 billion in loans in 2015, the vast majority of which were government-sponsored loans.
Arbor Realty Trust is a real estate investment trust (REIT) investing in a diversified portfolio of multifamily and commercial real estate-related bridge and mezzanine loans, preferred equity investments, mortgage related securities and other real estate-related assets. Arbor is externally managed and advised by Arbor Commercial Mortgage, a national commercial real estate finance company specializing in debt and equity financing for multifamily and commercial real estate.
The Willkie deal team was led by partners Steven Seidman and Sean Ewen and included partners Anthony Carbone, Michael Katz and Jeffrey Goldfarb; counsel Michael Petronio and Kim Walker; associates Laura Acker, Christopher Edwab, Rose Ohanesian, Annise Maguire, Timothy DeKeyser, Natalie Whitaker and Claire Soloski; and law clerk Richard Hevier.
