November 3, 2020
This year marks Mr. Henry’s third time named a Law360 Real Estate MVP following previous wins in 2014 and 2015.
Thomas Henry, partner and Co-Chair of the firm's Real Estate Department, was profiled for Law360’s 2020 MVP series as one of six attorneys in the Real Estate category. Among his achievements over the past year, he is recognized for his leading role in the successful completion of two multibillion transactions for longtime client, Colony Capital -- its $2.8 billion sale of six hospitality portfolios to Highgate, a real estate investment and hospitality management company, in Sept. 2020, and its $5.9 billion agreement to sell Colony Industrial, the industrial real estate assets and affiliated industrial operating platform of Colony Capital, to Blackstone in Sept. 2019.
In the article, Law360 highlights the unique aspects of the deals. In the first deal, Mr. Henry guided Colony in offloading light industrial assets worth $5.9 billion, which he and the Willkie team had helped Colony acquire in 2014. Five years and additional financings and acquisitions later, he saw client's investment pay off with the successful completion of the sale to Blackstone. In the second transaction, Mr. Henry advised Colony in its hospitality portfolio sale to HighGate for $2.8 billion, despite the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The article also discusses the biggest challenges he faced this year, including helping clients respond to COVID-19, his proudest moment, and guidance for junior attorneys in navigating 2020’s impact on their professional development.
Mr. Henry’s advice is to try to keep the current moment in perspective and to hone skills in adapting to unexpected situations.
"You are going to find in your career — from an economic perspective, a political perspective, a personal perspective — that you are going to face ups and downs and cycles," he said. "And it can seem stressful the first time, and COVID is a particularly acute example. But you learn there is a certain rhythm to it; certainly to the business side."
The annual Law360 MVP awards honor lawyers who have distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in complex global matters and record-breaking deals. Honorees are selected from among more than 900 applicants across multiple practice areas and jurisdictions, both in the US and internationally.
