Kwame Benjamin Published in Structuring Commercial Real Estate Transactions
"Implementing Successful Commercial Real Estate Strategies"

Seyfarth Shaw Atlanta office partner Kwame Benjamin wrote a chapter titled, "Implementing Successful Commercial Real Estate Strategies," published in Aspatore Books' Structuring Commercial Real Estate Transactions. The chapter discussed current trends in commercial real estate development, the attorney's role in assembling commercial real estate transactions, strategies for constructing commercial real estate transactions, measuring effectiveness and success, and market innovations.

Kwame provides key takeaways for lawyers, and he stresses throughout the importance of maintaining a constant flow of information between lawyer and client, in order to understand a client's business goals and to be able to provide practical advice before, during and after a transaction has closed. Kwame says doing this creates a "'road map' to a shared goal of a successful and issue-free closing" which allows for little-to-no "issues during ownership, financing and disposition of the asset."

Kwame also recommends quickly identifying and engaging professionals in order to build an informed and cooperative team, and the number one focus of all members of a transaction team should be to understand the transaction, the crucial steps and processes to close the transaction and the primary goals of the client. Additionally, he says, it's important to be cognizant of any necessary permits and approvals, and to be knowledgeable about any sustainability laws and ordinances in the jurisdiction that could potentially affect the project.

With the lines of communication open, Kwame concludes by advising attorneys to "always seek to drive the team and transaction toward closing" in order to keep costs down for the client and to avoid unsuccessful transactions.