Howard is one of the founders of Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP and currently serves as the firm's co-managing partner. He concentrates his practice on commercial real estate and related corporate, securities and business planning matters. Howard has extensive experience in the formation of joint ventures between institutional partners and developers and in the acquisition, development, leasing and disposition of office buildings, shopping centers and other retail locations, multi-family housing, industrial buildings and mixed used facilities, as well as real estate financings, restructurings and foreclosures.
Howard is frequently recognized as one of real estate law's top-ranked practitioners in Illinois by Chambers USA; Best Lawyers in America; Who's Who Legal; Super Lawyers; and the Leading Lawyers, among others. Most recently, Howard was named Best Lawyers® 2021 Chicago Real Estate Lawyer of the Year in addition to his Best Lawyers® 2019 Chicago Litigation - Real Estate “Lawyer of the Year” recognition.
Representative Experience
Represented numerous REITs and other real property owners in connection with the acquisition, development or disposition of hundreds of office, retail, senior housing, apartment, condominium and industrial, warehouse and data center properties, involving billions of dollars, throughout the United States.
Represented both landlords and tenants in leases involving millions of square feet in office, shopping center, and industrial, warehouse and data center projects.
Represented numerous financial institutions in connection with hundreds of real estate loans related to properties throughout the United States with an aggregate indebtedness of billions of dollars.
Represented numerous financial institutions in connection with the restructuring of, or litigation regarding loans secured by mortgages on over 100 different properties located throughout the United States with an aggregate indebtedness of billions of dollars.
Activities & Honors
- Selected, The Best Lawyers in America© (2006-2023)
- Real Estate Law
- Litigation - Real Estate Law
- Named Chicago Real Estate Lawyer of the Year (2021)
- Named Chicago Litigation - Real Estate “Lawyer of the Year" (2014 & 2019)
- Selected, Illinois Super Lawyers (2005-2023)
- Top Ten Real Estate (2016)
- Top 100 Real Estate: Commercial & Finance
- Selected, Leading Lawyers Network (2003-2023)
- Ranked, Illinois Real Estate, Chambers USA (2008-2022)
- Member, American Bar Association
- Selected, Legal 500
- Selected, Who's Who Legal
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Education
University of Michigan Law School, J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 1979
Northwestern University, with distinction, Phi Beta Kappa, 1976
Bar & Court Admissions
- State of Illinois
Representative Clients
- Bank of America
- Neuberger Berman Distressed Debt Investment Fund
- Neuberger Berman Special Situations Master Fund
- Skender Construction
- The John Buck Co.
- Ventas
- Wintrust Financial Corporation
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