Mindy Wolin Sherman
Mindy emphasizes long-term working relationships, and takes a people-centric approach, harnessing the associated interplay of all parties' business objectives, legal issues, and operational needs.
Mindy Wolin Sherman has more than 35 years of experience in the leasing, acquisition, disposition, development, and redevelopment of real estate, including retail, commercial, office, and hotel properties. Mindy is chair of the 2024 ICSC+U.S. Law Conference, was co-chair of the 2023 ICSC+U.S. Law Conference, and has been on the ICSC+U.S. Law Conference Planning Committee since 2015. She is a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, served on the advisory board of the Georgetown University Advance Commercial Leasing Institute (now ACREL) for 15 years, and frequently speaks on the subject of retail leasing. Mindy is also co-chair of the firm's Leasing practice.
Mindy also has extensive experience handling all real estate aspects of mergers and acquisitions of all types of entities and she advises clients on the redevelopment and redeployment of their real estate assets. Additionally, Mindy served as a member of the firm's Coronavirus Client Service Team and advised real estate clients on issues relating to the pandemic.
Mindy is the former general counsel of Urban Retail Properties Co., a major shopping center development and management firm. Since her return to private practice, she has continued to focus her practice on all aspects of the retail world, with an emphasis on assisting her clients in maximizing the value of their assets. Mindy is the head of a team of Perkins Coie lawyers and paralegals that advises clients with respect to the management, leasing, and disposition of retail properties.
Education & Credentials
Education
- Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, J.D., 1984
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S., 1981
Bar and Court Admissions
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Illinois
Related Employment
- Urban Retail Properties Co., Senior Vice President and General Counsel, 2003-2005; Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, 2002-2003; Vice President, 1997-2002
- Altheimer & Gray, Partner, 1991-1997; Associate 1988-1991
- Antonow & Fink, Associate, 1984-1988
Professional Recognition
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America: Real Estate Law, 2018-2024
American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Fellow, 2015-present
Listed in Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Real Estate Lawyers, 2024
*The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no certificate, award, or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.
Impact
Professional Leadership
- International Council of Shopping Centers
ICSC+ U.S. Law Conference, Chair, 2024
ICSC+ U.S. Law Conference, Co-Chair, 2023
Planning Committee - Commercial Real Estate Executive Women (CREW)
- Georgetown University Advanced Commercial Leasing Institute Advisory Board
- Retail Law Strategist
- American Bar Association
Retail Leasing Committee
Office Leasing Committee
Industrial Leasing Committee
Assignment and Subletting Committee
Insights
News
Professional Experience
Experience
Represented Les Schwab Tire Centers
Represented Les Schwab Tire Centers, a 68-year-old family-owned business and leading tire retailer and service center operator, in its sale to Meritage Group.
Sale / Leaseback of Restaurants for National Restaurant Chain
Represented a national restaurant chain in the sale/leaseback of 150 Chili’s restaurants in 22 states with a combined portfolio value of more than $550 million. Representation included the negotiation of purchase and sale agreements and leases with the three different purchasers, transfer tax analysis in each applicable jurisdiction, and the preparation of all closing documents.
Childcare Centers
Represented our client, the tenant, in the master lease of approximately 550 locations. This required negotiating unique provisions to satisfy the requirements of the lender and master landlord, both of whom wanted the master lease to be "fully bondable," while allowing our client the flexibility to operate its business.
Disposition of Surplus Real Estate
Represented client in the disposition of 13 department stores, totaling approximately $147 million, which also involved a sale/leaseback transaction.
Sale of Commercial Property by Real Estate Finance and Investment Management Company
Represented a leading commercial real estate finance and investment management company in a highly confidential deal involving sale of key properties under an exclusive sale agreement.
CMBS Special Servicers
Represented commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) special servicers in the management, leasing, and disposition of retail real estate owned (REO) properties throughout the United States.
Bankruptcy Sale of a Luxury Hotel
Represented a bidder in the bankruptcy sale of a luxury hotel in downtown Boston. The hotel was part of a mixed-use development involving hotel, office, retail, residential and convention center elements. As such, there were multiple owners of high-rise buildings subject to numerous reciprocal easement and other agreements governing the operation of the site. This matter required the analysis of complex underlying title documents, surveys and other relevant matters and preparation of a purchase and sale agreement that was both competitive, given the nature of the auction, and protected our client, all in less than two weeks.
Major Department Store Asset Disposition
Represented a consortium of investors in a major retail department store in their negotiations and disposition of assets with the country's second-largest shopping center owner.
Institutional and High-Volume Real Estate and Leasing Transactions
Supervised a commercial real estate services and leasing group in providing real estate services to institutional owners with high volume transaction needs. Implemented intranet system to facilitate transaction processing, due diligence, document management, and tracking.
Grocery Store Portfolio Purchase
Represented Albertson's LLC in the purchase of substantially all of Raley's Grocery Stores' assets in New Mexico, including all 10 of its New Mexico retail stores, and the sale of an Albertson's location in Sonora, California to Raley's.
Chicago Retail Leasing
Represented landlords in retail leasing to national tenants on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, IL.
Counsel to Woodbridge Foam Corporation
Represented Woodbridge Foam Corporation, a Canadian automotive industry manufacturer that is a multibillion-dollar privately held corporation, in its disposition of an industrial portfolio and a sale-leaseback transaction involving 11 major facilities through the Midwest and South.
Development
Represented owners of recreational, industrial, and residential multi-use developments, including restrictive covenants and owner association matters.
Grocery Chain Disposition
Represented a consortium of investors in the disposition of a chain of grocery stores in the Chicagoland area.
Grocery Chain Representation
Represented a grocery chain in their acquisition and disposition of real estate assets.
Headquarters Build-To-Suit
Represented a national manufacturer of microscopes in their build-to-suit national headquarters facility.
Multi-family Project and Office Building Acquisitions
Represented tenant-in-common purchasers in the acquisition, exchange, and financing of a multi-family project in Lacey, Washington and an office building in Redmond, Washington.
Retail Property Portfolio Dispositions
Represented a real estate investor in the sale of leased and owned properties throughout the United States acquired from national retailers desiring to dispose of excess real estate holdings no longer needed for their operations.
Verris Capital Acquisition
Represented Verris Capital in connection with its acquisition of Marlboro Square Shopping Center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
Verris Capital Acquisition
Represented Verris Capital, in partnership with Lamont Street Partners, in connection with its acquisition of The Shoppes at Meadow Creek in Westminster, Maryland.
Dolce North Maple Inn/Basking Ridge
Represented a private fund in the acquisition and financing of this hotel in Bernards Township, New Jersey.
Four Seasons, Washington, D.C.
Represented Strategic Hotels and Resorts in the acquisition of the Washington, D.C., Four Seasons.
The Fairmont, San Jose, CA
Represented a private fund in the acquisition of the San Jose Fairmont Hotel.