Tom’s primary practice areas involve commercial real estate development and project finance. A significant portion of his practice involves representing developers and investors in the acquisition, development and disposition of commercial real estate projects and representing lenders on construction and permanent loans. His real estate development practice includes involvement in all aspects of ownership and capital structures, including joint ventures relationships, private placement equity raises, preferred equity and mezzanine financing structures, and conventional and program financing. His lending practice includes representing lenders with construction and permanent financings, including single bank deals, syndications and participations. He also has extensive experience representing both lenders and developers in connection with distressed loans, including forbearance arrangements, workouts and restructurings, and foreclosure actions.
Today’s real estate developments often have components difficult to fit into the conventional loan framework and lending approaches don’t fit some of today’s project capital-stack structures. Developers must determine at the early stages of a transaction if a given deal structure is financeable. Tom’s practice includes helping developers identify project issues that might be problematic for a lender and proposing solutions that minimize financing risks. Tom advises lenders on the challenges developers face on projects that don’t fit the traditional lending framework and offering alternative solutions to both the developer’s and lender’s needs.
Tom is admitted to practice law in Indiana only.
Tom has extensive experience in representing commercial developers and real estate investors in all aspects of real estate acquisition, development, financing, leasing and disposition. He has worked on projects in the Midwest, the South and Southeast.
Tom’s general experience in the commercial real estate area includes representation of:
Tom’s real estate finance practice has been national in scope as he has represented national and regional lenders on projects. Tom has extensive experience in financing all asset classes, including hospitality, multifamily, office, retail, industrial, condominiums, residential and commercial subdivisions, and golf courses. He has represented lenders on the constructions of beachfront condominium projects and several convention center hotels. Tom has represented lenders in connection with the renegotiation of distressed loans, forbearance arrangements and foreclosure actions. He has also represented lenders on issuing letters of credit as credit enhancements for bond issues and on financing and investing in low-income tax credit developments. His lending practice has included both single bank deals and multiple bank syndications and participations.
Tom’s general experience in the real estate finance area includes representation of:
Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, J.D.
University of Notre Dame, B.B.A.
U.S. District Court of Northern Indiana
U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana
Chambers USA, Real Estate, 2022-2024
The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law, 2009-2025; Banking and Finance Law, 2013-2025; Commercial Finance Law, 2024-2025
Selected for inclusion in Indiana Super Lawyers®, 2005-2020
AV® Rated, Martindale-Hubbell®
Indianapolis, Indiana State and American Bar Associations
Volunteer member of the legal support group for U.S. Fencing – Present
Member of the Indiana State Employees’ Appeals Commission – Present
Parish finance committee volunteer of St. Simon Catholic Church, Indianapolis, Indiana
Volunteer fencing coach and board member of the Indianapolis Fencing Club
Presenting faculty, Completion Guaranties in Construction Lending, March 2018, March 2019 and October 2020, Strafford Publishing
“Reconsidering Completion Guaranties”, ALI-ABA’s The Practical Real Estate Lawyer
Cited in the Indianapolis Business Journal as an honoree in the Who’s Who Behind the Scenes in Commercial Real Estate article focusing on the Indianapolis commercial real estate industry