Beau A. Baker

Beau Baker’s practice centers on real estate finance, with a focus on capital markets transactions, securitizations, structured and commercial finance, and financial services. He represents traditional and non-traditional lenders in warehouse and repo lending facilities; secondary-market sales and acquisitions of loan portfolios and individual loans; joint venture and preferred equity investments; and mezzanine, bridge, CMBS, and life insurance company loan originations.

Beau’s work continues beyond origination to the servicing, portfolio management, workout, and related functions associated with those loans. He also represents funds and banks as they establish and grow high-volume debt and equity investment platforms across various asset classes. His broader experience includes advising financial institutions and other companies on creditors’ rights, financial restructuring, foreclosures, short sales, and complex commercial dispute resolution.

Active in real estate and corporate finance for more than 20 years, Beau speaks at events around the country each year on industry trends.

New York CRE Transactions:

Representing numerous Wall Street banks in CRE warehouse/repo financing facilities in over 750 transactions with a value of approximately $50 billion.

California Private Debt Fund:

Representing one of the nation’s leading private debt funds based in California in the build out of two lending platforms (one bridge CLO and one CMBS) with a total transaction value of approximately $35 billion and ongoing loan portfolio maintenance work related to the lending platforms.

New York Loan Portfolio:

Representing a New York based institutional asset manager in loan portfolio/single asset loan acquisitions, strategic debt fund mergers and programmatic JV/preferred equity investments in over 100 transactions with a value of approximately $15 billion.

Atlanta Real Estate Fund:

Representing an Atlanta based real estate fund in the acquisition and financing of 100 triple net lease properties located in 20 states with a total transaction value of approximately $1.3 billion. 

National Private Debt Fund/REIT:

Represented a prominent national PDF/REIT based in New York in building from the ground-up a joint venture investment platform for deploying approximately $225 million in approximately 25 transactions with 15 different sponsors/developers of office and retail properties and ongoing portfolio maintenance work related to the equity investment platform.

California Private Equity Fund:

Represented a client with the building of a preferred equity investment platform and a mezzanine loan origination platform for a CRE focused private equity fund (PEF) based in California deploying approximately $150 million of preferred equity and sub-debt in approximately 50 transactions secured by numerous asset classes.

Private Debt Fund for National Bank:

Represented a national bank in CRE warehouse/repo facilities with numerous different PDFs regularly selling senior mortgage loans and participation interests in 36 transactions involving all asset classes for a total transaction value of approximately $210 million worth of repurchase obligations.

Healthcare IT Company:

Represented a national healthcare IT company in its sale to an Indian based strategic buyer with a total transaction value of $225 million.

National Developer and Manager of Assisted Living Facilities:

Represented a national developer and manager of assisted living facilities in the acquisition, finance and re-finance (using debt/equity from PDFs, PEFs, banks and loans guaranteed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development) of 38 new and existing projects in seven states with a total transaction value of approximately $125 million.

New York Private Equity Fund:

Represented PEF based in New York in the acquisition and finance of middle market brand-named flagged hospitality properties in seven transactions (950 keys) to date totaling approximately $750 million.

California Private Debt Fund:

Represented a PDF based in California in the startup of a bridge lending platform to finance all asset classes. Closed $100 million of warehouse facilities composed of a senior, up to $70 million, repo facility and a mezzanine, up to $25 million, subordinate corporate warehouse financing facility permitting table funded loan leverage up to 95% UPB.

New York Private Debt Fund:

Represented a New York based PDF in the acquisition of a portfolio of 27 senior mortgage loans, secured by office, retail and multifamily properties, from a California based fund where the total transaction value is approximately $515 million.

National Bank:

Represented a national bank in a nine figure upsize of an existing letter of credit facility securing a higher education institution’s Title IV financial obligations to the U.S. Department of Education pursuant to 34 C.F.R. § 688.

New York Private Debt Fund:

Representing a New York-based PDF in the origination of a short term loan-on-loan financing facility to fund the acquisition of a $45 million defaulted senior mortgage loan which will be foreclosed upon, then the loan-on-loan facility will covert to a senior mortgage loan on similar financial terms.

Southeast Private Debt Fund:

Representing a prominent Southeast-based PDF in the programmatic origination of CRE loans partially guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in connection with dozens of transactions approaching $250 million.

New York Private Debt Fund:

Represented a New York based PDF in the acquisition of a portfolio containing 58 senior mortgage loans, secured by golf courses, single family residential, office, hospitality and retail properties, and 18 REO assets from a California based fund where the total transaction value is approximately $250 million.

New York Private Debt Fund:

Represented a New York based PDF in the acquisition and securitization of a portfolio containing 18 senior mortgage loans secured by various asset classes, 14 of which were securitized in the PDF’s CMBS offering.

Atlanta Private Equity Fund:

Represented an Atlanta based PEF in the acquisition and financing of a retail property in California with a total transaction value of $116 million.

New York Private Debt Fund:

Represented a New York based PDF in the origination of a senior mortgage and subordinate mezzanine loan secured by 33 convenience and gas/retail petroleum properties with a total transaction value of approximately $40 million.

Boston and New York Private Equity Fund:

Represented a Boston and New York based PEF in the acquisition and financing of a two hotel portfolio located in Jacksonville, Florida with a total transaction value of approximately $34 million.

National Bank:

Represented a national bank in the acquisition financing of a Maritime Port and Intermodal facility with a total transaction value of approximately $19 million.

Boston CFO Outsourcing and Consulting Firm:

Represented a Boston based CFO outsourcing and technical consulting firm in its $165 million senior corporate borrowing facility from a national bank.

National Bank and Private Debt Fund:

Represented a national bank and PDF in the acquisition of a $75 million UPB 135 asset small balance loan portfolio secured by various asset classes.

Debt and Equity Investments for Financial Institutions:

Represented national and regional financial institutions including banks and funds making debt and equity investments in assets including commercial real estate, corporate and asset based lending, loans guaranteed by the Export-Import Bank of the United States, debt investments intended for sale on the secondary market as CMBS, CDOs or other securitizations, loan portfolio dispositions and acquisitions and related transactions.

Lending Platforms for Financial Institutions:

Represented funds and banks in the startup and growth of high-volume lending platforms across various asset classes.

Financial Institutions:

Represented numerous financial institutions and other companies in servicing, workouts, foreclosures, portfolio management, short sales, and complex commercial dispute resolution.

International Money Center Bank:

Represented an international money center bank in a term loan-on-loan bridge financing facility involving a prominent U.S. debt fund. The latter had pledged as collateral ten commercial real estate loans secured by first mortgages on commercial properties in seven states, with a total transaction size of $1 billion. 

Joint Venture:

Represented client in a joint venture involving the acquisition of the leasehold interest in the Golden Bear Plaza 243,000-square-foot Class A office complex in Palm Beach Gardens, with a total transaction value of $49.8 million.

• J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law, 2006, cum laude
• B.A., University of Florida, 2003

Bars

• Florida
• New York

Courts

• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

• Best Lawyers, 2024-2027, Listed in Florida for Real Estate Law
• Thomson-Reuters, 2026, Named a “Stand-Out Lawyer”
• Martindale-Hubbell, AV Rated
• Connect CRE, 2022 Lawyer in Real Estate Award Winner, Florida & Gulf Coast
• Jacksonville Business Journal, 2012, “40 Under 40,” Honoree
• Super Lawyers Magazine, 2011-2015, Listed as a Rising Star in Florida

• Florida Venture Forum, Board of Directors
• Gator Bowl, Committee Member
• Propeller Club Port of Jacksonville, Board Member 
• Jacksonville Bar Association, Young Lawyers Section, Board of Directors
• Florida Gators, Alumni Association