NEW YORK (June 24, 2013) – Morrison & Foerster today announced that Stephen D. Cox, former managing director and head of transaction operations and debt capital markets in the New York branch of Hypothekenbank Frankfurt AG (formerly Eurohypo AG), has joined the firm's New York office as of counsel.
Mr. Cox has extensive experience structuring and negotiating complex portfolio and CMBS real estate financings. He has worked on construction, predevelopment and mezzanine loans, secured and unsecured credit facilities, and REIT credit lines. While at Hypothekenbank, Mr. Cox was responsible for managing more than $11 billion in structured finance transactions and $1 billion in CMBS loans.
He has also been at the center of numerous workouts and restructurings, negotiating with lending syndicates, creditor committees and special servicers. Mr. Cox has advised on loan syndications and participations, intercreditor issues, as well as the sale of single real estate assets and large loan portfolios.
"Stephen adds another accomplished veteran to our team who handles sophisticated commercial financing transactions, including balance sheet, syndicated and CMBS loans," said Mark S. Edelstein, chair of the firm's Real Estate Finance and Distressed Real Estate Practices. "Stephen's experience structuring, closing and managing highly complex loans for a major commercial real estate bank will prove invaluable to our institutional and other clients and gives us added advantage in the commercial real estate finance market."
Mr. Cox arrives on the heels of two other additions to Morrison & Foerster's real estate finance team in New York. In May, Lawrence Ceriello joined the firm as a partner, and earlier in June the firm added Tushna Gamadia as of counsel. Mr. Ceriello advises major financial institutions and investors in large real estate transactions involving debt financings and securitizations, while Ms. Gamadia advises lenders and borrowers on securitized lending, balance sheet lending, syndicated loan transactions, preferred equity and private equity transactions.
"I am excited to join MoFo's real estate practice. As a former client I know the firm's highly regarded reputation in this space well and feel it is a great fit for me," Mr. Cox said. "I have always been impressed by MoFo's strength in this practice, and I look forward to contributing to its continued growth and success."
Prior to joining Hypothekenbank, Mr. Cox was an associate with Shearman & Sterling LLP representing U.S. and international financial institutions, joint ventures and corporations on all aspects of real estate financing, leasing, purchase and sale and merger activities.
Morrison & Foerster's Real Estate Group is ranked in tier 1 nationally in the annual Best Law Firms report published jointly by U.S. News and Best Lawyers. The firm is also highly ranked for real estate in Chambers Asia and Chambers USA, Legal 500 US and Legal 500 Asia-Pacific.
Mr. Cox earned his J.D. from the University of Toronto, where he was an assistant editor of the Faculty of Law Review. He also received his masters and undergraduate degrees from the University of Toronto.