Firm Expands National Real Estate and Commercial Finance Practices

Shipman & Goodwin has added two attorneys as part of its strategic expansion of its national real estate and commercial finance practices.

Scott M. Gerard joins the firm as its newest partner and Kelly A. Trahan joins as its newest counsel. They will serve the needs of local, regional, national and international clients from the firm's Stamford, Connecticut and New York City offices. Both attorneys come to Shipman & Goodwin from Murtha Cullina.

"Over the past decade, our firm has made significant investments to enhance our national capabilities to provide high-level, value-driven counseling for complex real estate and finance transactions," explains Alan E. Lieberman, Managing Partner of Shipman & Goodwin. "Through strategic external hiring and internal development and promotion, we have developed a deep team of lawyers in our corporate, real estate, tax, environmental, construction, land use and litigation practice groups. They operate across our different geographic offices in order to collaboratively, creatively and efficiently meet our clients' needs. Scott Gerard and Kelly Trahan exemplify our firm's client-focused approach and will expand the scope of services we provide on behalf of our clients," says Mr. Lieberman. "We are extremely pleased to welcome them to our firm."

"Shipman & Goodwin offers exciting opportunities in business and finance law, and this firm is a good fit for my practice," says Mr. Gerard, who brings more than three decades of experience in the real estate, finance and commercial law areas. "I look forward to working collaboratively on a wide range of complex legal issues with the objective of benefiting our clients."

Mr. Gerard represents commercial financial institutions in structuring and closing a wide range of sophisticated loans; advises clients on loan restructures and workouts; and provides guidance to a variety of business as outside general counsel on matters such as business formation, structuring new business entities, forming joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions and dispositions. In addition, he has represented major developers in all phases of real estate development.

Ms. Trahan represents clients in the areas of commercial real estate, commercial financing and general corporate matters. She has extensive experience in all aspects of commercial financing and represents national and community banks, insurance companies, pension funds and other lending institutions in structuring and closing complex real estate-based and asset-based transactions. She also has extensive experience in commercial real estate transactions, including complex acquisitions and dispositions, sale-leaseback transactions, development and leasing.