Stewart J. Stern is a founding partner of Stern Tannenbaum & Bell LLP and heads the Firm’s real estate group. Previously, Mr. Stern was head of the Real Estate Department at the New York office of Duane Morris LLP for more than a decade.
Mr. Stern has extensive experience in all aspects of real estate law and practice. His clients include some of the nation’s largest real estate developers, investors and lenders, and he also has an active hospitality practice, representing well-known hotels, restaurants and nightclubs.
A former certified public accountant, Mr. Stern practiced at a major international accounting firm before beginning his legal career at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. Mr. Stern was the 1985 Valedictorian of Fordham Law School.
Mr. Stern has an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rating, the highest rating awarded, by Martindale Hubbell, has been selected a New York Super Lawyer® in each year from 2010 through 2023, and is listed in Who's Who in America.
General Real Estate
Hospitality
- Representation of a well known New York City developer in the purchase of a majority interest in a 1.1 million square foot Manhattan telecommunications building, and the placement of a securitized $280 million mortgage loan.
- Representation of a major financial institution in the purchase of 29 New York City retail bank branches.
- Representation of a foreign developer in the purchase, re-development, financing, and sale of a Fifth Avenue office building.
- Representation of a domestic subsidiary of a foreign corporation in the $550 million structured financing of a “signature” Manhattan office building.
- Representation of an international hedge fund in the purchase, leaseback and securitized financing of a $220 million Long Island corporate headquarters complex.
- Representing of a major New York City developer in the acquisition, financing and ground up development of numerous commercial, residential and mixed use projects.
- Representation of a group of Manhattan developers in the workout of a partnership dispute involving 16 lawsuits and 15 Manhattan office buildings and apartment complexes.
- Representation of the foreign lender in the development financing of the Foxwoods Casino on a Connecticut Indian reservation, including the structuring of the profit participation elements thereof.
- Representation of a major New York investment bank in the provision of a $205 million mortgage loan facility to a life insurance company.
- Representation of a national developer in the $82 million securitized financing of a mixed use Boston property.
- Representation of a domestic airline in the $170 million structured financing of a Kennedy International Airport terminal.
- Representation of a major money center bank in the development financing of a new private school in Manhattan.
- Representation of a New York City developer in the defeasance of an existing securitized loan and the placement of a new $50 million securitized loan on a New York landmark property.
- Representation of a foreign pension fund on numerous construction and permanent loans, joint ventures and forward equity commitments relating to the development of properties throughout the country.
- Representation of a regional bank on numerous construction and permanent loans.
- Representation of a Manhattan developer in the structured foreclosure of a 1 million square foot office building and the workout of a $250 million mortgage loan covering a major Park Avenue office building.
- Representation of a developer in the 100 year ground lease of a midtown Manhattan development parcel.
- Representation of the owner of a New York City landmark building in the granting of a conservation facade easement covering the building.
Hospitality
- Representation of a major hospitality company in the joint venture development of a Florida resort.
- Representation of an institutional investor in the sale of a portfolio of hotels throughout the United States.
- Representation of an institutional investor in the purchase and financing of a deluxe Manhattan hotel.
- Representation of an investor in the purchase of a package of movie and live "Off Broadway" theatres.
- Representation of a well-known restaurateur in the development of numerous first class restaurants, lounges and nightclubs.
- New York
- Fordham University School of Law, J.D., 1985 (magna cum laude),
Graduating Class Valedictorian
Editor, Fordham Law Review - Brooklyn College, B.S., Accounting, 1978 (cum laude)
Legal
- Duane Morris LLP, New York, New York
- Partner, 1996-2007
- Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, New York, New York
- Associate, 1992-1996
- Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, New York, New York
- Associate, 1985-1992 Accounting
- Laventhol & Horwath, New York, New York
- Audit Supervisor, 1983-1985
- Senior Accountant, 1981-1983
- Staff Accountant, 1979-1981
- Board Member, 2020-Present
- Real Estate Loan Committee Member, 2020-Present
- Board Member, 2020-Present
- The Real Estate Board of New York
- The Association of the Bar of the City of New York - Real Property Law Section
- New York State Bar Association - Real Property Law Section; Committee on Commercial Leasing
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (former member)
- Pro Bono work with the Lawyers Alliance for New York and the New York City Partnership developing low income housing in Brooklyn
- Pro Bono real estate work for victims of September 11th
- “Real Estate Joint Ventures: Investors Still Focus on Risk,” National Law Journal.
- “Non-Recourse Mortgage Loans: Borrower Beware,” Metropolitan Corporate Counsel.
- “Constructive Eviction, A Way Out or a Dead End?” Metropolitan Corporate Counsel.