About David R. Dlugie

Financial institutions across the country rely on David Dlugie to handle their most critical commercial property and commercial loan matters, sometimes with extremely tight timelines. For clients that are financing or selling/buying/leasing real property, or acquiring or disposing of commercial real estate loans, he solves their financing and equity issues using negotiation skills honed through three decades of practice. David assembles teams across the firm that work with clients to achieve their goals on commercial real estate matters throughout the country on a timely basis.

Using market knowledge to speed negotiations

In real estate negotiations, David uses his market knowledge to find solutions that move parties toward a successful closing on a cost-effective basis. Aided by an accounting background, he uses his business acumen to assist in productive negotiations and help his client achieve their goals, leading to more efficient outcomes that leave all parties feeling like winners. David’s clients commend his attentive approach, stating that his “incredible technical knowledge” and “business perspective” make him a “strong choice to represent lenders in real estate transactions (Chambers USA 2019).

David's business sense allows him to quickly identify, mitigate and resolve client issues as they arise. In large-scale transactions, he draws on Katten's 100-plus-lawyer Real Estate group to achieve results on even the most compressed time frames. One major private equity institution turned to David, for instance, when it needed to efficiently sell a portfolio of assets across the country that included eighteen office buildings, six hotels, three industrial properties and two retail properties in a short time frame. David assisted in the structuring and negotiation of thirteen transactions totaling over $500 million in just four months. In another fast-moving deal, David represented another private equity institution in its purchase of five mezzanine loans across 219 properties. The deal entailed negotiations with eleven borrowers and total financing of more than $3.6 billion. It closed in 33 days.

David also represented the financial services unit of an American conglomerate in its sale of a $1.56 billion mortgage loan pool of 44 mortgage loans, which commenced and closed in 40 days, while simultaneously working on the sale of a $560 million mortgage loan pool for the client with more than 260 mortgage loans. He also represented a Chicago-based lender and a financial institution in the origination of over 2,000 conduit mortgage loans across the country and the later securitization of such mortgage loans.

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"David is very good at understanding complex situations and can summarize them in a straightforward way."

Chambers USA 2024
(USA, Illinois, Real Estate) survey response

Practice Focus

  • Commercial loan transactions secured by real estate or by interests in entities that own real estate (including first lien mortgage and structured mezzanine financings)
  • Construction financings
  • Acquisitions and dispositions of distressed and performing loans and real estate properties, including real estate owned (REO) properties and loan portfolio transactions
  • Loan modifications, loan workouts and deed in lieu of foreclosure transactions
  • Formation of real estate entities
  • Originations and securitizations of conduit loans
  • Advising landlords and tenants on office space leases

News

Publications

Presentations and Events

Practices
Industries
Education
  • University of Illinois College of Law, JD
  • University of Illinois, MAS
  • University of Illinois, BS, with highest honors
Bar Admissions
  • Illinois
Community Involvements
  • American College of Mortgage Attorneys, Fellow
  • American Bar Association
  • Chicago Mortgage Attorneys Association
  • Commercial Real Estate Finance Council
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • The Chicago Bar Association, Real Property Committee
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • Best Lawyers in America
    Real Estate Law, 2010–2025
  • Chambers USA
    Real Estate, 2007–2024
  • Leading Lawyers Network
  • Super Lawyers
    Illinois, 2007–2024
  • The International Top 100 Magazine
    Top 100 Lawyers in America, 2014
    Top Five Lawyers in Illinois, 2014
  • The Legal 500 United States
    Recommended Attorney, 2007–2010, 2012, 2014–2024
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