About Frank E. Arado

Frank Arado has a broad-based, national practice with extensive experience in closing diverse real estate transactions, including the origination, modification and restructuring of commercial mortgage loans, the sale of loan pools and the leasing and sale of office buildings, data centers and all other types of assets. Frank also serves as a trusted advisor to developers and equity sources for the development and ownership of a variety of real estate assets. 

Understands lending and leasing for diverse assets

When debt funds and institutional lenders need to close complex real estate finance deals or negotiate and document corporate or real estate loan restructurings, they turn to Frank. Frank's lending experience includes a focus on construction lending for various types of assets, secured and unsecured loans in hospitality and retail and negotiating and documenting loan and corporate restructurings secured by real estate, primarily as counsel to senior lenders and lender groups. He also represents commercial banks in their sale of individual loans and pools of loans secured by real estate.

In addition to his deep lending experience, Frank has nearly 25 years of leasing experience and began his career handling the leasing of the "Amoco Building" in Chicago. He continues to represent various corporate entities and their owners in the leasing and ownership of their assets. Frank has negotiated some of the largest leases across the country and has experience in the leasing and sale of office, financial center, data center and ground leased assets. He has also developed strong experience in lease financing and represents clients in a number of credit-tenant leases, synthetic leases, sale-leasebacks and other lease financing transactions.

Focused on the end game

Frank makes it a goal to close his complex deals on his client's desired timeline. To accomplish this, he keeps a rigorous focus on the end game. He emphasizes his client's key objectives without wasting time negotiating irrelevant provisions. That approach allowed him to close a large portfolio loan of 10 assets in just 15 business days for one of the world's largest banks. Executing the deal in such a short timeframe was all the more impressive because it was his client's first deal with the borrower and it involved numerous legal issues of first impression.

Creativity and determination help Frank overcome obstacles to his clients' financings and transactions, whether he is finding innovative ways around restrictive transfer requirements or creating unique solutions to difficult title issues. As head of the firm's Real Estate Finance and Lending practice, he has the full resources of his group to aid in any deals that demand them.

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Practice Focus

  • Secured and unsecured real estate finance transactions
  • Joint venture transactions
  • Real estate space and ground leasing transactions
  • Real estate acquisition and disposition transactions

Representative Experience

  • Represented a commercial bank in connection with a $125 million credit facility and construction loan for Toringdon Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
  • Represented a commercial bank as the anchor tenant in the construction and leasing of 555,000 square feet in a newly constructed Class AA office tower in Chicago, Illinois.
  • Represented a commercial bank in the sale and leaseback of three data center facilities for $185 million located in three states.
  • Represented a commercial bank in the restructuring of a $7 billion credit facility for a large casino/hotel operator secured by casinos and hotels in multiple states. *
  • Represented a commercial bank in the restructuring of a $3 billion construction loan for a casino and resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, which remains the largest private construction project in the United States. *
  • Represented a commercial bank in connection with a $200 million credit facility to a national homebuilder for the construction of various projects throughout the United States. *
  • Represented a commercial bank in connection with a $100 million credit facility to a regional homebuilder for the construction of five projects throughout North Carolina. *
  • Represented a commercial bank in connection with the forbearance of over 100 homebuilder loans throughout North Carolina and South Carolina. *
* Experience prior to Katten

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Presentations and Events

Practices
Industries
Education
  • University of Illinois, JD
  • University of Illinois, MBA
  • The University of Chicago, BA
Bar Admissions
  • Illinois
  • North Carolina
Community Involvements
  • American Bar Association
  • Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
  • Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Charlotte
  • Leadership Charlotte
  • Queens University of Charlotte, McColl School of Business Board of Advisors
  • Toastmasters, Charlotte Chapter
  • American College of Mortgage Attorneys
  • Urban Land Institute
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • Best Lawyers in America
    Real Estate Law, 2018–2025
  • Chambers USA
    Real Estate: Finance, 2012–2024
  • Charlotte Business Journal
    40 Under 40, 2010
  • Connect CRE
    Annual Lawyers in Real Estate, 2023
  • The Legal 500 United States
    Recommended Attorney, 2011, 2020–2021, 2023–2024
  • Super Lawyers
    North Carolina, 2017–2024
Award Methodologies