Chicago— Dentons announces today the addition of partners Adam Docks, Lindsay Jewell and Jordan McCarthy to its global Hotels and Leisure practice. Docks and McCarthy will join the Chicago office, while Jewell will be based in Phoenix. This trio of hospitality transactional lawyers has a large national practice assisting clients with the acquisition, disposition, development, finance, recapitalization and formation of lodging and leisure-focused investment vehicles and businesses.

Docks, formerly co-chair of the hospitality industry group at his prior firm, brings a wealth of experience across a wide range of matters including representing some of the most active and innovative private equity funds, sponsors and family offices in various aspects of hotel and leisure industry transactions. He has experience working with many prominent hotel owners/developers, covering the full spectrum of hotel asset classes. He also has significant experience dealing with distressed hotel investments and regularly advises commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) special servicers and opportunistic originators or acquirers of debt in connection with the origination, servicing, workout and restructuring of hotel loans. Docks’ practice also extends to other unique real estate asset classes, such as concert venues, theaters, golf courses, social clubs, branded residential projects and student housing projects.

Jewell focuses on local, multistate, and portfolio real estate transactions and has significant experience in the hospitality industry, including matters involving acquisitions, dispositions, ground leasing, hotel and construction finance, real estate investment trust structuring, joint ventures, and development and asset management. Jewell helps clients with drafting and negotiating hotel and brand management agreements, franchise agreements and other related hospitality project agreements. She has also worked extensively on various aspects of CMBS and specially serviced commercial real estate loans.

A real estate transaction lawyer, McCarthy works with hotel industry clients on acquisitions, dispositions, hotel finance, REIT structuring, joint ventures, franchise and hotel management agreements. McCarthy has a background in bankruptcy and creditors' rights, and she brings that experience and perspective to her practice to advise clients in structuring or evaluating transactions to protect their interests. She also has experience prosecuting claims for breach of guarantees and negotiating non-judicial workouts and resolutions, including deeds in lieu of foreclosure, discounted payoffs and loan modifications.

“Adam, Lindsay and Jordan underscore our commitment to investing in top-tier talent and building on strategic practices to position our Firm for the future,” said Sonia Martin, Dentons US CEO. “We are proud to welcome this dynamic team to Dentons.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Adam, Lindsay and Jordan to our outstanding team of lawyers in the Hotels and Leisure practice," said Rick Ross, global chair of the Hotels and Leisure practice. "Their extensive experience and profound commitment to being problem solvers for their clients align seamlessly with our commitment to providing best-in-class value-added service to clients in the hotel and leisure sector. Our Firm’s practice in this industry has consistently been recognized as one of the world's best, and we are strengthened by their addition. We are confident that they will enhance our ability to serve our clients in the hotel and real estate sectors. Most importantly, they are a perfect culture fit for our team and our Firm. Our clients will enjoy that, as will we."

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