Joel D.Rubin
Partner
Real Estate
jrubin@seyfarth.com
Joel provides strategic planning and legal advice to public and private pension funds, their investment advisors, foreign investors, REITs and developers regarding real estate investments throughout the United States.
More About Joel
With more than three decades of experience in pension fund, real estate and corporate law, Joel has extensive experience in organizing and planning co-investments, joint ventures and REITs, acquiring and disposing of income producing properties, and financing developments and re-developments.
He also has significant experience in advising clients regarding the fiduciary responsibilities of funds and their advisors and acts as legal counselor to businesses in a variety of areas, including river boat and Indian gaming.
He is a business person’s lawyer, acting as the point person in advising and managing the business/legal process, including litigation, for clients.
Joel has an AV rating in Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, and is listed in Chambers USA.
He also has significant experience in advising clients regarding the fiduciary responsibilities of funds and their advisors and acts as legal counselor to businesses in a variety of areas, including river boat and Indian gaming.
He is a business person’s lawyer, acting as the point person in advising and managing the business/legal process, including litigation, for clients.
Joel has an AV rating in Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, and is listed in Chambers USA.
- JD, Northwestern University School of Law
Cum laude
- BS, University of Pennsylvania
- Illinois
- New York
- Leads the firm’s representation of major public and private pension funds, pension fund advisors and developers with significant involvement in their investment activities.
- Was involved in the largest industrial property transactions of 2012 and 2013 according to Real Estate Alert.
- Has been involved in the establishment of pooled fund vehicles for investments in United States and foreign real estate and other assets such as junk bonds and mezzanine loans, either representing the sponsor or one of the lead investors.
- Negotiated and coordinated the acquisitions and dispositions of major office buildings, regional shopping centers, warehouse/industrial parks and multifamily projects throughout the United States, including acquisitions of portfolios with total asset values in excess of one billion dollars.
- Negotiated joint ventures on behalf of both institutions and developers for investment in real estate.
- Negotiated the co-investment vehicles between major institutional investors.
- Represents public and tax-exempt private pension funds and their advisers in their acquisition, disposition and joint venture creation for real estate investments, including creating various structures to accommodate such investments such as private REITs. In some cases, investments have taken the form of convertible debt, preferred equity or mezzanine debt.
- Currently serves as chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee of the Pension Real Estate Association.
- Served as chair of the Pension Plan Investments Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, during which time he dealt with the fiduciary responsibilities of pension funds and their advisors, issues involving unrelated business taxable income and appropriate investments in real estate.
- Delivered presentations before ABA Annual Meetings and pension fund/real estate organizations, including the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, the Urban Land Institute, the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and the 2007 Eighth Annual IMN US Real Estate Opportunity and Private Fund Investing Forum Panels. Topics he has addressed include: ERISA Considerations for Real Estate Investments by Qualified Plan; A Prudent Man Analysis of the Pension Fund Trustee as Seller or Buyer of Real Estate; and ERISA – The Silent Partner: Joint Ventures With Pension Plans, Private REIT Structures and Structuring Joint Venture Partnerships.
Related News & Insights
-
Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
-
Recognition
06/06/2024
Seyfarth Again Earns Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2024
-
Recognition
04/04/2024
Jason Polevoy Elected to American College of Real Estate Lawyers
-
Recognition
08/17/2023
210 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2024
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Real Estate Law (2015-2025)
- Recognized as a Leading Lawyer, Band 1 in Real Estate (Illinois) by Chambers USA (2010-2024)
- Recognized as a Notable Practitioner, Real Estate (Illinois) by Chambers USA (2006-2009)
- Who's Who Legal, Real Estate (Law Business Research Ltd.) (2019)
- Recognized Attorney, Real Estate (Nationwide), The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2012-2021)
- American Bar Association (former chair, Pension Plan Investments in Real Estate Committee; Real Property Division; Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law; former co-chair, Real Estate Syndications Committee)
- Chicago Bar Association
- American College of Real Estate Lawyers
- National Association of Pension Plan Attorneys
- Pension Real Estate Association (chair, Government Affairs Committee; chair, Legal/Regulatory Committee)
- The Economic Club of Chicago
- Co-Author, "Anatomy of a Commercial Mortgage Loan Workout," PREA Quarterly (Summer 2023)
- Co-Author, "Managing Allocation of COVID-19 Risks," PREA Quarterly, Regulatory Update (Summer 2020)
- “Taxability of Rental Income from Parking: Update,” Pension Real Estate Association Quarterly (Winter 2007)
- Moderator, “Strategies and Structures for Direct Investment in Real Estate,” National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, Nashville, TN (June 26, 2014)
- “Joint Venture Equity Investments & Structures,” U.S. Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing Forum, presented by Information Management Network, New York, NY (June 11, 2009)
Joel provides strategic planning and legal advice to public and private pension funds, their investment advisors, foreign investors, REITs and developers regarding real estate investments throughout the United States.
More About Joel
With more than three decades of experience in pension fund, real estate and corporate law, Joel has extensive experience in organizing and planning co-investments, joint ventures and REITs, acquiring and disposing of income producing properties, and financing developments and re-developments.
He also has significant experience in advising clients regarding the fiduciary responsibilities of funds and their advisors and acts as legal counselor to businesses in a variety of areas, including river boat and Indian gaming.
He is a business person’s lawyer, acting as the point person in advising and managing the business/legal process, including litigation, for clients.
Joel has an AV rating in Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, and is listed in Chambers USA.
He also has significant experience in advising clients regarding the fiduciary responsibilities of funds and their advisors and acts as legal counselor to businesses in a variety of areas, including river boat and Indian gaming.
He is a business person’s lawyer, acting as the point person in advising and managing the business/legal process, including litigation, for clients.
Joel has an AV rating in Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, and is listed in Chambers USA.
- JD, Northwestern University School of Law
Cum laude
- BS, University of Pennsylvania
- Illinois
- New York
- Leads the firm’s representation of major public and private pension funds, pension fund advisors and developers with significant involvement in their investment activities.
- Was involved in the largest industrial property transactions of 2012 and 2013 according to Real Estate Alert.
- Has been involved in the establishment of pooled fund vehicles for investments in United States and foreign real estate and other assets such as junk bonds and mezzanine loans, either representing the sponsor or one of the lead investors.
- Negotiated and coordinated the acquisitions and dispositions of major office buildings, regional shopping centers, warehouse/industrial parks and multifamily projects throughout the United States, including acquisitions of portfolios with total asset values in excess of one billion dollars.
- Negotiated joint ventures on behalf of both institutions and developers for investment in real estate.
- Negotiated the co-investment vehicles between major institutional investors.
- Represents public and tax-exempt private pension funds and their advisers in their acquisition, disposition and joint venture creation for real estate investments, including creating various structures to accommodate such investments such as private REITs. In some cases, investments have taken the form of convertible debt, preferred equity or mezzanine debt.
- Currently serves as chair of the Governmental Affairs Committee of the Pension Real Estate Association.
- Served as chair of the Pension Plan Investments Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, during which time he dealt with the fiduciary responsibilities of pension funds and their advisors, issues involving unrelated business taxable income and appropriate investments in real estate.
- Delivered presentations before ABA Annual Meetings and pension fund/real estate organizations, including the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, the Urban Land Institute, the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and the 2007 Eighth Annual IMN US Real Estate Opportunity and Private Fund Investing Forum Panels. Topics he has addressed include: ERISA Considerations for Real Estate Investments by Qualified Plan; A Prudent Man Analysis of the Pension Fund Trustee as Seller or Buyer of Real Estate; and ERISA – The Silent Partner: Joint Ventures With Pension Plans, Private REIT Structures and Structuring Joint Venture Partnerships.
Related News & Insights
-
Firm News
08/15/2024
220 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2025
-
Recognition
06/06/2024
Seyfarth Again Earns Top Rankings in Chambers USA 2024
-
Recognition
04/04/2024
Jason Polevoy Elected to American College of Real Estate Lawyers
-
Recognition
08/17/2023
210 Seyfarth Attorneys Chosen as Leaders in Their Fields by Best Lawyers in America 2024
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.) for Real Estate Law (2015-2025)
- Recognized as a Leading Lawyer, Band 1 in Real Estate (Illinois) by Chambers USA (2010-2024)
- Recognized as a Notable Practitioner, Real Estate (Illinois) by Chambers USA (2006-2009)
- Who's Who Legal, Real Estate (Law Business Research Ltd.) (2019)
- Recognized Attorney, Real Estate (Nationwide), The Legal 500 (Legalese Ltd.) (2012-2021)
- American Bar Association (former chair, Pension Plan Investments in Real Estate Committee; Real Property Division; Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law; former co-chair, Real Estate Syndications Committee)
- Chicago Bar Association
- American College of Real Estate Lawyers
- National Association of Pension Plan Attorneys
- Pension Real Estate Association (chair, Government Affairs Committee; chair, Legal/Regulatory Committee)
- The Economic Club of Chicago
- Co-Author, "Anatomy of a Commercial Mortgage Loan Workout," PREA Quarterly (Summer 2023)
- Co-Author, "Managing Allocation of COVID-19 Risks," PREA Quarterly, Regulatory Update (Summer 2020)
- “Taxability of Rental Income from Parking: Update,” Pension Real Estate Association Quarterly (Winter 2007)
- Moderator, “Strategies and Structures for Direct Investment in Real Estate,” National Association of Public Pension Attorneys, Nashville, TN (June 26, 2014)
- “Joint Venture Equity Investments & Structures,” U.S. Real Estate Opportunity & Private Fund Investing Forum, presented by Information Management Network, New York, NY (June 11, 2009)