Lewis Goss II

Partner
Lewis is a partner in the Real Estate group with an emphasis on finance, acquisitions, dispositions, development and restructuring.
Lewis Goss II

For 15 years, Lewis has represented banks, private debt and equity funds, insurance companies, and other institutional investors in a wide variety of commercial transactions, including: real estate acquisition, bridge, and construction financing; mezzanine, note-on-note, preferred equity, and other subordinate finance structures; syndications and intercreditor agreements; as well as loan restructuring, distressed assets, and workouts. Lewis has experience with both single-asset and large portfolio transactions with domestic and international borrowers and collateral. Additionally, Lewis represents developers and investors in their acquisitions, dispositions, and development of commercial real estate and infrastructure projects.

Client Work

Recent representations include:

Workouts/Restructuring:

-Represented a large private equity firm in a mortgage loan workout and repossession of a Washington DC trophy office building through a membership interest purchase of the borrower. 

-Negotiated a deed in lieu agreement and structured acceptance of the deed for a shopping center in New Jersey.

-Commenced and completed foreclosure of retail center in Indiana in satisfaction of the mortgage note. 

Construction/Development:

-DC hotel and multi-family mixed-use development: Represented a large regional bank on a $130 million mortgage loan and negotiated the intercreditor agreement with the mezzanine lender ($61 million) for the multi-family capital stack. Represented the bank as the leverage lender ($45 million) to the hotel mortgage loan lender ($56 million).

-Represented mortgage lender in NYC multifamily ground lease redevelopment: Project Loan; Building Loan; Mezz Loan (negotiated intercreditor agreement and 4-party ground lease estoppel). 

-Represented a large regional bank on a $121 million mall construction and redevelopment in Florida. 

-Represented a global investment bank on a $106 million high-rise multifamily construction mortgage loan in Tennessee. 

Sub-Debt/High Yield

-Represented a debt fund in preferred equity investment in multifamily construction project in North Carolina. 

-Represented large commercial bank in $21 million leverage loan on a $45 million defaulted mortgage loan secured by multiple office buildings in Chicago. Leverage loan converted to mortgage loan following foreclosure of real estate. 

-Represented a debt fund on $45 million leverage loan on the $49 million mortgage refinancing of a newly constructed multi-family building in New York City.

-Represented private lender in mezzanine loans to private equity sponsor for acquisition of retail shopping centers in Texas and Arizona. 

Acquisition/Disposition Finance

-Seller Financing: represented a global investment bank (and its equity partners) in the sale of a shopping mall in California; and as Agent and Lenders in the seller financing of a mortgage loan to the purchaser of the asset. 

-Represented one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in the world on a $125 million mortgage secured by a Washington, DC Class-A office building. 

-Represented a private-equity firm on a $66 million loan for a single-family scattered-site home portfolio in Georgia.

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Lewis was recognized as an Up and Coming lawyer by Chambers USA in 2022 and 2023 for his expertise advising corporate clients on real estate transactions. Lewis was recognized as a national leader in Real Estate law by Legal 500 US from 2019-2022. He was named one of Washington DC's Top 40 Lawyers Under 40 by Legal Bisnow in 2016.

Previous Work

Prior to joining ArentFox Schiff, Lewis worked as an associate at an international law firm, and during law school served as an intern for the Hon. Maurice A. Ross of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.