Real Estate Management
Resume:
Ilya Braz
Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160
********@*****.***
Accomplished and results-oriented corporate and real estate attorney with broad-based experience in handling business and legal matters associated with the ownership, operation, leasing, acquisition and sale, financing, management, marketing and litigation in respect of residential, retail, hotel, office and mixed use commercial real estate.
Skills
Real Estate Transactions
Joint Ventures
Construction Management
Fund Formation
Corporate Finance
Privacy / Security Compliance
Litigation Management
Government Investigations
C-Suite Diplomacy
Workforce Relations
Corporate Governance
Day-to-Day Operations
Experience
GFI Capital Resources Group, Inc., New York, NY January 2012 to Present
Managing Director & General Counsel
Member of the Executive Committee and Investment Committee
Responsible for all legal matters and business operations of a real estate investment and development firm that currently owns, operates and is developing over 5 million square feet of real estate nationally, across multiple asset classes, including retail, hotel, luxury residential condominiums, and multi-family housing.
Handle day-to-day legal affairs for six operating companies, providing comprehensive real estate, construction and insurance services to affiliates and third parties.
Supervise and manage internal legal staff, outside counsel and lobbyists for all of the company’s transactions and litigation, including Greenberg Traurig, Kramer Levin, Kasowitz Benson Torres, Kirkland & Ellis, Troutman Sanders and Windels Marx.
Represent developer and construction manager in all predevelopment and development activities, including negotiation of joint venture agreements, mortgage and mezzanine loans and loan restructuring, development management agreements, construction management agreements and union collective bargaining agreements.
Responsible for all M&A, corporate governance of over 200 affiliated entities, fund formation maters and compliance, including regulatory requirements set by the Israel Securities Authority.
Oversaw the acquisition and $350 million recapitalization of 5 Beekman, a development of a historic landmark in the Manhattan financial district into an award-winning 287-room hotel with 68 luxury condominium residences located in a new 51-story tower, two leased restaurants, a night club/lounge, a fitness room/spa and approximately 6,000 sf of meeting and function space.
Closed $170 million public offering and two subsequent series of the company’s bonds on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange to raise debt for GFI’s real estate projects.
Ilya Braz resume (Page 2)
Negotiated and closed over $3.0B in debt and equity transactions for the company’s affiliates.
Represented mortgage lender in extensive negotiations with HUD and the U.S. Department of Justice and supervised implementation of compliance program.
Africa Israel, USA, New York, NY June 2008-December 2011
Director of Legal Services
In-house counsel to U.S. subsidiary of international real estate development company, responsible for providing support to Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel in all aspects of leasing acquisitions and sales, financings, marketing, and litigation, with respect to mixed-use properties.
Negotiated letters of intent, purchase agreements, joint venture agreements, permanent loans, loan modifications and refinancings, hotel and other management agreements, leases, development agreements, construction contracts, marketing, brokerage and employment agreements.
Played key role in negotiating the leasing and disposition of 850,000 square feet of Manhattan retail and office space.
Negotiated and closed sales of over $80 million of the company’s Florida real estate portfolio.
Supervised and managed litigation handled by outside counsel and conducted litigation in-house.
Responsible for all corporate governance and house-keeping matters.
Redema, Inc., Brooklyn, NY April 2006- June 2008
Vice President & Legal Counsel
Provided broad based in-house counsel and managerial support for a start up full service residential and commercial real estate brokerage, management and investment company.
Led development and leasing of mixed use properties.
Negotiated and closed disposition and leasing of residential properties and condominium units.
Supervised real estate brokers and negotiated commission agreements.
Conducted all commercial and landlord/ tenant litigation.
Peter Axelrod & Associates, P.C., New York, NY November 2004 – April 2006
Associate
Structured and closed deals, negotiated and drafted agreements and other documents, and conducted litigation.
Represented clients in all aspects of real estate transactions including negotiation
and drafting of leases and multi-family, single family, and co-operative apartment purchases and refinancings.
Represented clients in all stages of commercial and real estate litigation as well as landlord tenant disputes, including all pre-trial proceedings, hearings, EBT’s, discovery, and motions.
United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York
Asset Forfeiture Unit, New York, NY August 2003 – November 2004
Contract Attorney
Coordinated all phases of the asset seizure process with inter-governmental agencies for forfeiture of real and personal property, and provided litigation support.
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Citigroup Private Bank, Long Island City, NY May 2003 – August 2003
Mortgage Closer
Managed all aspects of mortgage closings for high net worth clients, including satisfaction of underwriting requirements, resolution of title defects, and preparation of closing documents and disbursement of funds.
Ilya Braz resume (Page 3)
Hawkins, Delafield & Wood, New York, NY June 2001 – August 2001
Summer Associate
Assisted in closing deals, conducted legal research and prepared memoranda of law.
New York State Housing Finance Agency and
State of New York Mortgage Agency New York, NY June 2000 – August 2000
Law Clerk
Assisted in closing deals, conducted legal research and prepared memoranda of law.
Education
Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, NY
J.D., June 2002
Clark University, Worcester, MA
B.A., cum laude with honors in Economics, May 1999
Honors Thesis: The Effects of Rent Control on Residential Real Estate Development in New York City
Bar Admissions, Foreign Languages and Interests
Admitted to practice in New York. Speak fluent Russian and Intermediate Hebrew. Interests include competitive swimming, weight lifting and mixed martial arts.
Honors And Awards
Recipient of 2018 First Chair Award for Top General Counsel
Named Smart CEO Magazine’s 2015 Executive Management Award Winner for General
Counsel.
Frequent panel speaker for IMN’s General Counsel Forum.
Panel speaker for The Harlem Hospitality & Culinary Conference, In-house Counsel Management Conference and International In-House Counsel Conference.
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