49 Year Old Corporate Partner To Work Closely With Chairman H. Rodgin Cohen
NEW YORK, February 16, 2006 — LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Joseph Shenker, a well-known attorney who pioneered the field of real estate securitization and was the youngest partner ever named at Sullivan & Cromwell, has become the Firm’s vice chairman, it was announced today by the Firm’s chairman, H. Rodgin Cohen.
“This appointment reflects the huge role that Joe has played at our Firm since he
joined in 1980 and the extraordinary impact that he has had, both in serving our clients and in our own business operations,” Mr. Cohen said. “The vice chairmanship further underscores his leadership position in the Firm and provides for succession planning.”
Mr. Shenker’s new responsibilities will include working alongside Mr. Cohen to
provide counsel to chief executives of corporations, business leaders and members of
prominent families all over the world.
“Joe has become a trusted personal advisor to dozens of the world’s most active
and influential business figures,” said Mr. Cohen. “I look forward to continuing to work
closely with him to increase the value of the broad-ranging, one-on-one counsel we offer from the senior partnership of our Firm.”
The vice chairmanship adds to Mr. Shenker’s already considerable role at
Sullivan & Cromwell where in addition to heading its real estate practice, he oversees the Firm’s financial and administrative affairs and serves on the management committee.
During the course of Mr. Shenker’s career at the Firm, he has been recognized for
helping to invent and popularize real estate securitization. He expanded the real estate practice to the Firm’s other U.S. offices, as well as internationally, transforming it from a traditional real estate orientation to a broad-based, multi-disciplinary practice.
Mr. Shenker’s extensive experience includes negotiated mergers and acquisitions, domestic and cross-border joint ventures, the representation of private equity investors and family investment offices in the Americas, Europe and Asia, securities offerings, private and public financings, real estate developments, and related tax and estate planning. His clients include numerous public real estate companies, including Vornado Realty Trust and General Growth Properties; large real estate operating companies, including the Goldman Sachs Whitehall Funds (worldwide); and other private owners, developers and operators of real estate and other assets, including members of the Tisch and Pritzker families and related entities.
Mr. Shenker’s recent notable transactions include his representation of the Tisch
and Mara families (owners of the NY Football Giants) and the New York Football Giants, Inc. in the new $1+ billion joint venture with the NY Jets to develop a new football stadium and entertainment and retail complex in the Meadowlands, NJ; and
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. in connection with its new 2.2 million square foot world
headquarters to be located on land leased from Battery Park City Authority in Lower
Manhattan.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Shenker is a graduate of the City
University of New York and Columbia Law School.
