Professional Experience
Mr. Gantz’s practice emphasizes financial and real estate transactions, including mortgage lending, real estate development, community redevelopment, public-private partnerships, corporate and commercial lending, asset-based finance, joint venture finance, affordable housing development and financing (including tax-exempt bond transactions and transactions involving the low-income housing tax credit), mezzanine and other highly leveraged financings, public finance, and capital markets transactions (including commercial mortgage loan securitizations).
Mr. Gantz has extensive experience representing buyers and sellers of distressed mortgage loans, loan portfolios, and REO and in representing lenders in mortgage loan restructurings and workouts. He has also formed and served as general counsel to commercial mortgage loan conduits and private equity funds.
Mr. Gantz also advises public agencies and private developers in public-private partnerships. He currently serves as counsel to the City of Tustin in connection with the conversion of the Marine Corps Air Station Tustin from military to civilian use.
Mr. Gantz represents lenders and equity providers in the financing of wineries and vineyards, and in the restructuring of those financial transactions. He is completing the certificate program in winemaking offered by the world-renowned Department of Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis for individuals employed in the wine industry. He is also developing his own vineyard, which is to be planted to Pinot Noir and which is located in the Russian River Valley American Viticultural Area, Sonoma County, California.
Mr. Gantz’s clients have included commercial banks, investment banks and other financial institutions, residential and commercial developers, governmental agencies and real estate investors.
Mr. Gantz is a member of the firm’s Board of Directors and is the Co-Administrative Partner in the San Francisco office.
Education
University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D., cum laude, 1984.
Hastings Law Journal.
Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1978.
University of California, Santa Barbara, B.A., Political Science and Chinese language, with honors, 1980.
Memberships & Activities
Admitted to practice in California.
Member, California Bankers Association.
Member, Urban Land Institute.
Publications
Quoted, “Buy a Loan-to-Own, and Price it Right,” GlobeSt.com, July 26, 2010.
Co-Author, “Selling Distressed Assets,” Mortgage Banking Magazine, June, 2010.
Quoted, “Platform Set for CMBS Borrowers,” National Mortgage News, September 21, 2009.
Quoted, “Crunch Looms for Commercial Real Estate Debt,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, August 7, 2009.
Quoted, “CMBS Loans in Trouble, Law Firm Sees Way to Speed Workouts,” FinCriAdvisor, July 19, 2009.
Quoted, “Financial Crisis Leads to New Ventures Between Law Firms,” FinCriAdvisor, July 19, 2009.
Quoted, “GSP, Manatt Launch CMBS Advisory Services,” GlobeSt.com, July 9, 2009.
Quoted, “CMBS Loans in Trouble, Law Firm Sees Way to Speed Workouts,” FinCriAdvisor, July 19, 2009.
Quoted, “FDIC Backs Away from Toxic Debt Sales,” GlobeSt.com, June 5, 2009.
Quoted, “Vultures Continue Circling But Close Few Deals: Opportunity funds find themselves negotiating with banks rather than builders,” Real Estate Journal, October 9, 2008.
Speaking Engagements
“Evaluating Loan Sale Options," Information Management Networks' Bankers Forum on Distressed Properties & Real Estate Loan Workouts, New York, NY, April 19-20, 2010.
“Trouble in the Commercial Real Estate Debt Markets - Opportunity or Threat?” Urban Land Institute, Redwood Shores, CA, February 18, 2010.
Moderator, “Banks in Distress - Opportunities for Real Estate Finance & Investment,” Information Forecast Inc., July 23, 2009.
“Workouts and Breakouts: What Can Be Built in Today’s Market,” Urban Land Institute, San Francisco, CA, September 2008.
Moderator, “California Local Market Roundtable,” Distressed Real Estate Symposium, Miami, FL, March 2008.