Each year, Midwest Real Estate News elects a new class to its Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Here’s a look at one of our new inductees, Jeffrey Abrams, partner with Indianapolis office of law firm Taft Stettinius & Hollister.
During his 40-year career, Taft Indianapolis partner Jeffrey Abrams has successfully combined his deep commercial real estate experience with his vast knowledge of financial markets. He incorporates both areas to navigate and negotiate sophisticated legal counsel to accomplish his clients’ wide range of business growth strategies.
Abrams represents banks and lending institutions, developers, landlords, tenants, builders, contractors and all types of business owners. His behind-the-scenes efforts for his clients have yielded impressive and visual results – structures including hotels, office and industrial buildings, retail spaces and shopping centers, multi-family projects, restaurants, offices and warehouses across Indianapolis and the Midwest.
Abrams’ career can be summed up like this: If a client was not a friend, he became a friend. If a friend was not a client and needed legal advice, he became a client. Abrams says he loves practicing law because his clients are his friends and his friends are his clients.
“I love practicing law with my clients who are my friends,” Abrams said. “What better way to spend a day than working with my friends. That is why I do not call my job WORK.”
Abrams also enjoys making a positive difference in the lives of his clients. That’s something that became especially important as the country deals with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic has created challenges for clients, ranging from the ability to secure funding to supply chain issues for construction,” Abrams said. “I regard challenges as opportunities to be nimble and to enact change. I think I’ve made a difference during these unprecedented times.”
Given his financial prowess and his can-do attitude, charities often approach Abrams to lead significant fund-raising activities. Some of his notable accomplishments in the fund-raising arena include:
• As co-chair of the 2018 Indy Bar Foundation capital campaign, Abrams exceeded the bar’s goal by more than $100,000.
• As host of a private event to raise money for documentary film Eva, detailing the life of Auschwitz survivor Eva Kor, Abrams’ efforts raised more than $50,000 and were acknowledged by the film’s producers at the initial private showing in Indianapolis in 2019 and in the documentary seen worldwide.
• Abrams is involved on the fundraising committee of the Indiana Golf Foundation to raise no less than $2.5 million to build a new headquarters for Indiana’s First Tee Program. This program, now in more than 311 elementary schools, impacts nearly 98,000 children by promoting lifelong skills and core values through the game of golf.
Abrams’ work accomplishments are many, too. He’s earned the following major industry honors:
• Zeff Weiss Award for Excellence in Real Estate, by the Indianapolis Bar Association (2020)
• Top Ranked Real Estate Attorney, by Chambers USA (2003 – present)
• AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
• Distinguished Barrister Honoree, The Indiana Lawyer Leadership in Law Awards (2019)
• Honoree, Best Lawyers in America (2006 – present)
• Top 50 Honoree, Indiana Super Lawyers (2015 – 2016)
• Honoree, Indiana Super Lawyers (2004 – present)
• Named a Life Fellow in 2012 by the Indianapolis Bar Foundation
“I pride myself on being highly accessible and responsive to clients and to my Taft colleagues,” Abrams said. “I respond promptly to emails and phone calls and initiate conversations to keep business moving forward and to avoid roadblocks. I can draft documents within hours to meet a critical timing need for a client.”
When not working, Abrams says he enjoys spending time with his extended family. He is also an avid golfer.
