Each year, Midwest Real Estate News inducts a new class into its Commercial Real Estate Hall of Fame. Here is a look at the successful career of one of these new inductees, Eric Greenfield, real estate division chairman in the Chicago office of law firm Polsinelli.
A trusted partner. That’s what Eric Greenfield, real estate division chair in the Chicago office of law firm Polsinelli, is to his long-time clients. And by sharing his industry knowledge to help his clients make the best real estate decisions, Greenfield has built a thriving legal career.
Greenfield focuses his practice on domestic and cross-border real estate transactions. He does this well, too: Greenfield’s honors include Lawyers in Real Estate Award (Connect CRE—2021, 2022), Real Estate Lawyers of the Year (Illinois Real Estate Journal) and Notable Gen X Leader in Accounting, Consulting and Law 2019, 2021(Crain’s Chicago Business). Greenfield also was included in The Best Lawyers in America for Real Estate Law, Ranked in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business Up and Coming, Real Estate and Real Estate, Illinois. He’s also amassed an impressive client list that includes developers, lenders, REITs, private equity firms, pension funds and real estate funds.
During his career, Greenfield has successfully closed transactions in eleven countries and 49 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. He’s in demand thanks largely to his industry knowledge, commitment to his clients, work ethic and integrity. That knowledge part is especially important: Greenfield has extensive experience in structuring, negotiating and documenting all the facets of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, joint ventures, fund and development work.
How varied is Greenfield’s career? His practice focuses on everything from student housing, office and industrial real estate to self-storage, healthcare, medical office building, life science, multifamily and hotel properties. He also advises clients on matters relating to seniors housing, mobile homes, retail and mixed-use properties.
Greenfield has worked in commercial real estate for almost two decades. Given that, what keeps him engaged in this business? He says it’s the people.
“I love the people I get to work with every day as there are so many different personalities in our business and commercial real estate is an interactive business,” Greenfield said. “I like that every day and every deal is different. I like that I am able to be a legal expert and provide true counsel for all parties involved in commercial real estate.”
A good example of Greenfield’s work? Since 2005, he has served as the go-to attorney for a real estate investment holding company whose gross asset value for its total portfolio is approximately $7.8 billion, with portfolio targets of $20 billion by 2023. He also represents one of the largest student housing companies in the country with properties at large Midwest, Southeast and Southwest universities. Eric helped steer a global vertically integrated real estate investment management company with more than $13 billion in assets across the United States, Europe and Latin America in the formation of an externally managed private REIT strategically designed to capitalize on the sector’s positive secular tailwinds through the delivery of state-of-the-art warehouse and distribution facilities to support the continued growth of e-commerce and supply chain resiliency. In addition, he represents a triple net lease REIT with more than $6.7 billion in total investments spanning entertainment, recreation and education.
This industry veteran’s knack for understanding his clients’ needs and finding the most efficient paths to achieve them is a key reason for Greenfield’s long-term success.
“I’d like to think a few things have contributed to my success. One of them has been knowing that we are a service provider to our clients and always making sure the clients’ needs are met,” Greenfield said. “Another would be building meaningful and authentic connections with my clients. Authenticity has led to some great introductions to firm clients whom I consider family and friends. Lastly, listening to our clients has gone a long way. ‘Listening to understand rather than listening to respond’ has been an adage I live by. Listening to both sides, my client and the other party, helps everyone get their deals across the finish line.”
When not working, Greenfield prefers spending time with his wife and children and soaking in the sun in his home-away-from-home in Florida. As a Chicago sports fan, Greenfield makes his way to Blackhawks, Cubs and Bulls games during the year. Greenfield says that some who know him might say he is a self-proclaimed wine sommelier.