Thompson Hine LLP is pleased to announce that Simone Randolph and Layla Dotson Lumpkin have joined the firm’s Chicago office as partners in the real estate and corporate transactions and securities practice groups, respectively. Both lawyers join from Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP, where they were partners in the Business Transactions practice.
Randolph and Lumpkin say they decided to move to Thompson Hine for several reasons, including the firm’s focus on innovation, depth of key practice areas to support and grow their practices, high-quality leadership at all levels, and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. They also were impressed with the firm’s approach to developing and retaining talent at all levels, including training associates through meaningful client experiences.
Randolph focuses on complex commercial real estate and finance transactions, with experience in syndicated, mezzanine and construction financing. She has represented lender clients in thousands of middle-market financings throughout the country, closing over $500 million in multifamily, industrial, retail, office and commercial asset transactions in just the last two years. Randolph also advises lending institutions on loan purchases and sales, loan restructures and modifications. She also counsels companies with large real estate portfolios on all aspects of property ownership, including acquisitions and dispositions, leasing, facilities management and maintenance. Additionally, Randolph acts as an adviser to international and domestic prime operators and Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBEs) in structuring joint venture agreements, and works with women- and minority-owned business in successfully preparing and submitting ACDBE certification applications.
Lumpkin was selected as an Emerging Lawyer in Closely & Privately Held Business, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Securities & Venture Finance Law by Law Bulletin Media’s Leading Lawyers in 2020 and named to The National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 list in 2018. She is a member of the Women’s Association of Venture & Equity. Committed to volunteering and community service, Lumpkin volunteers with the Junior League of Houston, Inc., where she serves on a committee that awards grants to local nonprofit organizations. She is the past associate board chair of a nonprofit that provides resources to minority and women entrepreneurs. She is passionate about supporting and mentoring entrepreneurs, especially founders of color and women founders, and has often been invited to be a speaker on early-stage company legal issues.
