Joe Hoffman co-chairs the Washington D.C. Business Group.  His commercial practice focuses on real estate and corporate transactions involving the purchase and sale of assets and companies, as well as institutional financing transactions in a wide range of industries.  He represents real estate developers, telecommunications companies, lenders, venture capital funds, emerging growth companies, thoroughbred horse industry interests and high net worth individuals.

Over the course of his career, Joe has successfully closed billions of dollars of business transactions.  When structuring, negotiating and documenting such deals, Joe is totally client-focused and results-driven, and is able to see beyond the particular challenges of a transaction in order to serve as a catalyst to closing it.  Joe understands businesses of all sizes and with diverse goals and budgets. He accommodates clients with simple transactions, as well as those that require sophisticated legal counsel and acute negotiation skills, to achieve the desired outcome.

One of the most prolific deal makers at Kelley Drye, Joe provides the talent and intellectual agility needed to close even the most sophisticated or difficult transactions, as well as less complex transactions.  He is diplomatic, focused and persuasive.  After decades of practice, Joe understands the big picture of a transaction, and he is most appreciated for delivering practical solutions to even the most challenging negotiations in order to forge win/win solutions.  End-game driven and pragmatic, Joe excels in determining the critical factors of a transaction, as well as in negotiating through or around even the most precarious scenarios, by bringing people together to support his client’s business objectives.

Joe is personally committed to the clients he serves, and enjoys serving not only as a trusted legal advisor, but also as a member of their team.  His dedication and responsiveness have resulted in long-term client relationships, some of which have lasted for more than 25 years.  Joe’s consistently stellar performance has him ranked among the “best of the best” in transactional law.  He was awarded the SmartCEO “Power Player” award for 2013, and he was listed among Washington, D.C.’s “Leading Lawyers” for 2006 and 2008.  Joe also was ranked as a preeminent attorney in the Corporate/M&A area by Chambers USA in 2008 and 2009.  As if practicing law was not enough to consume all his time, Joe enjoys family time, skiing, biking and swimming, and devotes substantial time giving back to the community by holding leadership positions in various non-profit organizations.

Real Estate Matters

Represented client in its purchase and financing of eight Northern Virginia warehouse/flex properties, totaling 26 buildings and 950,000 square feet of space.

Represented the purchaser out of receivership of a multifamily property, including assumption of an existing mortgage loan and negotiation of agreements among three joint venture partners to finance renovations and construction.

Represented developer in connection with its acquisition of a vacant retail property in Cherry Hill, New Jersey and assemblage of adjacent lots from multiple sellers over the course of several years; negotiation of the acquisition and construction financing necessary to transform the property into a medical office building with structured parking; and sale of the property to a foreign pension fund.

Represented client in connection with its construction of a warehouse and industrial building in Harford County, Maryland, including acquisition of agricultural property formerly used as farmland, construction financing, and joint venture agreements for the development parcel and a land-holding venture.

Represented the purchaser of a seven-property shopping center portfolio from a national publicly traded REIT involving two joint ventures, four loan assumptions and three new loans.

Represented client in financing the Washington Harbour complex in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C.

Counseled private equity company, as a member of a joint venture, in connection with the joint venture’s $16 million acquisition of a 75-room boutique hotel in the Kalorama section of Washington, D.C.

Represented real estate owner in its sale of property to County government under threat of eminent domain.

Represented the senior lender in a loan secured by a pledge agreement collateralized by another loan and a deed of trust on the majority of units at a busted condominium project.

Represented clients in connection with their joint venture project to acquire distressed debt secured by 234 proposed single-family condominium units in Connecticut, as well as subsequent foreclosure and redevelopment.

Handled the client’s acquisition, construction and mini-perm and permanent financing and development of property on which client constructed a retail shopping center, including negotiating land-use rights and a joint venture agreement with the seller and primary developer of the mixed-use project.

Represented a local real estate owner in the refinancing of three separate loans in an aggregate amount of more than $108 million and secured by three separate multifamily apartment complexes.

Handled real estate assemblages, acquisitions, dispositions, related financings, like-kind exchanges and leases.

Served as borrower’s and lender’s counsel in real estate financings, including conduit loan transactions.

Served as bank counsel in various loan transactions.

Represented a lending syndicate of seven regional and community banks providing a $24 million first mortgage loan to refinance the existing senior debt on an Aloft Hotel and an Element Hotel, including negotiation of an Intercreditor Agreement with a mezzanine lender.

Counseled a Fortune 10 company in a multistate real estate disposition program involving hundreds of sites and related operating businesses.

Represented real estate concerns and other operating businesses in financing transactions involving related borrowers and cross-collateralized security.

Corporate Matters

Represented a provider of predictive data analytics and reconciliation solutions in the telecom and media sectors in a stock sale to a portfolio company of a private equity fund.

Represented telecommunications company in its sale to a leading NASDAQ-traded VoIP cloud-based communications company.

Represented a lab testing company in the purchase of substantially all the assets of an independent food testing laboratory.

Represented a NYSE-listed company in the acquisition of a laboratory testing and consulting company, and its two operating subsidiaries, expanding the client’s range of food, beverage and nutrition testing services.

Represented telecommunications client in acquiring Lifeline-related subscriber bases and related assets in separate transactions.

Represented a national diet chain in its acquisition of substantially all the assets of a provider of weight loss, exercise and diet plans and products, including dietary supplements.

Counseled a software company in its sale to a NYSE-listed company.

Served as company counsel for a services and software venture in a recapitalization funded by a private equity fund.

Counseled publicly traded and privately held telecommunications concerns in merger and private placement transactions.

Served as counsel for the sellers of interests in a closely held wholesale jewelry business.

Handled senior secured, asset-based debt financings and subordinated registered debt offerings.

Represented venture funds and portfolio companies in the software, professional services, hardware, telecommunications and other industries in connection with venture capital investments.

Represented an international telecommunications company in multiple, staged sales of interests to a venture capital concern.

Represented a telecommunications company in asset acquisitions.

Counseled clients on various telecommunications contracts involving carriers, end-users, agents and equipment financing.

Counseled the majority stockholders of a racetrack venture in the sale of the business to a NASDAQ-listed company.

Counseled a closely held thoroughbred racetrack venture in the sale of an ownership interest to a NYSE-listed company.

Served as Maryland corporate counsel for one of the largest complexes of investment companies sponsored by a Fortune 100 company in connection with securities registrations and issuances, corporate and shareholder governance, capital transactions and other corporate matters.

Handled the purchase of industrial equipment assets and related operations.

Counseled a closely held printing company in the sale of assets to a NASDAQ-listed company in a “pooling” transaction, as well as the sale of real estate held by a related joint venture. The transaction involved minority stockholder litigation and buy-out of minority partners in real estate.

Structured and negotiated an investment manager’s carried interest and employment relationship with a Far East investment fund.

Represented a closely held clinical research organization in the sale of stock to a NASDAQ-listed company in a “pooling” transaction.

Handled the sale of a minority interest’s stock in a telecommunications hardware company.

Represented a NYSE-listed company in the purchase of an infomercial business together with the related manufacturing element and intellectual property.

Represented a Korean conglomerate in a venture capital investment in a strategically situated, high-tech Silicon Valley company.

Represented a NYSE-listed company in the sale of an airline fleet.

Handled employment and severance agreements for executives and employers.

Represented a master franchisee for Israel in contract negotiations with respect to a NASDAQ-listed company’s educational learning center and computer-based testing franchise.

Congregation Beth El presented Joe with the Kavod award for service to the Jewish community on March 5, 2017.

2013 SmartCEO Power Player Award

Ranked as a leading practitioner in the Corporate/M&A area by Chambers USA, 2008 and 2009.

Honored as one of Washington's leading lawyers, SmartCEO magazine, 2006 and 2008.