David Herman
Partner
The Legal 500 U.S.
“Herman is the go-to for real estate-related companies seeking assistance with M&A, acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, and other transactions.”
Chambers USA
“An outstanding lawyer and a relentless worker [who] does an excellent job getting parties to the table and helping everyone understand what they should be concentrating on.”
David Herman’s practice focuses on all aspects of real estate transactions across all asset classes.
He counsels real estate-related companies in connection with acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, mergers, going-private and public transactions, recapitalizations, financings, and workouts and restructurings.
David also advises industry clients on general corporate matters, mortgage-backed securitizations, commercial lending transactions, company and asset portfolio acquisitions and dispositions, private equity transactions, and other real estate-related transactions. He regularly represents special servicers, lenders and borrowers on loan restructurings, workouts, and give/take backs.
David has played a leading role advising top real estate players in the market on some of the biggest and most innovative real estate transactions. He represented Brookfield in its purchase of U.S. mall operator GGP Inc. and the asset manager’s separate $11.4 billion deal to take over Forest City Realty Trust Inc.
He was also integrally involved with Lehman’s chapter 11 bankruptcy—the largest and most complex bankruptcy in U.S. history—in implementing Lehman’s strategy for tens of billions of dollars of investments in both debt and equity related to various commercial and residential real estate projects across the globe, as well as its $16 billion sale of apartment developer Archstone Enterprise LP, and the sale of certain real estate holdings, including the $130 million sale of the leasehold interests in New York’s 425 Park Ave.
David joined the firm in 2025 from another major international law firm and has been a partner since 2010.
Notable Experience
Prior to joining Cleary, David’s experience included representing the following clients:
Aman Hotels, Blackstone, Brookfield, Island Capital, LCOR, Lindsay Goldberg, Madison International, Monday Properties, Tishman Speyer, and TPG Real Estate.