Andrea D. Ascher, Partner
Andrea D. Ascher is a partner in the New York Office of Schoeman, Updike & Kaufman, LLP where she represents clients in all areas of real estate law, with a special emphasis on real estate finance, workouts and restructurings, construction lending and leasing matters. Andrea regularly represents both lenders and borrowers in complex commercial real estate matters. A recognized leader in her field, Andrea is currently serving as Chair of the Real Property Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association. She was named to Who’s Who of American Women (14th Edition), was elected to the American College of Real Estate Lawyers in 1993, is listed as a New York SuperLawyer and has a Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating of AV Preeminent (5.0 out of 5). Apart from her numerous industry organization memberships, Andrea is also a frequent lecturer and speaker in her field. She is a graduate of Emory University School of Law and Cornell University. Before joining Schoeman, Updike & Kaufman, LLP, Andrea was a partner at Proskauer Rose LLP. Andrea resides with her husband and two sons in Chappaqua, New York.
Ms. Ascher has a multi-faceted national real estate practice, with a special focus on secured financing transactions, workouts and restructurings and leasing transactions, representing lenders, borrowers, landlords and tenants. In addition, she has substantial experience advising clients on acquisitions and dispositions of real estate and general complex real estate law issues with respect to all types of properties located throughout the country.
As a recognized leader in construction lending and lien law matters, Ms. Ascher’s construction loan experience dates back to the financing of the South Street Seaport, and she often is consulted on the best way to structure construction loans in New York. Ms. Ascher’s finance practice includes representing institutional lenders on all levels of the capital stack, whether mortgage loans, mezzanine loans, equity participating loans or in the form of preferred equity investments, with a particular emphasis on the representation of balance sheet lenders and syndicated commercial loans, involving all types of properties. She also has represented institutional lenders originating loans for securitization, and institutional investors buying loans or providing preferred equity capital. Her experience in the preparation and negotiation of intercreditor, co-lending and participation agreements on multi-bank transactions is also significant.
Ms. Ascher has worked through three downturns in the real estate capital markets during her more than 30 year career. As a result, she has substantial experience handling workouts and restructurings of complex real estate transactions.
In addition to her active finance practice, Andrea is equally experienced in the representation of commercial landlords and tenants in office and retail leasing transactions and the ongoing legal administration of leases, including lease disputes and litigation matters, and has also assisted her clients in the acquisition and disposition of commercial properties, including office buildings, shopping centers, a vineyard and residential properties.
Ms. Ascher has been a guest lecturer for the International Shopping Center Council, Practising Law Institute, New York State Bar Association, the New York City Bar and NYU Continuing Education on real estate finance, construction lending, defaulted loan and loan workouts and restructurings, and commercial leasing.
Prior to joining Schoeman, Updike & Kaufman, Ms. Ascher was a partner at Proskauer Rose LLP since 2007 and counsel at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, LLP from 1998 to 2007.
Professional Activities:
Professional recognition:
- American College of Real Estate Lawyers – Fellow, Elected for membership in 1993
- New York Super Lawyer – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010
- Martindale-Hubbell, Peer Review Rating: AV Preeminent (5 out of 5)
- Who’s Who of American Women (14th Edition; 1985-86)
- Emory Law School, Dean’s Advisory Board (Appointed 2010 to serve for a three year term)
- Cornell University, College of Human Ecology, Dean’s Advisory Council (Appointed 2010 to serve for a three year term)
- Cornell Real Estate Council
Service To The Bar:
- New York City Bar Association - Chair, Real Property Law Committee, 2011 - Present
- New York State Bar Association – Former Chair, Real Property Law Section Committee on Financing and Liens; Member, Real Property Law Section Committee on Commercial Leases
- New York City Bar Association – Member, Real Property Law Committee, 1991-1995
- State Bar of Georgia – Bar Association of the District of Columbia – American Bar Association
Publications and Speaking Engagements:
- Speaker at Practicing Law Institute program entitled "Commercial Real Estate Financing 2012" - January 2012.
- Speaker at International Conference of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Law Conference on Workouts: Heavy Lifting, Keeping Pace and Crossing the Finish Line – It’s Not A Simple Exercise – November 2010.
- Speaker at International Conference of Shopping Centers (ICSC) ReCon Convention Seminar on Extend, Pretend and Workout – May 2010.
- Speaker at International Conference of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Law Conference on Resist, Rework or Run: Negotiating Workouts and Restructurings – October 2009.
- Speaker for New York State Bar Association Program on Hot Topics in Real Property Law and Practice – Fall 2006.
- Co-chair of New York State Bar Association CLE Program on The Basics of Loan Restructuring and Workouts, December 1991.
- Faculty Speaker for Practising Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Programs on Commercial Real Estate Financing - What Borrowers and Lenders Need to Know Now, May 1997, June 1998, June 1999 and May 2000.
- Faculty Speaker for Practising Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Program on Retail Property Development, April 2000.
- Faculty Speaker for Practising Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Program on Developing the Congregant Care Facility, February 2000.
- Faculty Speaker for Practising Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Program on Negotiating Commercial Leases - How Owners and Corporate Occupants Can Avoid Costly Errors, May, 1998.
- Faculty Speaker for The Association of the Bar of the City of New York Continuing Legal Education Program on Real Estate Title Insurance: There's More To It Than You Think, April, 1998.
- Faculty Speaker for The Association of the Bar of the City of New York Continuing Legal Education Program on What Every Lawyer Needs To Know Before Leasing Office Space, February, 1998.
- Guest Speaker for The Harlan Company, Inc., Infocast, New York State Bar Association and the American Management Association on Real Estate as Collateral, Deeds in Lieu of Foreclosure, Defaulted Real Estate Loans--Defaults and Remedies.
- Selected as a special editorial consultant by Lawyer's Coop Publishing Company for multi-volume treatise on New York Real Estate Law.
- Coauthor of article entitled "Protecting the Lessor If Equipment's Value Can Only Be Realized Through Real Property", Lender's Equipment Leasing, Vol. V, No. 1, February 1986.
