Insurance Company and Institutional Investments

Barnes & Thornburg advises insurance companies, pension funds, and other institutional investors on complex real estate investment and lending transactions across the United States. Our attorneys work with clients to structure, negotiate, and manage the deployment of capital into real estate assets through both debt and equity investments, providing practical guidance that aligns with each client’s investment strategy, regulatory framework, and risk tolerance.

We represent institutional lenders and investors throughout the full life cycle of a transaction—from initial structuring and term sheet negotiations through due diligence, documentation, closing, servicing, and ultimate disposition. Our team understands the long-term investment horizons that often define institutional portfolios and the challenges of deploying capital in competitive and rapidly evolving markets.

Because many institutional investments are core portfolio assets held for extended periods, we focus on structuring transactions that support long-term value and operational flexibility while meeting regulatory and compliance requirements.

Transactional Capabilities

We advise on a broad range of real estate finance and investment matters, including:

  • First mortgage and mezzanine lending
  • Construction and development financing
  • Joint venture and preferred equity investments
  • Acquisitions and dispositions of real estate assets and portfolios
  • Credit tenant and private placement transactions
  • Loan purchases and portfolio investments
  • Distressed real estate workouts and restructurings
  • Leasing and asset management matters
  • Portfolio analysis and strategy
  • NAIC regulatory and compliance considerations

Asset Types

We regularly advise on transactions involving a wide variety of commercial real estate assets, including:

  • Office buildings and corporate campuses
  • Multifamily and mixed-use developments
  • Retail centers and regional malls
  • Hotels and resorts
  • Industrial and logistics properties
  • Residential and commercial condominiums
  • Master-planned communities and mixed-use projects
  • Senior housing, retirement communities, and assisted-living facilities

Development and Joint Venture Structures

Our team frequently represents institutional investors in joint ventures with developers, operators, and other capital partners. We assist in structuring governance, capital contributions, preferred returns, and exit strategies, while also advising on development agreements, ground leases, and construction arrangements for large-scale real estate projects.

Loan Servicing, Workouts, and Distressed Matters

In addition to transaction origination, we counsel institutional lenders and investors on loan servicing, defeasance transactions, restructurings, and distressed real estate matters. Our attorneys work closely with clients to protect asset value, resolve troubled loans, and pursue strategic opportunities in distressed market conditions.

Areas of Focus
Insights & Events
Related Practices