J. Adam Rothstein

Adam Rothstein provides strategic counsel to clients engaged in real estate and other business transactions across the country. During his more than three decades practicing law, he has represented a wide range of real estate owners, operators, investors, and users in billions of dollars of transactions over more than 35 years. From developing strategy and executing transactions to resolving disputes, Adam gives practical, business-minded advice.

Adam focuses his practice predominantly on the retail, hospitality, manufactured housing, office, and self-storage sectors. His clients run the gamut in size from publicly traded REITs to entrepreneurs, as well as some of the largest privately owned real estate firms in the U.S.

Adam represents clients in their day-to-day acquisitions, dispositions, and financings (including significant credit agreements), as well as in their longer-term investment strategy, such as joint ventures, syndications, and investment fund creation. He advises landlords and tenants on major tenant leasing. He represents hotel owners in specialized restaurant and other leasing transactions and in construction and related contracting. He also represents clients in loan workouts and restructurings.

Adam is sought out for his “relationship-focused” approach to client service, and his “very good technical skills and attention to detail” (Chambers USA).

Practice Areas

Representative Matters

• Represented Phillips Edison & Company affiliates in the acquisition of more than 300 shopping centers in 44 states since 2003 and in more than $500 million in financings
• Represented Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in acquisitions valued at approximately $1.9 billion since 2010
• Represented Pebblebrook Hotel Trust in securitized loans, loan assumptions and unsecured loans exceeding $2 billion in value since 2011, including the then-largest single unsecured loan ever made to a lodging REIT in 2012

Education

Admissions

Awards

• Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2012-2023
  • Recognized as one of America's leading business lawyers in the Real Estate field in Michigan; Chambers USA states: 
    • "[Adam] is incredibly responsive, smart and focused on the right matters conducive to getting results. He is a great partner to our firm and our first call in any legal-related matter."
    • "Adam Rothstein regularly advises retail and hospitality clients on the real estate aspects of their business. He is also well versed in assisting REITs with various acquisitions and financings. He co-chairs the real estate department at the firm." Clients add "He is extremely experienced and understands both legal and business perspectives," "I count on him as a trusted resource" and "He is a capable lawyer."
    • "Adam Rothstein represents clients in the retail and hospitality sectors in acquisitions, financings and leasing matters. Market commentators describe him as 'an outstanding practitioner.'"
    • "Adam Rothstein is 'business-minded, practical and responsive,' according to one source. He is adept at handling acquisition and financing matters."
    • "Adam Rothstein has three decades of experience advising on real estate matters, with a particular focus on the retail and hospitality sectors. One client says that he 'has a great skill in simplifying the complex and communicating it clearly and concisely. He is also very persuasive, business-minded and practical.' Recently, he advised Phillips Edison on its acquisition of 44 shopping centers across 17 US states, with a combined value of $778.1 million."
    • "Adam Rothstein acts for a range of real estate clients across the hospitality and retail sectors, including REITs, involved in high-value commercial deals across the country. Observers find he has 'very good technical skills and attention to detail.'"
    • "Adam Rothstein has a wide range of transactional expertise and maintains a fine reputation for his work in the hospitality and retail industries."
    • “[Adam] focuses his practice on the retail, hospitality and gaming industries. He is recognized for his abilities across a wide range of real estate matters, including acquisitions, dispositions and specialized leasing transactions.”
    • "Adam Rothstein acts for owners and operators in major real estate transactions. He has notable experience of advising on retail, hotel and office building projects."
    • "Clients value Adam Rothstein's negotiation skills and his ability to execute a strategy effectively, describing him as 'very relationship-focused, efficient and business minded.' He has recently represented Phillips Edison & Company in shopping center acquisitions and refinancings."
• The Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2023
  • Recognized in practice area of Real Estate Law
• Michigan Super Lawyers, 2006-2022
• Leading Lawyers Magazine Michigan, 2017
  • Recognized in practice areas of:
    • Real Estate Law: Commercial
    • Real Estate Law: Finance
• DBusiness, Top Lawyers, 2010, 2011, and 2014-2017
• Honored by BTI Consulting Group as a 2016 Client Service All-Star
• Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated

Professional & Community Involvement

• State Bar of Michigan
• International Council of Shopping Centers
  • ICSC Law Conference Planning Committee, 2020
  • State of Michigan, State Director, 2012-2013
  • State of Michigan Government Relations Committee Chair, 2009-2012
• JVS
  • Board of Trustees, 2014-present

News

Press Releases

Publications

Alerts

Seminars & Events

Podcasts