Polsinelli Adds New Female Shareholder to its Denver Office

Am Law 100 firm Polsinelli recently welcomed real estate attorney Hillary E. Ellis to its nationally renowned Real Estate Practice, continuing Polsinelli’s recent efforts to advance women leaders in the Real Estate and Financial Services Department. Ellis joins the firm as a new shareholder in the Denver office, where she’ll work with Michael R. Strand and Real Estate Practice Chair Amy Kiefer Hansen.

Ellis focuses her transactional practice on complex commercial real estate matters related to the development, acquisition/disposition and financing of commercial properties of all types and leasing of retail, office and industrial properties. Ellis also represents lenders in negotiating and documenting real estate acquisition, construction and development loans, including permanent and bridge loans.

“Our clients rely on us to help them successfully navigate the complexities of their transactions, and Hillary has built her practice on doing exactly that,” Hansen said. “Hillary has built a great reputation in the Denver legal market and throughout the real estate and banking industry. We are so fortunate to be able to add her to our team.”

Polsinelli’s thriving Real Estate and Financial Services Department has brought in a number of notable women as Shareholders in recent months, including Stephanie A. Zabela and Emina Kwok in Chicago, Sarah K. Laird in Nashville, Crystal G. Persaud in New York and Emma R. Keyser in Houston. Emily Wehr and Dora Acherman also recently joined the firm’s Miami office as Counsel. The firm’s focus on advancing women in leadership roles was recently illustrated when the Real Estate & Financial Services Department announced the elevation of three women into leadership roles: Kristin M. Walker, vice-chair of the Real Estate Practice Group, and Vivian C. Grigorians and Christine Brady Hoag, both vice-chairs of the Real Estate Finance Practice Group.

Ellis has extensive experience representing clients on all sides of real estate transactions. Ellis has represented REITs and private equity groups in connection with the acquisition, development, disposition, and/or sale-leaseback of retail, hotel, office, industrial, mixed-use, multifamily projects and senior living portfolios. She has provided counsel to clients in the leasing, financing, acquisition and disposition of retail and cultivation cannabis properties. Ellis’ experience also includes representation of healthcare providers in healthcare-related real estate matters.

“Whether through expanding my work with clients and connections in Denver or helping our offices across the country, I’m eager to grow my practice with Mike, Amy and my Polsinelli colleagues,” Ellis said. “Amy is well known throughout our industry for building a diverse team and mentoring, championing and advancing women, so I’m excited about our future as we work together.”

Polsinelli’s Real Estate team continues to see an increase in demand across the nation for its services. Since October 2021, Polsinelli has hired more than 20 lateral partners in its national Real Estate Practice, which now has more than 150 lawyers in offices across the country.

The Polsinelli Real Estate team provides practical solutions clients value, as well as vast experience in areas that include transactions, financing structures and land use entitlements from acquisition and financing through development and leasing. The practice continues to achieve a National Tier One ranking in Real Estate Law by U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 “Best Law Firms” list, and it was included in Legal 500’s prestigious 2021 rankings. The Real Estate Practice also earned several prominent placements in the 2022 state, practice and attorney rankings from Chambers USA, a leading legal industry rankings organization.