Press Releases

Benesch Partner Jared Oakes Named to 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers

August 26, 2025

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Benesch is pleased to announce that Real Estate Vice Chair Jared Oakes has been named to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers. This esteemed annual guide recognizes accomplished attorneys who stand at the forefront of real estate transactions, development, land use, finance and REITs.

Honorees are selected by the Lawdragon editorial team through submissions, journalistic research and a rigorous editorial review. The Lawdragon 500 series is considered one of the legal industry’s most prestigious distinctions, highlighting leading attorneys across all practice areas.

“Jared’s recognition is a testament to his outstanding work on behalf of clients and his exceptional leadership within the firm,” said Benesch Managing Partner Gregg Eisenberg. “He is highly deserving of this award, and we are proud to see him recognized by Lawdragon.”

With nearly 20 years of experience navigating the complexities of real estate, Jared represents many of the most prominent players in the market, including the largest U.S. private equity funds and REITs, as well as major international investors, in some of the most ambitious real estate projects across the United States. Jared’s work spans the full lifecycle of real estate investment, from acquisition, financing and development to joint venture structuring, leasing and repositioning, making him a go-to legal and business strategist for sophisticated industry professionals. Over the course of his career, he has structured and executed billions of dollars in commercial real estate deals spanning a wide range of asset classes.

Jared is deeply engaged in the real estate community, serving on the Advisory Board for the Urban Land Institute’s Building Healthy Places Initiative and as a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, an honor extended by invitation only to the nation’s most distinguished real estate attorneys. He is also active in the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Beyond his practice, Jared also serves as Benesch’s chief culture officer.

View the full list of honorees here.