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  1. People

Laura Mehl Sugarman

Partner
New York
T.
646.777.0018
liamE

An experienced and trusted advisor on complex real estate development matters, Laura structures and closes deals for transformative projects in New York and across the nation. Handling some of the most complicated and multifaceted transactions, she takes a hands-on, collaborative approach that reflects legal, financial and regulatory considerations.

With technical precision, experience and vision, Laura represents national and local developers, owners, lenders, landlords, tenants, borrowers, investors and not-for-profit entities in acquisitions and dispositions, financings, leasing, air rights and large-scale development projects, including affordable housing and condominium developments. Laura is a skilled tax strategist, steering through real estate law and complex tax codes and using various legal and financial structures to help her clients secure essential tax exemptions and access other tax benefits without compromising their broader objectives.

With a focus on condominium and cooperative development and management, Laura represents numerous national and international clients. She is highly regarded as one of New York’s go-to resources for the structuring and formation of leasehold condominiums and is deeply experienced in navigating the intersection of not-for-profit law and real estate. 

Beyond the deal, Laura is passionate about community-building. She actively contributes to organizations that uplift women and promote inclusion in the legal and real estate industries. She serves on the Real Estate Advisory Board of Yeshiva University, is a longtime participant in Cardozo Law School’s Women in Law Institute and is actively engaged in Benesch’s Women’s Initiative Network. She also serves as co-chair of the firm’s Hiring Committee, helping to shape the next generation of legal talent.

Before joining Benesch, Laura worked for the New York State Comptroller, the United States Attorneys’ Office, and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Her public-sector experience has given her a clear understanding of the regulatory landscape and how regulators think and work. That, combined with her dealmaking wisdom, makes her exceptionally adept at getting deals done, especially when careful government coordination is required for complex real estate matters with law, tax and public impact implications.

Representative Experience

  • Represented a family office in the acquisition and financing of a multifamily portfolio in Texas, including the assumption of over $100M in loans from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
  • Represented the developer of a mixed-use building in the formation of a hotel-branded residential condominium with a luxury commercial tenant at ground level.
  • Structured a series of leasehold condominium deals that enabled New York not-for-profit tenants, including various corporate headquarters, charter schools, community health organizations, and hospitals, to secure vital tax exemptions while maintaining compliance and community focus.
  • Represented one of the world’s largest private equity funds in connection with real estate and loan-related matters in its $920+ million acquisition of a 43-mortage loan portfolio from a publicly traded superregional bank.
  • Advised a leading international investment and management firm, performing all diligence and related needs for their purchase of loans in default for a total of over $600 million and subsequent foreclosures of more than 70 properties in California.
  • Real Estate
  • Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, 2009, J.D.
    • Executive Editor, Cardozo Journal of Public Law, Policy, and Ethics
    • Housing Court Litigator, Bet Tzedek Legal Serves
    • Executive Board Member and President, Cardozo Youth Advocates
  • New York University, 2005, B.A. in Journalism and History
    • magna cum laude
  • New York
  • Listed, New York Real Estate Journal, Ones To Watch - Industry Leaders, 2025 
  • Listed, New York Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2017-2024
  • Member, New York State Bar Association
  • Member, New York City Bar Association
  • Member, Cardozo Real Estate Advisory Board
Articles and Presentations
December 13, 2023
Commercial Leasing | Laura Mehl Sugarman, Aaron Schwed
News
May 19, 2025
Partner Laura Sugarman Named Among New York Real Estate Journal’s 2025 Ones to Watch: Industry Leaders
April 8, 2025
Benesch Partner Laura Mehl Sugarman Featured in Habitat Magazine on Discrepancies in Condo Common Charges
March 19, 2025
Laura Mehl Sugarman Quoted in New York Times Article on Homeowners’ Association Fees and Condominium Percentages

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