Shapiro, Lifschitz & Schram

Experience.

Soha has been involved in real estate law since the beginning of her legal career. After graduating from the Whittier College School of Law, she worked in private practice in Phoenix, Arizona, researching and writing real estate condemnation and appellate briefs and motions. She began developing trial strategy, overseeing discovery and managing cases as an associate and has continued developing and honing those skills through the years.

While practicing law in Arizona until 2006, Soha also counseled businesses regarding commercial real estate development. She performed creditor and debtor bankruptcy work and commercial litigation, and provided advice on estate planning issues.

Soha has served as corporate counsel to numerous small and medium-sized businesses, handling employment issues, intellectual property matters, pre-bankruptcy planning and restructuring. 

Passion.

Soha discovered her passion for real estate law while waiting for her bar exam results. After law school, she took a temporary position where she met her mentor, who taught her condemnation and zoning law. He also inspired a passion for creative problem solving, technical expertise and careful preparation.

She has worked diligently in defending the rights of clients by providing sound litigation strategies related to distressed multifamily loans and properties. She also has handled receiverships, foreclosures and affordable housing matters with the same fervor that she felt in the early years of her practice.

Solutions.

• Served as senior counsel leading termination of major counterparty and transfer of $50-billion loan portfolio to multiple interim servicers, including liquidation of custodial accounts in banks under receivership, extensive litigation of disputed loan ownership and recovery of more than $600 million in 2011.
• Senior counsel leading team in redevelopment of multifamily REO sales process, protocol, policies, and third-party contracts and manuals, resulting in liquidation of more than $150 million in assets in 2010 and 2011.
• Senior counsel leading team in prosecution of multimillion-dollar fidelity and mortgage bankers bond claims related to counterparty fraud.
• Senior counsel defending significant discovery in federal district case litigation, including development of e-discovery protocols and negotiation of extensive confidentiality agreements with private banking and government agencies to protect proprietary and commercially sensitive information.
• Senior associate on team that acquired and closed more than $2 billion in bond financing for privatization of onsite and offsite military housing in multiple jurisdictions. Transactions included finance, environmental disclosures and bankruptcy consolidation analysis.
• Senior associate on team acquiring billion-dollar controlling equity interest in international concrete company, leading multi-office team in performing extensive real estate due diligence.
• Senior associate on team evaluating litigation potential and strategy and development consequences for planned BRAC expansion in Virginia.
• Senior associate on $28-million loan secured by wetlands mitigation credits.
• Leader of survey and title team in resolution of complex riparian issues during financed acquisition of landmark hotel, resort and timeshare facilities in upstate New York.