Michael T. Fishman is Vice Chairman of the firm. As a trusted advisor, he combines legal experience with a strategic mindset to build long-term, collaborative relationships with clients, helping them navigate legal challenges while capitalizing on new opportunities in the global real estate market.
Michael focuses his practice on real estate, real estate finance, private equity, and real estate fund formation. His clients include institutional investors, investment advisors, public and private real estate companies, REITs, and financial institutions. Michael has worked to form domestic and cross-border real estate funds and joint ventures, and regularly represents lenders on real estate projects throughout the United States and globally. In addition, he has experience with mezzanine finance, mortgage finance, lease finance and loan defeasance transactions. Michael regularly advises clients with regard to the acquisition, disposition, leasing and management of data centers, multi-family, industrial, office, retail and hotel properties in the United States and globally.
Concentrations
•Acquisitions and dispositions
•Joint ventures
•Real estate finance
•Private equity
•Fund formation
•Cross-border
•Leasing
•Development
Recognition & Leadership
Awards & Accolades
•Listed, Lawdragon, 500 Leading Global Real Estate Lawyers, 2024-2025
•Listed, The Legal 500 United States, Real Estate, 2024
•Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law, 2013-2026
•Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2005-2025
•Listed, Leading Lawyers Network, 2007-2025
•Top 10 Real Estate Lawyers in Illinois, 2015-2019
•Top 100 Real Estate Lawyers in Illinois, 2015-2019
•Listed, Latin Lawyer, 'Latin Lawyer 250 - Practice Recognition: Real Estate & Tourism,' 2020-2026
•Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Illinois Super Lawyers, 2016-2018 and 2024-2025
•Team Member, Chambers & Partners USA Real Estate Law Firm of the Year, 2010, 2013, 2017-2018, and 2022
•Listed, Crain’s Chicago Business, “Notable Gen X Leaders in Law,” 2019
•Listed, Who's Who Legal, 'The International Who's Who of Real Estate Lawyers,' 2011-2012, 2014-2017
•Team Member, a U.S. News - Best Lawyers, 'Law Firm of the Year' in Real Estate Law, 2015
•Team Member, a Law360 'Real Estate Practice Group of the Year,' 2011-2013, 2015, 2022, and 2023
•Team Member, The Legal 500 United States, 'Top Tier' Firm in Real Estate, 2013 and 2014
AV Preeminent®: The highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him
or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.
Distinguished: An excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. This rating indicates the attorney is widely
respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards.
Notable: This rating indicates that the lawyer has been recognized by a large number of their peers for strong ethical standards.
