C. LESLIE BANAS

Leslie Banas counsels companies and individuals in business and real estate matters. She assists clients in organizing business entities, acquiring assets, negotiating contracts, and satisfying regulatory requirements. Her clients include entrepreneurial and established companies in real estate, housing, service, health care, manufacturing, hospitality and other industries.

Ms. Banas represents real estate owners and investors in dealing with office, retail, hospitality, industrial and condominium properties. She helps them to assemble land, obtain entitlements and incentives and construct improvements. She negotiates leases on behalf of landlords and tenants, including retail leases with national retailers.

She also works with developers in acquiring and rehabilitating senior, market rate and affordable apartment communities, and obtaining financing through HUD, Fannie Mae, state housing agency bond offerings, and the sale of low income housing tax credits (LIHTCs).

In addition to developers, she helps manufacturers and others deal with their “corporate real estate” including leasing office space, purchasing warehouses and decommissioning obsolete plants.

Ms. Banas has successfully closed over $800M in commercial, multifamily and industrial real estate transactions, as well as over $300M in mortgage loans from financial institutions, life companies, CMBS lenders, government sponsored enterprises and other lenders.

She also assists international buyers in navigating U.S. commercial real estate industry issues when purchasing American commercial properties.

Ms. Banas has extensive experience in the structuring and capitalization of limited liability companies and other pass through entities.

In addition, Ms. Banas works with non-profit educational, health care and community organizations in organizational and governance matters, applying for grants and entering into joint venture arrangements.

Listed in The Best Lawyers® in America – Real Estate Law, Corporate Law

Listed in Michigan Super Lawyers – Selected Every Year Since 2006

Listed in Michigan Leading Lawyers

Martindale Hubbell AV Rated

Michigan’s ‘Go To’ Lawyers – Commercial Real Estate, Michigan Lawyer’s Weekly

100 Most Influential Women in Southeastern Michigan, Crain’s Detroit Business

Inner Circle Award, Inforum/Deloitte

President’s Award, HAVEN

“Navigating the Financial Terms of Net Leases, Gross Leases and the Hazy Terrain In Between,” Commentator (Winter 2019).

“Landowner Misunderstands Wetland Review Scope, Can’t Cash In,” SBM Real Property Law Section Newsletter (April, 2012).

Editor, LLC and Partnership Sections, Michigan Business Laws Annotated 2009-2010 (Thomson Reuters). 

“Leasing Space – A “Capital” Idea?” SBM Real Property Law Section Newsletter (December, 2009).

“’Rightsizing’ Your Real Estate Footprint – Minimizing Property Costs During an Economic Downturn,” Transportation Club of Detroit Newsletter (April, 2009).

“Caveat Member: Courts Begin to Pierce the Entity Veil, Imposing Personal Liability on LLC Members” Michigan Real Property Review (Spring, 2002).

“HUD and Fannie Mae Requirements for Borrower Entities,” Michigan Real Property Review (Winter, 2000).

“Public Act 52: A Comprehensive Amendment of the Michigan Limited Liability Act,” Michigan Real Property Review (Fall, 1997).