Christopher Pate

Christopher W. Pate represents publicly and privately held real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other companies in connection with major transactions, corporate governance issues, securities transactions, and other financings.

Chris has counseled buyers and sellers in merger and acquisition transactions, including many valued in excess of $1 billion, and has advised issuers in multiple stock and debt offerings, including initial public offerings.

In addition, he has assisted numerous private and nontraded registered REITs with their formation transactions and state registration process under the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) REIT Guidelines.

Experience :

• Served as Maryland counsel to a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)-listed cold-storage REIT in its $725 million initial public offering
• Served as Maryland counsel to a NYSE-listed student housing REIT in its $4.6 billion acquisition by a private equity real estate firm
• Served as Maryland counsel to a NYSE-listed industrial REIT in its $8.5 billion stock-for-stock merger with another publicly traded industrial REIT
• Served as Maryland counsel to a NYSE-listed net lease REIT in its $5.8 billion stock-for-stock merger with another publicly traded net lease REIT
• Served as Maryland counsel to the special committee of the board of directors of a publicly registered, nontraded REIT in connection with its $5.9 billion stock-for-stock merger with its publicly traded sponsor
• Served as Maryland counsel to a NYSE-listed REIT in its $2.3 billion acquisition by a registered SEC investment advisor
• Served as counsel to a special committee of independent directors of a publicly registered, nontraded REIT in connection with a liquidation and dissolution
• Served as counsel to an independent directors’ committee of a publicly registered, nontraded REIT in its analysis of certain affiliated party transactions and exploration of strategic alternatives

Education :

• J.D.with honorsUniversity of Maryland School of Law1999
• B.A.summa cum laudeLoyola College1996

Bar Admissions : Maryland

Court Admissions : U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Clerk Experience : Honorable Thomas L. Ambro U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 2000

Professional Memberships :

• American Bar Association
• Maryland State Bar Association

Community :

• Past chairman, Harford County People’s Counsel Citizens Advisory Board
• Past chairman, Harford County Redistricting Commission
• Past Co-Chair, City of Havre de Grace Ethics Commission
• Former member, Harford County Republican State Central Committee