2017 Women in Professional Services: Gina Mavica of Baker & Hostetler LLP

Name: Gina Mavica

Title: Partner, Commercial Real Estate

Company Name: Baker & Hostetler LLP

Years in real estate: 14

What real estate associations or organizations are you a member of? Commercial Real Estate Women, International Council of Shopping Centers, New York State Bar Association, Mortgage Bankers Association of New York, Young Mortgage Bankers Association, American Bar Association

How have you navigated obstacles to achieve success in your career? It is inevitable that one will face obstacles over the course of their career.  Frankly, if there are no obstacles, than there are no challenges and challenges are what lead to our growth - both personally and professionally.  It is often that these difficult times result in positive change, sometimes opening up new avenues that we would not have found otherwise. I feel fortunate in my career to have been surrounded by many supportive colleagues and mentors, but I have used times of difficulty as learning experiences and stepping stones to overcome these obstacles.

How do you play your strengths to your advantage in your career? It is my nature to genuinely care about my clients and their projects.  I often go to sleep wondering if they are adequately protected and considering creative ways to overcome obstacles.  I think this level of caring and attention has aided me in my career and comes across to my clients - many of whom I consider friends and who look to me for more than just legal advice.  I view their projects and problems as my own and often act not only as a legal advisor, but as a “general counsel” to the company or family.

What trends are you seeing so far this year? A significant portion of my practice involves representing banks and various financial institutions.  During the first quarter of 2017, there was a noticeable pause among financial institutions with respect to commercial real estate lending, specifically in the areas of construction lending and financing for riskier developments.  As we’ve seen this ease a bit, presumably as lenders have obtained some comfort with the direction of the economy, I anticipate the second half of 2017 will be extremely active with lenders looking to place their funds and borrowers eager to secure financing for new and existing projects.

What do you do for fun? As a mom of two young girls, my definition of “fun” has certainly changed and now involves doing the things they enjoy, like going to the park and play dates with friends at the zoo, museums and other kid-friendly places.