Mayes and Spell rejoin Fried Frank’s real estate department

New York, NY Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP announced that Jessica Mayes and Stephanie Spell have rejoined the Firm in the Real Estate Department. Mayes as a special counsel of Corporate Real Estate Transactions Practice and Spell a special counsel in the Real Estate Practice. They will both be based in the Firm’s New York office. 

“We are thrilled to welcome back Stephanie and Jessica to our market-leading real estate practice as we continue to grow and serve the complex requirements of many of the top owners, developers and corporate space users in the country,” said Jonathan Mechanic, chair of the Firm’s Real Estate Department.   

Spell specializes in a broad range of commercial real estate transactions, including mortgage, mezzanine, construction, and other financing on behalf of borrowers and lenders; joint ventures; the acquisition and disposition of single assets and multi-asset portfolios; commercial leasing transactions on behalf of landlords and tenants; and development projects.

Spell received her JD, magna cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School in 2010; her MA from St. John’s University in 2007 with honors; and her BA, magna cum laude, from St. John’s University in 2006. Ms. Spell returns to Fried Frank after serving as special counsel at Gibson Dunn. 

Mayes handles a broad range of complex real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, development, leasing, and finance. She has significant experience in advising owners, investors and developers on real estate projects involving industrial, multifamily, healthcare, and retail assets. Mayes rejoined the Firm after having acted as vice president, Real Estate, at XPO Logistics, where she managed corporate real estate strategy and operations for the company’s global industrial portfolio.

Mayes received a JD, magna cum laude, from University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2006 where she was in the Order of the Coif. She received a BS, cum laude, from University of Florida in 2003.