Searl joins Cushman & Wakefield as senior director

According to Cushman & Wakefield, James Searl, a commercial real estate leasing and financial services veteran, has joined the firm as a senior director. For the past 11 years, he was with CB Richard Ellis. With three decades of professional experience in real estate and financial services, Searl has represented both landlords and tenants and has completed more than 1 million s/f of leasing transactions. "We are very pleased that Jim has decided to join Cushman & Wakefield as we continue to expand our services to clients in Lower Manhattan," said Suzy Reingold, executive managing director and head of Cushman & Wakefield's Manhattan offices. "Our firm has many of the premier leasing agency assignments and represents many of the largest corporate tenants Downtown. Adding a brokerage professional with Jim's financial and real estate background will be beneficial to our firm and our clients." Throughout his career, Searl has completed prestigious assignments on behalf of major investors and corporations. Among his most notable assignments, he represented Vornado Realty Trust at 20 Broad St. and 40 Fulton St. He also represented the ownership of 20 Exchange Place with the leasing of the nearly one million square foot building prior to its conversion to residential. On the tenant representation side, Searl advised the 80-year-old brokerage firm Murphy and Durieu with its 40,000 s/f lease at 120 Broadway. He was also responsible for leasing NYAC College 50,000 s/f at 361 Broadway. Most recently, he represented Gain Capital with its 50,000 s/f headquarters transaction in Bedminster, N.J. as well as its 25,000 s/f renewal at 44 Wall St. His clients have included IBM, Beekman Downtown Hospital, Factiva, Blackwood Securities, Lord Securities, Bank of Hawaii, Roe Corporation and Columbus Properties. Searl holds a bachelor's degree from Wagner College and a master's degree from Kean University. He is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York and sits on the Board of Directors for Life Services of the Handicapped.