International Real Estate Lawyer Joel Rothstein Joins Sidley

Los Angeles – Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Joel H. Rothstein has joined the firm as a partner in the Real Estate group of its Los Angeles office. Mr. Rothstein will continue his focus on structured finance, complex joint ventures and cross-border transactions in both the United States and Asia.

Mr. Rothstein led the Asia real estate and structured finance practices at his prior firm, where he regularly advised investment banks, private equity and sovereign wealth funds, real estate developers, and Asian and European investors in various areas, including real estate venture formation, non-performing loan acquisitions and dispositions, and investments in U.S. real estate.

“Joel has a wealth of experience across Asia in China, Japan and Korea, as well as in overseeing substantial Asia-sourced investments in the United States and Europe,” said Marc Hayutin, co-leader of Sidley’s Real Estate practice and head of the firm’s Los Angeles Real Estate group. “We are delighted to have Joel join our team.”

“A well-established lawyer in his field, Joel’s experience advising leading market participants on a range of sophisticated real estate transactions aligns well with, and complements, the work our innovative team of real estate lawyers regularly handles,” said Mike Kelley, co-managing partner of the Los Angeles office and member of the firm’s Executive Committee. “Joel’s arrival reflects our continuing commitment to developing our Asia platform, as well as our strategic growth in Los Angeles. Our new office in Century City further demonstrates our dedication to this important market.”

Mr. Rothstein is recognized as a leading lawyer in China – Banking & Finance in Chambers Global and in China – Banking & Finance and China – Real Estate inChambers Asia-Pacific. He is ranked as a “Leading Lawyer” in The Legal 500 Asia Pacific for Banking & Finance and Real Estate in China. Mr. Rothstein is also an active member of the Urban Land Institute and holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.

“I am excited about joining Sidley,” said Mr. Rothstein. “The firm's platform presents a unique and attractive vehicle for someone with my background and experience. Here I can broaden my practice reach and client base across multiple geographies in the United States and Asia. My decision to join the firm was an easy one to make after I quickly discovered the firm’s special collaborative and supportive culture and commitment to innovation.”

With 1,900 lawyers in 19 offices worldwide, Sidley has built a reputation as a premier legal adviser for global businesses and financial institutions. For the fifth consecutive year in 2015, and every year since the survey’s inception, Sidley received the most first-tier national rankings in the U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” survey. On Law360’s list of Global 20 Firms, Sidley was ranked among the top law firms “with the greatest global reach and expertise.” To stay up-to-date with the latest Sidley news, please follow us on Twitter at @SidleyNewsroom.