Stephen Sandiford

Partner

Stephen.Sandiford@hklaw.com

Miami +1.305.789.7472

West Palm Beach

Practices

Corporate Services | Mergers and Acquisitions | Emerging Companies | Venture Capital | Residential Real Estate

Stephen Sandiford

+1.305.789.7472

Overview

Stephen Sandiford is a Miami and West Palm Beach attorney who focuses his practice on handling mergers and acquisitions (M&A), securities transactions, joint venture agreements and fund formation. Mr. Sandiford has experience in capital raising, corporate governance and providing other day-to-day legal advice that companies need to get operations up and running.

Mr. Sandiford regularly serves as counsel for capital partners and real estate developers interested in forming joint ventures for projects in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, New York and Texas.

In addition, Mr. Sandiford assists foreign and domestic companies in the technology, healthcare and real estate sectors, and regularly represents clients in Europe, Britain, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Representative Experience

Represented Lennar Corporation in the formation of Lennar Multifamily Venture, an equity fund/joint venture sponsored and managed by Lennar Multifamily Communities with global sovereign and institutional investors, with aggregate equity commitments of $2.2 billion to develop and own Class A multifamily communities in 25 target markets throughout the United States.
Represented a public company in multiple joint ventures and related financing transactions relating to the restructure and redevelopment of Candlestick Park and neighboring Hunters Point in San Francisco valued at more than $1 billion
Represented a joint venture of two national homebuilders in obtaining a $200 million acquisition and development loan for the purpose of developing 840 home sites in Irvine, Calif.
Represented a major real estate development company based in the Miami Design District in connection with sale of a 20 percent minority equity interests to an affiliate of another major real estate company at a then enterprise value of $1.6 billion
Represented a major real estate fund in closing several complex real estate joint ventures valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars
Represented a leading real estate fund in the purchase and sale of real estate backed loans and judgments

Represented a major real estate developer in the Miami Design District in a $590 million international financing with a $490 million mortgage loan from lenders including major leading multi-national banks, and a $100 million mezzanine loan from a Blackstone affiliate
Represented a major Florida-based real estate developer in obtaining $236 million construction financing for development of a 64-story high-end condominium tower in Miami's urban core
Represented a Venezuelan venture capital investment group in its proposed $30 million leveraged buyout of a high-security wireless network solutions technology company
Represented a major foreign developer in securing a $60 million EB-5 financed mezzanine loan for construction of more than 500 residential units in Orange County, Calif.
Represented a major foreign developer of a 184-unit condominium with 5,000 square feet of retail space in Weehawken, N.J.; representation also included securing a $102.3 million construction loan for the client

Represented a high-net-worth individual in the buyout of his partner's equity interests in a group of insurance companies
Represented a leading designer and retailer of premium branded women's contemporary apparel and accessories, in the sale of its interests to a private equity fund
Represented the owners of a family-owned engineering and construction company in the sale of 50 percent of its interests to a private equity group. The deal was structured as a passive investment, with the client retaining half the company's interests, and management retained to operate and run the business
Represented a hotel developer in its acquisition, sale, leaseback and leasehold financing of multiple hotels in Orlando, Fla.
Represented several leading private equity funds in their acquisition and disposition of various portfolio companies
Represented an international pharmaceutical company in an agreement that granted the company an exclusive right to acquire a leading biopharmaceutical company and its key iron-chelating product
Represented a global skincare giant in its strategic sale and merger with a developer of laser, LED light systems and skin care products, through a complex reverse-merger
Represented several international banks in the sale of certain loan portfolio assets and commercial and corporate banking operations
Represented a Canadian private equity firm in its sale of a leading global provider of warranty solutions and related programs to private equity firm for an enterprise value of approximately $1.5 billion
Represented several leading pharmaceutical companies in various licenses and mergers and acquisitions transactions
Represented a leading real estate fund in the structuring and formation of its third opportunistic real estate fund designed to raise over $750 million to acquire and manage distressed and other value-added real estate assets

Represented a family-owned real estate company in the disposition of real estate assets worth approximately $165 million
Advised an international spirits corporation in the sale of its renowned liqueur to the world's largest privately held spirits company
Represented an international pension fund in its investments in various existing private equity and real estate investment funds

Case Study

Scoring in Record Time on Miami Beach Hotel Deal

Credentials

Education

Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, J.D., cum laude
Columbia Law School, LL.M.
University of The West Indies, LL.B., magna cum laude equivalent

Bar Admissions/Licenses

Florida
New York

Memberships

The Florida Bar, Business Law Section, Corporations, Securities & Financial and Services Committee (CSFS Committee), Chair, 2021-Present
American Bar Association
Dade County Bar Association
The Florida Bar Business Law Section, Chapter 605 Florida Corporation Act Drafting Committee, 2017-Present

Honors & Awards

The Best Lawyers in America guide, Corporate Law, 2025
Holland & Knight Pro Bono All-Star, 2020
The Florida Bar, Business Law Section, Fellow, 2017
Daily Business Review, Most Effective Lawyers: Corporate Securities, Winner, 2016
Real Estate Forum, Annual Deals and Dealmakers, Winner, 2015
Daily Business Review, Top Dealmakers of the Year – Retail, Winner, 2015

Speaking Engagements

The Inc. is Finally Dry – The Update and Modernization of the Florida Business Corporation Act

The Florida Bar Business Law Section / December 10, 2019

The Inc. is Finally Dry – The Update and Modernization of the Florida Business Corporation Act

The Florida Bar Business Law Section / December 9, 2019

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