Overview
Steve Kussner has been effectively closing complex real estate transactions and portfolio deals for more than 40 years. A pragmatic and trusted advisor, he is a creative dealmaker and negotiator who handles sophisticated commercial real estate transactions across Florida and nationwide. Steve has closed transactions in over 40 states.
Steve is an experienced attorney with expertise in complex financings and alternative investment vehicles. Steve and his team represent national and regional homebuilders, developers, investors, REITs, commercial landlords and tenants, public and private companies, insurance companies, and high net worth individuals in large acquisitions, dispositions, and financings, including DST transactions. His expertise on the financing side includes representation of institutional lenders and borrowers in both conventional and securitized loans. Steve’s experience covers a diverse mix of commercial property types and investment portfolios, including regional malls and shopping centers, apartment projects, data centers, hospitals, office buildings, and subdivisions.
Steve strives to be both a trusted voice for his clients, and a reliable, valued resource for information, perspective and judgment. He collaborates with clients throughout each phase of the deal to help the client obtain capital, manage financial products, and structure the capital stack for optimal outcomes. His unique understanding of the integration of legal and business issues allows him to make specific suggestions that minimize risk to the client while furthering the client’s goal of completing the transaction. Clients will often use him as a sounding board, discussing potential strategies and outcomes. As he puts it, clients do not hire him to get involved in personalities – they hire him to help them close the deal.
Steve understands that every transaction includes its own unique set of circumstances. He is a skilled negotiator that emphasizes collaboration and employs a win-win approach to structuring deals. When a deal requires it, Steve works closely with an extensive network of local counsel across the country to serve the client’s needs.
Steve and the team he leads bring the same high level of professionalism, knowledge and integrity to every project.
Honors
- Florida Trend, “Legal Elite,” 2004-06, 2011-12, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021
- Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law, 2003-24
- Florida Super Lawyers, 2006-22
- Tampa Bay Magazine, The Best Lawyers in Tampa Bay, 2021
Professional Associations & Memberships
- American Bar Association
- The Florida Bar, Real Property, Probate and Trust Section
- Hillsborough County Bar Association
