Katten has announced that Mike Shaffer returned to the firm as a partner in its preeminent Structured Finance practice, bolstering its reputation for market-leading deal execution and industry leadership.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Mike back. He was a trusted colleague and outstanding partner here,“ said Katten Structured Finance and Securitization Department Co-Chair Howard Schickler.
“During his time at one of the world’s leading real estate finance companies, Mike gained an even deeper perspective on the strategic, operational, and commercial considerations that shape complex real estate and finance transactions. That experience will be incredibly valuable to our clients and our team.”
Shaffer is back at Katten after serving as associate general counsel and managing director with Churchill Real Estate, a vertically integrated investment firm focused on residential real estate debt and equity. His return aligns with the firm’s updated strategic plan, emphasizing expansion in its strongest practices and others, focusing on organic growth and lateral acquisitions, including group hires.
Shaffer advises clients across a range of structured finance transactions, including CMBS, CRE CLOs, and repurchase facilities. He has represented commercial real estate lenders and loan sellers, as well as issuers and underwriters in public and private Rule 144A CMBS and CRE CLO offerings. His experience also includes securitizations involving single-family rental, RMBS, RTL and auto loans, where he has advised issuers, trustees, master servicers, and securities administrators.
“Mike has built a great reputation in this space and is known for legal excellence nationally and locally. We’re so pleased to have him back,” said Katten’s Charlotte Office Managing Partner Karen Nelson. “He brings deep experience, practical perspective and strong market relationships that will be valuable to clients and to the continued growth of our office and the firm.”
Katten is a full-service law firm with nearly 650 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm’s core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals.
