Charles J. Hamilton Jr.

Charles J. Hamilton, Jr. advises clients in real estate development and finance, government finance, and corporate governance. He represents private real estate owners, builders and developers, entrepreneurial investors, investment banks and institutional lenders, and public and private real estate investment funds in complex acquisition, development, financing, tax credit, and joint venture transactions. He also represents media companies and government agencies, and counsels national not-for-profit organizations.

Prior to joining Windels Marx, Mr. Hamilton was a partner of Battle Fowler, LLP (1983-2000) and subsequently Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker, LLP (2000-2010) following the merger of the firms in 2000.

Representative Matters

In notable transactions, Mr. Hamilton has:

• represented national syndicators in the sale of limited partnership interests in SEC-registered real estate funds in excess of $750 million;
• represented national sponsors of public and private funds in excess of $1 billion for the acquisition of real estate assets which qualify for the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and New Markets Tax Credit programs;
• represented the National Urban League, Inc. in the sale of 500 East 62nd Street, New York and the acquisition of a long-term leasehold at 120 Wall Street, New York;
• represented Equity Office Properties Trust in the $245 million purchase of the loan with Dai-Ichi Life Capital Properties, L.P. from Park Avenue Tower, 75 East 55th Street, New York;
• represented Millennium Partners, L.P. in the development of the Sony METREON Theater Complex in San Francisco, California;
• represented McFarlane Partners LLC in the purchase of a ground lessee interest in a New York City ground lease at Albee Square (Fulton Landing), Brooklyn, New York;
• represented Fannie Mae in American Communities Fund investments in real estate development joint venture investments of over $500 million in the New York City metropolitan area;
• represented Bessemer Trust Company in the Bessemer Trust Real Estate Investment Fund acquisition of residential and commercial real estate assets of $300 million;
• represented Casden Properties, Inc. in formation of a $1,050 million private multi-family real estate investment trust and sale of $218.5 million of cumulative preferred stock and warrants;
• served as outside general counsel to Essence Communications, Inc., a magazine publishing, media and entertainment company in a $275 million merger and acquisition transaction with Time, Inc;
• served as outside general counsel to Freedom National Bank of New York (1981 to 1990), which prior to its closure in 1989, was the largest African American owned and operated financial institution in the United States);
• served as outside general counsel to the National Urban League, Inc. (1990-2009); and
• served as Special Counsel to: the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF); the Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc.; the Studio Museum in Harlem; and the Palau Mission to the United Nations.

Special Appointments

• Impartial Arbitrator to the New York City Transit Authority (1981-1983) and Special Master pursuant to Consent Order for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (1982-1983) in Connolly v. New York City Transit Authority, et al. (74 Civ. 1085) and Davis v. New York City Transit Authority, et al. (74 Civ. 730);
• Special Fiscal Counsel to the New York City Board of Education (1988 to 1990) in connection with (i) the settlement of budget disputes between the Board of Education and the New York City Finance Department and (ii) the City's compliance under the New York State Stavisky-Goodman Law; and
• Special Counsel to the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) (1990 to 1992) in connection with the negotiation of long term Affiliation Agreements between HHC and the New York City teaching hospitals and medical schools (Columbia University, New York University and Einstein Medical Center.

Awards & Recognition

• Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker, LLP Robert P. Hastings Partnership Award (2006) for Firm Leadership in Community Service.
• National Urban League, Inc. Collins Award (2006) for outstanding leadership as an NUL Trustee and service as Outside General Counsel.
• "America's Top Black Lawyers," Black Enterprise Magazine, November 2003.
• W.E.B. DuBois Medal for academic leadership, Harvard University (2000).
• "New York's Most Powerful Lawyers," New York Magazine, Fall 1999.

Board & Other Memberships

• Environmental Defense Fund, Inc.;
• Phoenix House Foundation, Inc.;
• Harlem School of the Arts, Inc. (Chair);
• Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law;
• National Urban League, Inc.;
• Granite Broadcasting Corporation, Inc. (NASDAQ symbol: "GBTVK");
• Ethical Culture Fieldston School (1997-2000).

He has served as a member of the:

• Harvard College Board of Overseers' Visiting Committee to the College;
• Public Policy Committee of the Board of Directors of The Advertising Council, Inc.;
• Board of Managers of the Harvard Club of New York City.

He has served as a trustee of Harvard Law School Association of New York City, Inc. and Interest on Lawyer Account Fund of the State of New York (lOLA) (Appointment by Governor Mario M. Cuomo; 1984-1987).

Mr. Hamilton is a member of the American Law Institute (ALI), the American Bar Association, the National Bar Association, and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He has served on the faculty of the Practicing Law Institute's (PLI) program in Commercial Real Estate Financing.