Partner
Real Estate Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions
“I particularly enjoy the opportunity our practice affords us to work with highly entrepreneurial individuals as they lay the building blocks for vibrant and sustainable businesses. It is especially rewarding to serve as a trusted legal adviser to those clients throughout the life-cycle of those businesses.”
Chris’ principal areas of practice are capital markets, securities law, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and joint venture and other corporate transactions in the commercial real estate and mortgage industries, including real estate investment trusts (REITs).
Chris has more than 20 years of experience advising corporate issuers, funds, sponsors, boards of directors, asset managers and investment banks on public and private offerings of equity and debt securities, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and other complex commercial transactions, including pre-IPO roll-up transactions. Chris has advised on more than 18 initial public offerings and more than $40 billion in capital formation transactions during his career spanning a number of asset classes, including hotels, industrial, retail, data centers, self-storage, healthcare, office, multifamily, single-family rental, Agency and hybrid residential mortgage REITs, commercial mortgage REITs and mortgage originators. In addition, Chris provides ongoing general corporate counsel on such matters as corporate and securities law compliance and corporate governance and advised boards of directors and special committees on strategic transactions and other governance matters.
He is part of a larger REIT and real estate team at V&E that focuses on the commercial real estate and mortgage sectors, allowing the firm to provide clients with both legal and deep industry knowledge. Chris leverages this knowledge to produce pragmatic and commercial solutions for his clients. His work has been recognized by Chambers USA where observers noted he is “very practical, knowledgeable and responsive” (2024).
New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. in its initial public offering and all of its subsequent capital markets transactions including numerous follow-on underwritten public offerings of common stock, preferred stock and debt securities and ATM offering programs and private offerings of common stock (PIPE transaction) and debt securities (including subsequent exchange offer) having an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $4 billion
Ellington Financial Inc. in its initial public offering and subsequent capital markets transactions including numerous follow-on underwritten public offerings of common shares and preferred shares, ATM offering programs and investment grade offerings of senior notes with an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $2.4 billion
Underwriters to NNN REIT, Inc. in numerous capital markets transactions, including follow-on underwritten public offerings of common stock, depositary shares and investment-grade debt securities and ATM offering programs having an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $10 billion
Ellington Financial Inc. in its $154 million acquisition of Arlington Asset Investment Corp. for a combination of stock and cash consideration
Crosstimbers Capital in its $610 million sale of the Red Dot self-storage portfolio of 187 properties and management platform
Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Moody National REIT I in the merger of Moody National REIT I and Moody National REIT II
New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. in its initial public offering and all of its subsequent capital markets transactions including numerous follow-on underwritten public offerings of common stock, preferred stock and debt securities and ATM offering programs and private offerings of common stock (PIPE transaction) and debt securities (including subsequent exchange offer) having an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $4 billion
Ellington Financial Inc. in its initial public offering and subsequent capital markets transactions including numerous follow-on underwritten public offerings of common shares and preferred shares, ATM offering programs and investment grade offerings of senior notes with an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $2.4 billion
Underwriters to NNN REIT, Inc. in numerous capital markets transactions, including follow-on underwritten public offerings of common stock, depositary shares and investment-grade debt securities and ATM offering programs having an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $10 billion
Underwriters to CubeSmart in numerous capital markets transactions, including follow-on underwritten public offerings of common shares, preferred shares and investment-grade debt securities and ATM offering programs having an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $6 billion
Underwriters to Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. in its capital markets transactions, including a follow-on underwritten public offering of common stock and multiple ATM offering programs having an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $1.5 billion
Underwriters to NETSTREIT Corp. in numerous capital markets transactions, including its initial public offering of common stock and multiple follow-on underwritten public offerings of common stock and ATM offering programs having an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $1.5 billion
Underwriters to DiamondRock Hospitality Company in numerous capital markets transactions, including its initial Rule 144A private placement, its initial public offering and multiple follow-on underwritten public offerings of common stock and preferred stock and ATM offering programs having an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $2.5 billion
Underwriters and initial purchasers to RLJ Lodging Trust in capital markets transactions, including two Rule 144A private placements of high-yield debt securities and its ATM offering program having an approximate aggregate transactional value of more than $1.1 billion
Ellington Residential Mortgage REIT in its initial public offering and subsequent capital markets transactions
Issuers and underwriters on numerous initial public offerings, secondary, “at-the-market,” and follow-on public securities offerings, as well as private securities offerings under Rule 144A and Regulation D
Ellington Financial Inc. in its $154 million acquisition of Arlington Asset Investment Corp. for a combination of stock and cash consideration
Crosstimbers Capital in its $610 million sale of the Red Dot self-storage portfolio of 187 properties and management platform
Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Moody National REIT I in the merger of Moody National REIT I and Moody National REIT II
New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. in its acquisition of a 50% interest in Constructive LLC
New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. in its preferred and common equity investment in and recapitalization of a portfolio of multifamily properties
New York Mortgage Trust in its $50 million investment in Headlands Asset Management Fund III
New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. in its acquisition of RiverBanc LLC
Independent Directors of the Board of Directors of Benefit Street Realty Trust in negotiation of amended external management agreement
New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. in the sale of The New York Mortgage Company LLC to IndyMac Bank
Columbia Equity Trust, Inc. in its all-cash sale to affiliates of JP Morgan’s Special Situations Property Fund
Equity Inns Inc. in its all-cash sale to affiliates of Whitehall Street Global Real Estate Limited Partnership
Winston Hotels Inc. in its entry into a definitive agreement and plan of merger with affiliates of Och-Ziff Real Estate and Norge Churchill, Inc. and its subsequent merger with Inland American Real Estate Trust and the termination of its agreement and plan of merger with Och-Ziff
Hotel and other REITs in multiple joint venture transactions
Education
Admissions
Client Alerts
Proposed Preemption of State Blue Sky Laws Could Benefit Non-Traded REITs
On May 19, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued a proposing release titled “Registered Offering Reform” that, among …
May 21, 2026
May 21, 2026 • 5-minute read
Client Alerts
The Corporate Transparency Act (the “CTA”), a new federal law, went into effect on January 1, 2024. The CTA requires that certain entities file Beneficial Ownership Information Reports (“BOI Reports”) with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
April 3, 2024 • V&E REIT Update
April 3, 2024 • 6-minute read
Event Recaps
Navigating the Distressed Commercial Real Estate Environment Ahead
Vinson & Elkins attorneys discuss the various out of court considerations that commercial real estate enterprises will want to consider as they navigate the distressed environment that may lie ahead.
June 7, 2023
June 7, 2023 • 1-minute read
Client Alerts
REITs To Be Impacted By New SEC Share Repurchase Disclosure Requirements
Public REITs should take steps to enhance their financial reporting processes to ensure that they will be able to provide daily quantitative share repurchase information and comply with additional new disclosure requirements regarding the objectives or rationales for repurchase programs and adoption or termination of Rule 10b5-1 trading plans.
May 9, 2023 • V&E REIT Update
May 9, 2023 • 9-minute read
Deals & Cases
Vinson & Elkins Advises Ellington Financial on $150 Million Senior Notes Offering
Vinson & Elkins served as counsel to Ellington Financial Inc. (NYSE: EFC) (the “Company”) in connection with its offering of …
September 17, 2026
September 17, 2026 • 1-minute read
Deals & Cases
Vinson & Elkins Represents Adamas Trust in Public Offering of $90 Million in Senior Notes
Vinson and Elkins served as issuer’s counsel in connection with Adamas Trust, Inc.’s public offering of $90,000,000 aggregate principal amount …
August 14, 2026
August 14, 2026 • 1-minute read
Awards & Rankings
The Legal 500 US 2026 recommended Vinson & Elkins as a leading law firm in 47 practice categories. In total, …
June 10, 2026
June 10, 2026 • 3-minute read
Awards & Rankings
Vinson & Elkins announced today that it achieved 20 Band 1 rankings in Chambers USA 2026: Nationwide: Energy Transition; Energy: …
June 4, 2026
June 4, 2026 • 3-minute read
Deals & Cases
NETSTREIT Corp. Announces Pricing of Upsized Forward Common Stock Offering
Vinson & Elkins served as underwriters’ counsel in connection with NETSTREIT Corp.’s (the “Company”) public offering of 12,627,000 shares (the …
February 17, 2026
February 17, 2026 • 1-minute read
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