Zachary Samton

Co-Chair, Real Estate Finance

Throughout his career, Zach has developed a broad-based and sophisticated real estate practice in finance, acquisitions, and dispositions, as well as leasing, joint ventures, and workouts of distressed debt. Zach represents lenders and borrowers in connection with the origination of mortgage loans (including securitized debt), mezzanine loans, construction loans, and bridge loans.

Zach has significant experience with respect to workouts and restructuring of troubled debt from both the lender and borrower side. His practice also includes representing clients in connection with loan dispositions, debt acquisitions, participations, and other secondary market transactions. 

Most recently, Zach was a partner in the real estate practice at a New York law firm; general counsel to the Brookhill Group, a real estate developer and operator; and of counsel at another Am Law 100 firm.

Zach earned his bachelor’s degree from Connecticut College and his law degree, cum laude, from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Experience

News

Cozen O’Connor Releases Film Short on New York Real Estate’s Future

December 19, 2022

New York, December 19, 2022 – Cozen O’Connor and its affiliate, Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, announce the release of an innovative short documentary, “New York City: What’s Ahead? A Real Estate Perspective,” with keen observations about this current unprecedented and transformative period.

Commercial Real Estate Slow To Complete Libor Transition

September 16, 2022

Zach Samton is quoted in S&P Global discussing how the U.S. commercial real estate industry is handling the Libor transition.

Cozen O’Connor Represents Equus Capital Partners, Ltd. in Nearly $1 Billion Acquisition of Industrial Real Estate Portfolio

February 07, 2022

Philadelphia, February 7, 2022 – Cozen O'Connor represented affiliates of Equus Capital Partners, Ltd. in the acquisition of a portfolio of industrial properties throughout the Southeast and Sun Belt.

Will 2022 Be Another Boom Year for CMBS?

January 26, 2022

Zach Samton is quoted in an article in the Commercial Property Executive that discusses the fate of Commercial Mortgage-backed Securities (CMBS) in 2022.

CMBS Borrowers Face Refinancing Challenges

June 21, 2021

Zach Samton is quoted in a Wealth Management Real Estate article discussing potential refinancing challenges confronting CMBS borrowers as their debt reaches maturity.

Cozen O’Connor Represents Equus Capital Partners, Ltd. in $1 Billion Multi-Tiered Real Estate Transaction

April 20, 2021

Cozen O'Connor represented affiliates of Equus Capital Partners, Ltd. in a multi-tiered transaction that included the sale of two portfolios of industrial properties throughout the Southeastern United States.

Publications

Navigating Improved Rules for HVCRE Loans – What You Need to Know [Alert]

October 19, 2018

Zach Samton and William Davis discuss the enactment of the Economic Growth Act and how it impacts both borrowers and lenders.

Education

  • Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, J.D., cum laude, 1994
  • Connecticut College, B.A., 1990
  • New York