Akerman today announced that New York-based Real Estate Partner Naheem Harris has been appointed Co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate Financing Practice, effective immediately. Naheem succeeds Samuel Zylberberg, who recently retired from the firm, and will lead the national practice alongside Co-Chair Beau Baker. Together, Naheem and Beau will work to advance the practice’s continued growth and deliver sophisticated counsel to clients across the country.
“Naheem is an outstanding addition to the practice’s leadership, and his deep experience representing lenders and borrowers in sophisticated real estate finance transactions makes him exceptionally well positioned to work alongside Beau and lead the practice into its next chapter,” said Eric Rapkin, Chair of Akerman’s Real Estate Practice Group. “We are excited about the opportunities ahead and confident that Naheem and Beau will continue to build on the strong foundation the practice has established. We are also grateful to Sam for his tremendous contributions and leadership of the practice over the years.”
Naheem, who joined Akerman in 2024, focuses his practice on representing domestic and international real estate companies, institutional lenders, REITs, funds, and other real estate investors and operators. His experience includes bespoke mortgage, mezzanine, and preferred equity financings, borrower and lender representations, acquisitions and dispositions, development, partnerships, and joint ventures. He also advises owners and operators on real estate-related operational, organizational, and structural matters across asset classes including office, multifamily, single-family, build-to-rent, industrial, life sciences, and hospitality.
“I am honored to take on this leadership role and work alongside Beau to help guide Akerman’s leading Real Estate Financing Practice,” said Naheem. “The practice has built a strong reputation for handling sophisticated transactions and delivering strategic solutions to clients, and I look forward to contributing to its continued growth while helping our clients navigate an increasingly complex real estate financing environment.”
About Akerman
Founded in 1920, Akerman is an Am Law 100 firm recognized by Vault among the nation’s most prestigious law firms. The firm has more than 700 lawyers and business professionals throughout the United States.
Akerman’s national Real Estate Financing Practice represents lenders and borrowers in a broad range of complex real estate financing transactions. The team, which includes former in-house counsel from major multinational banks, is consistently recognized by Best Lawyers, The Legal 500, and Law360 as a national leader in the real estate sector. Akerman represents a number of the nation’s largest financial institutions, institutional investors, investment banks, banking associations, life insurance companies, and developers in a variety of domestic and international matters, from the most sophisticated capital market transactions, to workouts and bankruptcies, to more traditional conventional financings.