Thomas M. Hanahan

A partner in Taft’s Real Estate group, Tom primarily focuses on commercial real estate development and project finance matters. He has significant experience representing developers and investors in the acquisition, development, and disposition of commercial real estate projects and representing lenders on construction and permanent loans and loan workouts. Additionally, he is experienced with all major real estate asset classes, and his practice has been national in scope, involving projects in over half of the states in the U.S.

Tom’s real estate development practice includes involvement in all aspects of ownership and capital structures, including joint venture relationships, private placement equity raises, common and preferred institutional equity raises, mezzanine financing structures, and conventional and program financing. In his lending practice, he represents lenders on construction and permanent financings, including single bank deals, syndications, participations, and loan workouts and foreclosures.

In addition to his commercial real estate practice, Tom has experience with a wide range of other matters, including general business transactions, corporate and commercial law, litigation, bankruptcy, creditors’ rights, and land use.

Real Estate Development

• Counsel to real estate developers and investors on the acquisition and development of various commercial real estate projects, including multifamily projects, retail projects, office buildings, industrial facilities, and mixed-use projects.
• Counsel to developers on projects in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
• Counsel to real estate developers on matters involving (i) raising equity through private placement securities offerings, institutional investor joint ventures, and preferred equity arrangements, and (ii) obtaining mezzanine financing.
• Counsel to real estate developers in joint venture arrangements with land owners and co-developers.
• Counsel to real estate developers and investors on the construction and permanent financing of various commercial real estate projects.
• Counsel to real estate developers and investors on the purchase and sale of various commercial real estate projects.
• Local counsel to out-of-state developers who are developing and financing real estate projects in Indiana.
• Counsel to real estate developers and operators on the renegotiation of distressed loans, forbearance arrangements, and lender foreclosure actions.
• Counsel to non-profit entities with the development of new facilities.

Real Estate Finance

• Counsel to commercial lenders with construction loans, general real estate mortgage loans, and asset-based loans, including financing mixed use projects, hospitality and convention hotel projects, multifamily projects, retail projects, office buildings, industrial facilities, commercial and residential subdivisions, condominium developments, and recreational developments; including loan syndications for construction loans for condominium projects in Florida and Alabama.
• Counsel to lead lenders on construction loans for full service, convention size hotels in Indianapolis, Louisville, Austin, and Chicago.
• Counsel to lenders in financing and investing in low-income tax credit developments.
• Local counsel to out-of-state lenders who are financing real estate projects in Indiana.
• Counsel to commercial lenders with workouts, forbearance arrangements, and foreclosures of distressed loans.

• Faculty Presenter for Strafford Continuing Legal Education Seminar on Completion Guaranties (March 2018, March 2019, October 2020, July 2023, October 2023, October 2024).
• Author of “Reconsidering Completion Guaranties,” published in ALI-ABA’s The Practical Real Estate Lawyer.