Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Farzaneh Azouri

Westlake Village,CA

Summary

SENIOR IN-HOUSE COUNSEL with 20 years experience in Affordable Housing space, representing clients’ interests in litigation matters, real estate transactions, bank and finance issues, workouts, foreclosures, general contract laws, insurance coverage and partnership disputes. Focused on clear communications, pragmatic advice and solutions, and inclusive team work.

Overview

31
31
years of professional experience

Work History

Sr. Vice President & Deputy General Counsel

Blackstone April Housing
Los Angeles, CA
12.2021 - 12.2022
  • After Blackstone's acquisition of AIG's Affordable Housing business, was recruited by Blackstone to stay on to see through multiple open litigation issues. Those cases were mostly resolved by December 2022, and April Housing opted to disband it's internal litigation unit.

Vice President, Associate General Counsel

SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners, Inc
Century City, CA
06.2001 - 12.2021
  • Responsibilities included: Real Estate Transactions, Tax Credit Acquisition and Syndication, Contract Disputes, Deal Structuring, Due Diligence, Workouts, Foreclosures/Bankruptcies, Employment law, Insurance Coverage Disputes
  • Focused on providing senior management with practical and actionable advice and guidance, with emphasis on effective, efficient and timely process and cost management
  • Driven to act as management’s knowledgeable business partner, not as “lawyer’s lawyer”
  • Successfully negotiated and resolved insurance coverage dispute in sensitive setting with insurer being affiliated company resulting in 100% coverage of all submitted claims, in excess of $850,000
  • Played key role in setting aside $14.7 million default judgment and eventually resolving premises liability claim for only $67,000
  • Recovered by way of structured settlements in excess of $9 million from various defaulting developer partners
  • Obtained full dismissal of prevailing wage law complaint filed by National Labor Relations Board against affiliated partnership, saving company approximately $250,000, Advise senior management and investment managers on legal considerations of managing proposed and existing multi-family (LIHTC) real estate transactions, Federal and state tax credit acquisition and syndication, and purchase and sale of real estate limited partnership interests
  • Retain, supervise, and direct outside counsel in representing company’s litigation efforts in connection with firm’s financial and economic interests for portfolio of 1300+ real estate operating partnerships
  • Provide counsel on mechanic’s lien laws, premises liability issues, insurance claims and coverage disputes, construction contract disputes, prevailing wage, housing discrimination, eminent domain and condemnation matters, and HUD 2530 Previous Participation filings
  • Supervise and negotiate deal restructuring, workout agreements, and amendments to operating agreements.
  • Developed strategies to resolve cases in client's best interest.

Vice President, Legal Counsel

California Federal Bank, FSB
Glendale, CA
09.1998 - 06.2001
  • Represented bank in all aspects of its operations including documentation, due diligence, and closing responsibilities of sophisticated multi-family, retail, and commercial real estate transactions
  • Prepared loan commitments and negotiated and drafted subordination and non-disturbance agreements, estoppel certificates, and purchase, sale, participation, and assumption agreements
  • Managed all legal aspects of loan servicing including reservation of rights, forbearance, workout, and note sale agreements; oversaw all judicial and non-judicial foreclosures as well as receivership and bankruptcy matters
  • Managed landlord-tenant and related unlawful detainer matters for REO departments of company.

Legal Counsel

Glendale Federal Bank, FSB
Glendale, CA
08.1994 - 09.1998
  • Represented company in all phases of real estate transactions, employment law, and pursued loan and finance litigation on behalf of company in both state and Federal courts
  • Prepared pleadings, conducted discovery, drafted and argued discovery and summary judgment motions, took and defended witness depositions, drafted mediation and trial briefs
  • Advised senior management on litigation strategy and departmental operations; negotiated and drafted loan workout, modification, and sale agreements; litigated all aspects of receiverships and judicial foreclosures.

Litigation Associate

Buchalter, Nemer, Fields & Younger
Los Angeles, CA
10.1991 - 08.1994
  • Exercised full authority over legal matters of varying complexity; drafted pleadings including summary judgment and discovery motions, arbitration, trial and appellate briefs
  • Answered and propounded discovery, writs, and memoranda; appeared and argued client matters at court and arbitration hearings; negotiated and drafted settlement agreements.

Education

Juris Doctorate -

Southwestern University School of Law

Bachelor of Science - undefined

University of West Los Angeles

Degree - Translation and Interpretation

Englische Institut Heidelberg

Skills

  • Partnerships and Affiliations
  • Complex Problem-Solving
  • Risk and Mitigation Analysis
  • Corporate and business legal issues
  • Commercial litigation experience
  • Dispute arbitration
  • Case management
  • Litigation
  • Corporate transactions

Timeline

Sr. Vice President & Deputy General Counsel

Blackstone April Housing
12.2021 - 12.2022

Vice President, Associate General Counsel

SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners, Inc
06.2001 - 12.2021

Vice President, Legal Counsel

California Federal Bank, FSB
09.1998 - 06.2001

Legal Counsel

Glendale Federal Bank, FSB
08.1994 - 09.1998

Litigation Associate

Buchalter, Nemer, Fields & Younger
10.1991 - 08.1994

Juris Doctorate -

Southwestern University School of Law

Bachelor of Science - undefined

University of West Los Angeles

Degree - Translation and Interpretation

Englische Institut Heidelberg

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Farzaneh Azouri