Joseph Q. McCoy

Joseph Q. McCoy is a professional problem solver. He is known for his willingness and desire to learn his clients’ business and their strategic business objectives so that he can more effectively counsel them and help them achieve their business goals.

Joseph leads the business transactions practice at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila. Before joining RSHC, Joseph was managing partner of the Chicago office of an Am Law 100 law firm, where he also served as the chair of the firm’s airport concession practice.

Joseph has over two decades of experience structuring and documenting business transactions. Joseph is a trained lending lawyer who also manages real estate portfolios for corporate clients. In addition, he counsels entrepreneurs as their outside general counsel on a variety of transactions including M&A transactions, fund formation, general corporate matters, and commercial contracts. Finally, Joseph is a well known advisor in all aspects of airport concession transactions across the country.

In his real estate practice, Joseph advises on all aspects of real estate portfolio management including leasing, acquisitions and sales, structured finance arrangements, construction-related issues, and disputes that arise from the holdings and their development.

Joseph is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Law where he has served as an adjunct professor teaching a course in real estate secured transactions for the past ten years. He received both his Bachelor’s Degree (with honors) and his Master’s Degree from the University of Chicago. He is a member of Northwestern’s Wall of Fame and is a member of the University of Chicago’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

He is married and the father of two children. He loves concerts, sporting events, playing bid whist, and mentoring.

Experience

Real Estate Finance

Real Estate Finance Transactions (Lender Representation).

Represent various lenders in loan transactions (construction, syndicated and mortgage financing).

Commercial Finance

Commercial Finance (Lender Representation).

Represent various lenders in commercial loan transactions (working capital facilities, letter of credit facilities, secured and unsecured credit facilities).

Airport Concessions

Represent clients in all aspects related to the Airport Concession business. Representations include Master / Prime Concessionaries, ACDBE operators, brands, airlines, and municipalities.

Retail & Consumer Products

Grocery Chain Disposition. Represented a consortium of investors in the disposition of a chain of grocery stores in Texas and Louisiana.

Department Store Chain Disposition. Represented a consortium of investors in the disposition of retail mall anchors in Texas, Colorado, Michigan, and Louisiana.

Real Estate

Retail Leasing.

Representative Engagements

• Negotiation of multiple retail leases for insurance company in California, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and Georgia
• Negotiation of retail leases for grocery store chain in Texas
• Negotiation of retail leases for national wireless service provider in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana

Office Leasing. Negotiation of office tenant leases in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, and Florida.

Real Estate Acquisitions. Represented the buyer in the acquisition of various properties across the United States.

National grocery store chain (600 stores).

Representative Engagements

• $143,000,000 acquisition of the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, HI (Purchase of Owner’s Membership Interests)
• $100,000,000 acquisition of the Eden Roc Hotel, Miami Beach, FL (Purchase of Owner’s Membership Interests)
• $87,600,000 acquisition of LAX Marriott, Los Angeles, CA
• $78,000,000 acquisition of Marriott’s Frenchman’s Reef Beach Resort, St. Thomas, USVI (Purchase of Owner’s Membership Interests)
• $70,000,000 acquisition of the Renaissance Worthington Hotel, Fort Worth, TX
• $38,000,000 acquisition of the Alpharetta Marriott Hotel, Alpharetta, GA
• $14,750,000 acquisition of the Omni Orrington Hotel, Evanston, IL
• $5,000,000 acquisition of Riverfront Golf Club at Harbourview, Suffolk, VA

Real Estate Dispositions. Represented various sellers in the disposition of property across the United States.

Representative Engagements

• Multiple retail mall anchors in Texas, Colorado, Michigan, Louisiana, and the state of Washington
• National grocery store chain properties in Texas and Louisiana (over 50)
• $9,700,000 sale of college campus in Wheaton, IL
• $7,012,500 sale of mall property in Plano, TX
• $6,000,000 sale of mall property in Novi, MI
• $3,300,000 sale of mall property in Fort Worth, TX
• Sale of 122 S. Michigan, Chicago, IL

Real Estate Construction. Negotiation of construction contracts in Arizona, California, Georgia, IIIinois, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Texas, and St. Kitts.

Credentials

Education

Northwestern University, J.D., 1998

University of Chicago, A.M., 1994

University of Chicago, A.B., 1994, with honors

Bar Admissions

Illinois

New York

Texas

Professional Memberships

American Bar Association

National Bar Association

Section of Commercial Law

Chicago Bar Association

The Cook County Bar Association

Airport Minority Advisory Council

Airport Revenue News

International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)

Airport Council International

Leadership Greater Chicago, Fellow, Class of ‘07

Board Member; Co-Chair of Selection Committee (2008-2014)

Teaching Appointments

Adjunct Professor of Law, Northwestern University School of Law (2010-Present)

Adjunct Professor of Law, Canisius College (2009)

Honors & Awards

Illinois Leading Lawyer

Law Bulletin Media Leading Lawyers (2017-2019)

Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America

Lawdragon Inc. (2019)

Notable Gen X Leaders in Law in Chicago

Crain’s Chicago Business (2019)

Most Influential Minority Lawyers in Chicago

Crain’s Chicago Business (2017)

Most Influential Black Lawyers

Savoy Magazine (2015)

Chicago United Business Leader of Color (2013)

Illinois Super Lawyers

Thomson Reuters (2011-2012)

40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty

Law Bulletin Media (2009)

Leadership Greater Chicago

Fellow (2007)

PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS

“The Value of Social Capital,” (featured speaker), CA LEADS INTERN PROGRAM (June 24, 2019)

“Multi-Party Loans & Related Syndication Issues,” (co-panelist and facilitator), Practical Law Institute’s Commercial Real Estate Financing Forum 2019 (April 15, 2019)

“Lifting As We Climb.” (keynote speaker) Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Black Law Students Association’s (BLSA) Annual Graduating Students Recognition and Alumni Banquet, Chicago, IL (April 12, 2018)

“Law Firm Boot Camp for Junior Associates,“ (co-panelist) The Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms, Ropes & Gray, Chicago, IL (March 2, 2018)

“Authentic Leadership Panel,” (co-panelist) Cushman & Wakefield Black History Month Celebration, Chicago, IL (February 27, 2018)

“Who Actually Sponsors Attorneys of Color? Inside the Minds of Sponsors,” (co-panelist) 18^th Annual Charting Your Own Career (CYOC) Conference, Orlando FL (February 10, 2018)

“Joseph McCoy, Trailblazer and Natural Leader,” (editorial profile) Leading Lawyers Magazine—Real Estate, Construction & Environmental Edition (January 2018)

“From the Ground Up: Building a Successful Law Practice,” National Summit of Black Women Lawyers, Chicago, IL (March 2017)

“Practical Tools for Business Development: What You Can Do and Tips from the Top!,” Women in Law Empowerment Forum, Chicago, IL (November 2016)

“Should the Billable Hour Be Dead?,” The National Bar Association, St. Louis, MO (July 2016)

Entrepreneur Boot Camp, Women’s Foodservice Forum, Dallas, TX (March 2016)

“Making Your Mark: Leaders in the Legal Industry,” Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, IL (February 2016)

2015 Brownsfield Conference, Chicago, IL (September 2-4, 2015)

“The Next Leadership Position,” Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, New Orleans, LA (June 2015)

“Airport Opportunities: Financing Your Business,” AMAC, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (June 2015)

“Financing and Lending Strategies for Success,” Airport Revenue Conference & Exhibition, San Diego, CA (March 2015)

“OMG, I Grew My Business,” Strategic Planning and Exit Strategy for ACDBE Concession Operators, AMAC, Denver, CO (June 2014)

“Leveraging Diversity – Legal and Business Considerations,” (co-author) ABA Forum on Franchising, Orlando, FL (October 2013)

“ACDBE Operating Companies and Their Capital Needs,” AMAC, San Diego, CA (June 2012)

The Council on Legal Education Opportunity (April 2012)

National Black Law Students Association 44^th Annual Convention (March 2012)

“New Model for Accessing Capital Markets for ACDBEs That Have Brand Franchise Rights,” ACI-NA Business Diversity Committee Meeting/ACI-NA Concessions Conference, Atlanta, GA (November 2011)

“Preventing Fraud in DBE Programs,” ACI-NA Annual Conference, San Diego, CA (October 2011)

“Private Investors as an Alternative Financing Source for ACDBEs,” AMAC, St. Louis, MO (June 2011)

“The Impact of DOT’s New Rule on DBEs and ACDBEs,” (co-author) Airport Business (June 2011)

“The ABCs of Airport Joint Venture Agreements,” ACI-NA 2010 Airport Concessions Conference, Phoenix, AZ (November 2010)

“Retail Leasing at Airports and College Campuses,” The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) 40th Annual U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference, Hollywood, FL (November 2010)

“Lessons Learned and Best Practices from Internal DBE Program Audits,” ACI-NA 19^th Annual Conference & Exhibition, Pittsburgh, PA (September 2010)

“Structuring a Joint Venture,” (co-author) Airport Business (May 2010)

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Civic and Charitable Memberships

The Economic Club of Chicago, Member (2017 – Present)

Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education (CAFE), Board Member (2018 – Present)

Chicago Committee fka Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms, Board Member (2010-2017)

Illinois Equal Justice Foundation, Board Member (2010-2017)

Partnership for College Completion, Board of Directors (2015-2017)

Urban Prep Academies, Board Chairman (2005-2017)

Leadership Greater Chicago, Board Member (2008-2015)

Northwestern University School of Law, Law Board Member (2010-2014)

Legal Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Fellow (2011-2012)

Cabrini Green Legal Aid (CGLA), Annual Benefit Committee Member (2010)

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago, Board Member (2007-2010)

Lawyers Lend-A-Hand, 6^th Annual My Hero Awards Luncheon, Chairman (2009)

RILEY SAFER HOLMES & CANCILA LLP

We are a national law firm of litigators, trial lawyers, and transactional attorneys.

Our attorneys are business-minded strategists, who know that any distinction between a legal problem and a business problem dissolves when there is a potential risk to the client’s business. Our attorneys handle a broad range of business and financial matters, navigating complex issues and achieving optimal balance between business objectives and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. As deal closers and business lawyers, our experienced team of finance, real estate, and corporate attorneys have negotiated and closed hundreds of transactions, providing cost-efficient, experienced, and strategic counsel and legal services to global, national, and regional clients.

SERVICE

Representing clients on a pro bono basis, RSHC has helped free wrongfully convicted inmates, obtained clemency for non-violent offenders, protected the rights of asylum seekers, and supported Chicago in its status as a diverse and welcoming “sanctuary city.” The firm also provided training in criminal investigations to the Cook County Public Defender’s Office.

LEADERSHIP 

RSHC was recently named a top ranked firm for gender and racial diversity.  We are organically diverse. Forty-eight percent of our attorneys are women and 31 percent are minorities. Among partners, 37 percent are women and 34 percent are minorities. Most notably, Managing Partner Patricia Brown Holmes is the first African-American woman to lead and have her name on the door of a major law firm that is not women- or minority-owned.

We have deep and broad experience dealing with government at many levels. Six of our lawyers have served as Assistant United States Attorneys and others have experience as state court prosecutors. One was an Illinois state judge. Another was First Deputy Chief of Staff and Public Safety for the City of Chicago. Another served as General Counsel to the Governor of Illinois, and Deputy Corporation Counsel in charge of all City of Chicago litigation. We have judiciously exercised the power of the government, and we have defended our clients against it.