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Phillip Gordon

Profile photo for Phillip Gordon
Profile photo for Phillip Gordon
Of Counsel

Phillip Gordon

Phil focuses on real estate and land use, private equity, hotel transactions and management agreements, corporate mergers and acquisitions.

Over the years, Phil Gordon has supervised the acquisitions, financing, and management agreement negotiations of more than 75 hotels in North America and Europe. He has also advised sponsors on establishing private equity funds and has represented portfolio companies of the private equity funds. Phil has represented boards of directors and committees of boards of public companies, handling numerous public and private corporate acquisitions and dispositions, as well as counseling on a range of topics.

Education & Credentials

Education

  • University of Oxford, M.A., 1973
  • The University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1969
  • University of Oxford, B.A., with honors, 1967
  • University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, B.A., Honors, 1965
  • University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, B.A., 1964

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Illinois

Professional Recognition

  • Ranked nationally in Chambers USA as a leading lawyer in Leisure & Hospitality, 2009-2023

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America: Corporate Law, 2007-2024

  • Listed as a "Super Lawyer" by Illinois Law & Politics, 2005-2021

  • Named Law360 Hospitality Editorial Advisory Board, 2017

  • Peer Review Rated AV in Martindale-Hubbell

    (AV®, BV® and CV® are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies.)

  • *The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no certificate, award or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.

Impact

Professional Leadership

  • American Jewish Committee, Chicago Advisory Board, Director
  • Oxford University, Vice Chancellors Council 
  • Urban Land Institute
  • Spertus Institute of Jewish Learning and Leadership, Trustee and Former Chairman
  • Balliol College, Oxford, member of North American Campaign Board
  • The International Churchill Society, Director

Professional Experience

Hotels & Leisure

Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, CA

Represented Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. in acquiring a joint venture ownership interest in the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, CA. The property includes the 679-room luxury property, a spa and beach club, a 78-room beachfront, luxury condominium-hotel development and a zoned parcel for additional 144-room development. The Hotel del Coronado, a National Historic Landmark located on 28 acres of prime beachfront, is considered to be one of the top ten resorts in the world. Represented Strategic Hotels & Resorts in the 2011 recapitalization and refinancing of this hotel.

Essex House Hotel, New York, NY

Represented Strategic Hotels & Resorts in connection with (i) the $362.3 million acquisition of the iconic Essex House hotel, 9 residential units at the property; (ii) the negotiation of a 50 year management agreement with Marriott International, Inc., to convert the property to the first JW Marriott-branded property in New York City; (iii) the formation of an ownership joint venture; and (iv) a $190 million acquisition loan from Bank of America, N.A.. This transaction received the "Single Asset Transaction of the Year 2012" award at the 2013 ALIS Conference.

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts LLC (2011)

Represented the owners in the sale of Dallas-based Rosewood Hotels & Resorts LLC hotel management company and five North American properties under Rosewood management for $800 million to China-based New World Hospitality and individual investors. Properties sold in the transaction included the Carlyle Hotel in New York, NY, the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe, NM, Rosewood Little Dix Bay in the British Virgin Islands, the Rosewood Crescent Hotel and the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, both in Dallas, TX. The transaction received the "M&A Deal of the Year Award" at the 2012 ALIS Conference.

Recapitalization of Fairmont Scottsdale

Represented the ownership in the recapitalization and refinancing of the Fairmont Scottsdale hotel.

The Fairmont, Chicago, IL

Represented the developer of this hotel and represented a public company in the acquisition and financing of this hotel.

The Fairmont, San Francisco, CA

Represented a private fund in the acquisition and refinancings of this historic hotel on Nob Hill.

Four Seasons, Washington, D.C.

Represented Strategic Hotels and Resorts in the acquisition of the Washington, D.C., Four Seasons.

Four Seasons, Jackson Hole, WY and Four Seasons, Palo Alto, CA and Associated Pipe Transaction

Represented Strategic Hotels & Resorts in acquiring these two marquee properties in a stock for assets transaction and an associated sale of stock to an institutional investor.

Intercontinental, Chicago, IL

Represented Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. in the acquisition of a majority interest in this hotel, including negotiation of the hotel management agreement, the joint venture agreements, the financing documents and the refinancing of this hotel.

Intercontinental, Miami, FL

Represented a public company in the acquisition of a majority interest in this hotel, including negotiation of the hotel management agreement, the joint venture agreements, the financing documents and the refinancing of this hotel.

Represented Hotel Investment Group

Represented Maritz, Wolff and Co. and affiliates in the purchase, sale and financing of approximately 18 hotels in North America, Australia and the Caribbean.

Extensive Experience in Non-U.S. Transactions

Acted for owners purchasing and financing hotels in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Czech Republic and Australia.

Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, Half Moon Bay, CA

Represented Strategic Hotels and Resorts Inc. in the acquisition of this resort. The Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay Resort is located on the Pacific coast south of San Francisco and may be one of the last newly constructed resorts permitted to be built on the California Pacific coast due to coastal protection regulations now in effect.

The Westin St. Francis, San Francisco, CA

Perkins Coie represented Strategic Hotel Capital in the acquisition of San Francisco hotel Westin St. Francis.

Private Equity

Raising Equity Capital

Represented private equity sponsors in connection with raising of equity capital and various transactions.

Represented Special Committees of NYSE Listed Companies

Represented special committees of two NYSE listed companies in connection with undisclosed transactions.

Represented Purchaser of Granite and Limestone Quarries

Represented SPO Partners & Company in the $420 million purchase of 12 limestone and granite quarries primarily in Georgia and Tennessee.

Real Estate

Represented Builder and Developer

Represented Optima Inc. in the structuring of purchases and financings of residential condominium projects in Illinois and Arizona, involving more than $2 billion of sales.

Business

Voyager Learning Merger With Cambium Learning

Represented Voyager Learning Company (formerly Proquest Corporation) in its merger transaction with Cambium Learning, to form a new public company. The stockholders of Voyager Learning received a combination of cash, shares in the new company and contingent value rights linked to specified tax refunds. Acted as the Voyager stockholder representative to oversee administration of the contingent value rights.

Dade-Behring Inc. Recapitalization and Merger

Represented the management team of Dade-Behring Inc., one of the world's largest diagnostic equipment manufacturers, in the recapitalization and insolvency of the company, as a result of which management received significant equity participation in the reorganized company. Participated in representing the company in its sale to Siemens Corporation.

Represented Special Committee of Board of Directors in Sale of Sunstone Hotel Investors

Represented the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Sunstone Hotel Investors in the sale of the company to a buyer affiliated with management.

Investment Management/Raising Equity Capital for Private Funds

Represented numerous private equity partnerships in connection with raising of equity capital and various transactions. Advised private equity funds with respect to Investment Advisers Act registration.

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