Richard Demarest Yant

Partner

Banking and Finance

Commercial Real Estate

Corporate Law

Mergers and Acquisitions

Land Use, Zoning, and Entitlement

Real Estate Construction and Finance

Equipment Finance

R.D. focuses his practice on general business and financing transactions, including commercial real estate transactions, real estate financing and lease transactions, commercial and industrial lending, business sales and acquisitions, and equipment financing.

R.D. has authored or co-authored articles dealing with real estate and land use law and has been a speaker on matters relating to secured lending, equipment financing and railroad transactions.

Prior to joining MPS, R.D. was a partner at a mid-sized Chicago law firm. Before that, he was a partner in the Chicago office of a large multinational law firm for eighteen years, and associate general counsel for an entrepreneur-owned holding company, which held interests in a variety of businesses across the country.

"We are a business-focused, entrepreneurial firm and tend to appeal to clients with similar perspectives and values. Like attracts like.”

Contact

125 S. Wacker Drive, Suite 2900
Chicago, Illinois 60606

T: 312-461-4309
F: 312-987-9854
E: ryant@mpslaw.com
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Education

  • J.D., University of Illinois College of Law
  • M.S., Purdue University
  • B.S., Purdue University

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Mezzanine loans and preferred equity transactions relating to acquisition or development of real estate located in California, Texas, Illinois, New York, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
  • Construction loans for residential condominium and hotel projects in Illinois and Colorado.
  • Senior secured loans for assemblage of properties located in Midtown Manhattan.
  • UCC foreclosure sale of mezzanine loan positions of entity owning office buildings in Texas.
  • Sale of Watergate office building in Washington, DC, by preferred equity investor following taking control of ownership entity.
  • Acquisition and financing of multifamily residential buildings.
  • Restructuring debt secured by commercial real estate.
  • Land use issues in connection with hotel and retail developments.
  • Office, commercial; industrial and retail development and leasing transactions.
  • Representation of banks in commercial and industrial and construction loan transactions.
  • Sale by the U.S. subsidiary of a French family-owned business of its North American railroad rolling stock and related contract rights to a private equity fund.
  • Cash-out merger of family-owned medical supply business into subsidiary of Fortune 500 company.
  • Liquidation of family-owned businesses, which included a grain processing business, a bulk material handling business, a horticultural products business and an inland marine fleeting and switching business, with facilities located in Illinois, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and New Mexico, in a series of ten transactions.
  • Creation of family limited liability companies to own and lease inherited farmland.
  • Preparation of limited liability company operating agreements for Illinois and Delaware limited liability companies in connection with real estate investments and mezzanine financing transactions.
  • Representation of multinational and small equipment leasing and managing companies in the acquisition, financing and leasing of equipment (with especially strong experience in rail rolling stock issues).
  • Rail equipment operating leases (representing lessors and lessees).
  • Union League Club of Chicago, including member of the Board and Chair of the Club’s Public Affairs Committee (2016-2019)
  • Various bar associations and member of the Public Affairs Committee of the Chicago Bar Association
  • Traffic Club of Chicago (organization of transportation professionals)
  • “Development Process,” (and similar titles) chapter in IICLE Illinois Land Use Law manual (author or co-author), various editions through 2017
  • “Protecting the Financial Institution,” Presentation, Railroads for Non-Railroaders Conference, 2005 and 2007
  • “Choosing Illinois Law in Commercial Contracts: What does it mean?,” Presentation, Chicago Bar Association Commercial Finance and Transactions Committee (with John R. Herrmann, Bank of America Leasing), 2007
  • “Land Use Process: Governmental Bodies and Jurisdiction,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2010
  • Recent Decision case note in Illinois Bar Journal April 1981
  • “AV® Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbell