Serena S. Carlsen
SEATTLE, Wash. (April 28, 2016) – Perkins Coie is pleased to announce that Serena S. Carlsen has joined the firm’s Real Estate & Land Use practice as a partner in the Seattle office. Serena, whose practice focuses on commercial property and development matters, was previously a partner at Stoel Rives LLP.
“Serena is a highly experienced real estate lawyer and is well-established in the Seattle real estate community,” said Mark Birnbaum, Chair of Perkins Coie’s Real Estate & Property Development practice. “The transactional real estate market in the Puget Sound region is among the fastest-growing in the nation, with a substantial number of real estate projects completed in downtown Seattle last year. Having a veteran like Serena join Perkins Coie allows us to capitalize on the region’s growth and better serve our clients who are contributing to that growth as well.”
Serena’s practice focuses on commercial real estate and development matters in the Western United States, where she advises clients on facility purchases, leases, financing and construction. Her work encompasses a wide range of industries, where she has represented marine terminal operators, construction materials firms, Alaska native corporations and foundations, grocery chain operators, office and shopping center developers, and healthcare operators.
“Serena is widely respected in the Pacific Northwest real estate market, and among the Perkins Coie attorneys who have worked closely with her in the past as colleagues or on the other side of a commercial or development real estate matter,” said Fred Rivera, Office Managing Partner of Perkins Coie’s Seattle office. “Her solid reputation and innate ability to build her practice in a growing and competitive market are leadership qualities essential to supporting our thriving and expanding real estate practice and Seattle office. We are delighted to welcome Serena to Perkins Coie.”
Active in the community, Serena is the North America Regional Vice Chair for TerraLex’s Real Estate Practice Group and past Chair of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the Washington State Bar Association. She earned her J.D. from the University of Puget Sound School of Law (now the Seattle University School of Law) and received her B.A. from Scripps College.
Serena’s arrival at Perkins Coie Real Estate & Land Use practice follows another key addition earlier this month, when Tara K. Gorman joined the firm in its Washington, D.C. office from Greenberg Traurig LLP. Tara focuses on hotel development and acquisitions.
Perkins Coie’s Real Estate & Land Use practice provides clients with comprehensive services encompassing the full range of commercial real estate and development issues. With more than 50 lawyers in offices across the country, the team has the depth and diversity of experience to handle a variety of projects, including resort hotels, golf course and housing developments, mixed-use projects, shopping centers, corporate campuses, retirement communities, industrial facilities and public/private developments. The group helps clients with all aspects of the financing, acquisition, development, leasing and disposition of major projects nationally and internationally. The group also assists clients with the workout of both CMBS and portfolio loans, as well as the leasing and disposition of REO property.
About Perkins Coie: Founded in 1912, Perkins Coie LLP has more than 1,000 lawyers in 19 offices across the United States and Asia. The firm provides a full array of corporate, commercial litigation and intellectual property legal services to a broad range of clients, from FORTUNE 50 corporations to emerging growth startups, as well as public and not-for-profit organizations.
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