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Levi J. Smith
Senior Associate
Email: lsmith@fredlaw.com
Office: 612.492.7489
Assistant: Karen Pajak, 612.492.7634
Overview
Levi represents lending institutions and borrowers in all aspects of commercial and real estate finance transactions.
Levi advises banks and other lending institutions on a variety of loan transactions and also represents private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers in commercial and real estate finance matters. He has significant experience leading all types of loan transactions, including acquisition financings, real estate loans, senior and mezzanine debt, and secured and unsecured loans. Levi is well versed in structuring, documenting, negotiating and closing complex financing transactions. He also has experience with mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and general corporate matters.
Experience
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
- Represents local and national banks and other lending institutions in a variety of loan transactions.
- Represents private equity sponsors and corporate borrowers in loans ranging in size from several million dollars to over $500 million.
- Represents private equity sponsors in corporate transactions and general corporate matters.
- Represented bank in connection with $19 million construction financing.
- Represented administrative agent in large syndicated revolving credit facility.
- Represented national bank in significant operating and real estate credit facilities, including the structuring and negotiation of intercreditor issues relating to subordinated debt facility.
- Represented large agribusiness in connection with over $800 million of financing transactions.
Articles & Presentations
It’s the End of LIBOR as We Know It
March 1, 2019
The U.K. governmental authority that publishes LIBOR may phase out LIBOR by the end of 2021. Lenders who use LIBOR will need to determine what effect the phasing out of LIBOR will have for the lender and its borrowers.
Read MoreDelaware Divisions: Are Your Loan Documents Sufficient to Protect You?
December 3, 2018
Due to recent amendments to the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, banks and other lenders who make loans to limited liability companies (LLCs) formed in the state of Delaware should carefully review their loan documents and modify restrictive covenants related to mergers, reorganizations, acquisitions, dispositions, and similar transactions to address a newly created form of transaction called a “division.”
Read MoreWhat to Expect Under the New FinCEN Beneficial Ownership Rule
September 4, 2018
By Levi J. Smith & Olivia Cares
The May 11, 2018, implementation deadline for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s Beneficial Ownership Rule has now passed, and there are fundamental changes in the daily customer due diligence obligations of banks and other financial institutions.
Read MoreFiler Beware: A Lesson on Debtor Name
December 1, 2017
By Sjur Midness & Levi J. Smith
There are many things in life where “close enough” will work, but when it comes to filing a financing statement in a secured loan transaction, getting the name of the debtor “close enough” just won’t do.
Read MorePUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
- “Do Leveraged Lending Guidelines Reduce Risk?" co-authored with Devin Driscoll, FredNEWS: Bank & Finance, September 2017
- “Minnesota’s New LLC Act: Update,” FredNEWS: Bank & Finance, June 2016
- “Minnesota’s New LLC Act: One Reason Banks Should Care,” FredNEWS: Bank & Finance, March 2016
- “Filer Beware: A Lesson on the UCC-3 Termination Statement,” FredNEWS: Bank & Finance, March 2015
Honors & Education
EDUCATION
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 2014, magna cum laude
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.S., 2011, with distinction
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Minnesota, 2014
HONORS
- Minnesota State Bar Association, North Star Lawyer, 2015
- Contributing Editor, Michigan Journal of Law Reform, 2013-2014; Associate Editor 2012-2013
- Certificates of Merit in Land Use Planning and Control and Environmental Law and Policy, University of Michigan Law School