Winston Finance & Real Estate Attorneys Collaborate to Assist Lifting Up Westchester

In the final quarter of 2018, volunteers from Winston & Strawn’s New York finance and real estate practice groups worked to close a financing transaction on behalf of pro bono client Lifting Up Westchester. For almost four decades, Lifting Up Westchester has worked to find stable, long-term housing and provide support to those in crisis to permanently change and rebuild their lives. The organization assists over 4,500 New York residents each year through four key program areas: emergency food and shelter, housing stabilization, vocational training and employment, and next generation educational opportunities.

Because Lifting Up Westchester operates on a constrained annual budget, hiring counsel to assist with a necessary finance project was not an option. Winston stepped up to the plate to assist on this complex and time intensive transaction, which allowed the organization to allocate the majority of its funds directly toward the community served, rather than legal fees. 

Collaborating across practice groups, members of both the finance and real estate teams problem solved to efficiently close on a corporate term loan and a mortgage loan to provide certain working capital for general corporate purposes. Because the project closely mirrored the transactional work our attorneys regularly do for commercial clients, junior associates on the team had a premier opportunity to develop hands-on skills and a deeper understanding of financial terms while simultaneously providing a positive impact for a worthy pro bono client. As stated by Lifting Up Westchester’s Executive Director Anahaita Kotval, “None of this would have been possible without the Winston team’s expertise and endurance as both transactions involved multiple parties and moving pieces and an endless number of emails and draft documents.”

Such financial pro bono transactions have demonstrated to be a win-win for all parties involved—the nonprofit client shared gratitude for the vital support given, Winston attorneys were able to develop skills that are transferable to successful work for future commercial clients, and with the conclusion of this necessary financing, the great mission of Lifting Up Westchester continues to thrive and impact the lives of thousands. 

*Photographs provided by Lifting Up Westchester