Mitchell Poole

Co-Chair, Real Estate

Santa Monica

(310) 594-3128

(310) 394-4700

Mitchell has more than 25 years of experience leading real estate transactions on behalf of both U.S. and foreign institutional lenders and investors. He started his career as counsel to institutional mortgage and mezzanine lenders, but his practice for the past two decades has focused on lifecycle equity investment representation. He handles all aspects of investment in development projects and stabilized real estate assets.

Mitchell leads sophisticated joint venture agreements; due diligence and property acquisition; borrower-side construction, mortgage, and mezzanine financing; ground, office, and data center leasing; and property disposition and investment exit. He also executes workouts and Chapter 11 restructurings of single-asset and multi-property portfolios.  

Over the course of his career, Mitchell has advised on equity investment in almost every type of asset class. His clients hold or have held interests in apartments, student housing, and senior and assisted-living facilities; industrial buildings and flex centers; office buildings and traditional medical offices; colocation and data centers; retail centers; and full-service hospitality and resort assets.

Before attending law school, Mitchell served in New Jersey state government under three successive governors where he handled inner-city redevelopment and operational services matters for both the governor’s and state treasurer’s offices.

Mitchell maintains an active pro bono practice, handling real estate transactions for nonprofits and direct service providers. He has led purchase, sale, and leasing transactions for the ACLU of Southern California and has twice received that organization’s Pro Bono Special Service Award. He also recently dedicated hundreds of hours to assisting with zoning, land use, and other regulatory compliance matters on behalf of the operator of a halfway house for homeless LGBTQ+ individuals.

He earned both his J.D. and a Master of Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine University School of Law. Mitchell also earned an M.B.A. from the University of Colorado and a B.A. from Brown University.

 

Experience

News

Cozen O’Connor Represents Equus Capital Partners, Ltd. in $1 Billion Multi-Tiered Real Estate Transaction

April 20, 2021

Cozen O'Connor represented affiliates of Equus Capital Partners, Ltd. in a multi-tiered transaction that included the sale of two portfolios of industrial properties throughout the Southeastern United States.

Cozen O’Connor Lands Noted California-based Real Estate Attorney Mitchell Poole

July 06, 2020

Poole, who has for 20-plus years represented general and limited partners investing in national/international real estate funds and joint ventures, joins Cozen O’Connor as a shareholder.

Publications

COVID-19 Amplifies Unique Issues For Student Housing

September 08, 2020

Mitchell Poole authored an article published by Law360 that examines the unique business and legal issues that distinguish student housing from traditional multifamily housing facilities, and discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic has amplified those issues and affected the economics of off-campus student housing.

Industry Sectors

Education

  • Pepperdine University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1998
  • Pepperdine University School of Law, M.D.R., 1998
  • University of Colorado, M.B.A., 1989
  • Brown University, B.A., 1985

Awards & Honors

2013 ACLU Foundation of Southern California’s Pro Bono Special Service Award

2007 ACLU Foundation of Southern California’s Pro Bono Special Service Award

2012 The Legal 500 – recognized as a leading lawyer in real estate

  • California