Meet the Board: Mark Levinson, West Coast Chair of Business Transactions & Finance, Carlton Fields

Introduce us to your day job, title and responsibilities.  

I am West Coast Chair of Business Transactions and Finance at Carlton Fields.  My role, simply put, is to be a problem solver and manage risk. My clients navigate a range of challenges every day as they manage their businesses. They expect not only technical but also practical guidance and want a broader view and understanding of a challenge when considering options. I meet their expectations by collaborating with colleagues around the US.  Our clients include individuals and businesses that are international, national and local to Los Angeles and California. I count many of my clients as friends. That’s very gratifying.

I’ve had the good fortune to work on numerous public financings including educational and sporting facilities like the Las Vegas Golden Knights, Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific, the Denver and San Francisco Airports, Disneyland infrastructure and many other notable projects and financings that enrich the lives of many. These experiences propelled me into the real estate fund practice as well.

What inspired you to pursue a job in this industry? 

So, you ask, why I became a lawyer.  I like to help people and I loved and love the intellectual challenge. I specialize in transactional law, whether corporate, M&A, securities, real estate, commercial, real estate and public finance, investment funds, intellectual property and beyond.  Every goal a client sets is like solving a puzzle. Whether a client is a large public company, a financial institution, a start-up, entrepreneur or individual, all are people seeking to manage a challenge. I enjoy partnering with my clients to assist them navigate the process to achieve the solution they seek.  Along the way, I count many of my clients as friends. That’s very gratifying.  

Where did you begin your practice?

My law practice began at one of the first large law firms in the United States to break a thousand lawyers.  I was based in our New York office on Park Avenue. Having grown up in Virginia, I had to see green grass and feel I was in an open area. Unlike Wall Street, Park Avenue had tulips in the Spring and a green grass median!  Need I say more? 

Do you remember some of the projects you worked on back then?

My Father was an entrepreneur who created an insurance brokerage, premium finance, commercial and residential real estate leasing and land development business. I worked in that business growing up.  That inspired me to want to learn real estate syndication. I got my wish after law school and during the first years of my legal career, I serviced one of the largest and most complex food establishment, sale-leaseback, housing and hospitality syndicators in the United States along with the organization that offers Israel Bonds, the Development Corporation for Israel. That was a terrific introduction to sophisticated and complex real estate, corporate, securities and finance. Today, as a Shareholder and West Coast Chair of Business and Transactions at Carlton Fields, I continue to benefit from the solid foundation I benefitted from in those years.

What brought you to California?

An investment banker client asked me to join them in LA to assist structuring a large sale-leaseback financing syndication. We arrived at my law firm’s LA office and, what I thought was going to be a short trip, turned out to be a ten-day experience in Los Angeles. I concluded LA was the place! I was gratified the LA office lobbied to have me move here and that my firm enabled me to develop a further specialization in municipal financings. 

What do you enjoy today about practicing law?

I enjoy the professional and working relationships with my colleagues both in LA and across the Carlton Fields platform.  Focusing on our LA office, I count every one of my transactional colleagues like Brad Markoff (Corporate, Securities, Funds, REITS), Steve Anapoell (corporate, real estate, debt and other funds), Mark Neubauer, Harvey Geller and Steve Weisburd (litigation and class action) and Barry Weissman (insurance regulatory) not only as great lawyers but good people. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Steve Sidman (entertainment), Frank Appicelli (life lending), Gina Hough (agency lending) and Marci Schmerler and Greg Null (CMBS) as bringing additional depth and breadth to the team. Not to be overlooked, the associates we have the opportunity and pleasure to work with and mentor are second to none.

Why was it important for you to be involved in ACG 101 at the Board level? 

LA is a mid-market business community for the most part.  ACG 101 is a central focal point platform of the Los Angeles business community. Growing mid-market companies benefit from the depth and breadth of the membership who interact with each other in ways that bring great value to these companies. These companies grow and are sold, borrow and the like.  As a board member, I have the good fortune to work with highly talented other board members to design programs and maintain these benefits to the business community.

What is your favorite thing about ACG 101?

The quality of the programming and the often enduring professional and personal relationships that are created – whether in person or via ZOOM! 

What excites you most about the direction of ACG 101, and how will you contribute to it?

ACG 101 packs incredible value to business.  The information and techniques shared by the range of companies who comprise panels is incredible.  To continue with that and to participate in further innovations is exciting. 

Fun Facts

I live in Calabasas, have three children who have amazing careers and potential and, until recently, travelled to distant lands (today, mostly “traveling” to my backyard or long walks through the neighborhood!).  I enjoy equestrian activities, tennis and doing what most people do. 

Contact:

William Mark Levinson
Corporate | Capital Markets | Real Estate | Finance
West Coast Chair Transactions and Finance 

2029 Century Park East
Suite1200 
Los Angeles, California  90067-2913 
Direct:  310.843.6336 | Cell:  818.300.7624
Email: mlevinson@carltonfields.com