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S. Gregory Cope
S. Gregory Cope
Partner — Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions
Partner — Capital Markets and Mergers & Acquisitions

S. Gregory Cope

S. Gregory Cope
Washington, D.C.

2200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Suite 500 West
Washington, D.C. 20037

S. Gregory Cope

Experience Highlights

  • Preferred Apartment Communities, a REIT owner and operator of Class A multifamily properties and grocery-anchored retail assets, in its $5.8 billion acquisition by Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc.

  • WPT Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust in its $3.1 billion sale to Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc.

  • Underwriters to AGNC Investment Corp. in its $1.25 billion ATM program

  • Underwriters to Urban Edge Properties in its $194 million public offering of common stock and two ATM programs with an approximate transactional value of $500 million

  • Underwriters to Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. in its multiple securities offerings including three equity offerings with an approximate transactional value of $1.8 billion; three debt offerings with an approximate transactional value of $2.6 billion; and four ATM programs with an approximate transactional value of $2.47 billion

  • Preferred Apartment Communities in its $179 million internalization of Preferred Apartment Advisors and NMP Advisors

  • CYS Investments, an agency mortgage REIT, in its $1.475 billion merger with Two Harbors Investment Corp., a leading hybrid mortgage REIT

  • The Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Owens Realty Mortgage, a specialty finance REIT, in its $200 million merger with Ready Capital Corporation, a real estate finance company

  • Orchid Island Capital, Inc. in its multiple public stock offerings with an approximate transactional value of $135 million and three ATM programs with an approximate transactional value of $575 million

  • Owens Realty Mortgage in the activism campaigns by Freestone Capital and Horde Capital Advisors

  • Underwriters to AGNC Investment Corp. in its $1.25 billion ATM program

  • Underwriters to Urban Edge Properties in its $194 million public offering of common stock and two ATM programs with an approximate transactional value of $500 million

  • Underwriters to Healthcare Trust of America, Inc. in its multiple securities offerings including three equity offerings with an approximate transactional value of $1.8 billion; three debt offerings with an approximate transactional value of $2.6 billion; and four ATM programs with an approximate transactional value of $2.47 billion

  • Orchid Island Capital, Inc. in its multiple public stock offerings with an approximate transactional value of $135 million and three ATM programs with an approximate transactional value of $575 million

  • Initial purchaser and placement agent in the $100 million Rule 144A offering of common stock by MPOWER Financing, a Public Benefit Corporation

  • WPT Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust in its two Rule 144A offerings with an approximate transactional value of $332 million

  • CYS Investments, Inc. in its $172 million ATM program 

  • Underwriters to Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust in its multiple securities offerings including three public offerings of Series D cumulative convertible preferred stock with an approximate transactional value of $78 million; and its two tender offers with an approximate transactional value of $18 million

  • Underwriters to Arlington Asset Investment Corp. in its multiple securities offerings including its $48 million public offering of Class A common stock; two public offerings of Series B and Series C preferred stock with an approximate transactional value of $51 million; two ATM programs with an approximate transactional value of $215 million; and one debt offering with a transactional value of $34 million

  • Financial advisor to American Finance Trust, Inc. in its direct listing of common stock on Nasdaq

  • REIT that owns and manages office, retail, and multifamily properties in its $190 million initial public offering of common stock

  • Preferred Apartment Communities, a REIT owner and operator of Class A multifamily properties and grocery-anchored retail assets, in its $5.8 billion acquisition by Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc.

  • WPT Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust in its $3.1 billion sale to Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc.

  • Preferred Apartment Communities in its $179 million internalization of Preferred Apartment Advisors and NMP Advisors

  • WPT Capital in the negotiation of programmatic joint ventures for the acquisition and development of industrial assets in gateway cities throughout the US

  • WPT Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust in its $370 million contribution of its U.S. distribution and logistics properties to a joint venture with the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario

  • WPT Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust in its $730 million acquisition of a portfolio of 26 U.S. distribution and logistics properties

  • The Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Owens Realty Mortgage, a specialty finance REIT, in its $200 million merger with Ready Capital Corporation, a real estate finance company

  • CYS Investments, an agency mortgage REIT, in its $1.475 billion merger with Two Harbors Investment Corp., a leading hybrid mortgage REIT

  • Leading diversified global investment management firm in the acquisition of $100 million of specialty finance assets

  • Mortgage REIT in the acquisition of a mortgage servicer

  • Internalization transactions for a NYSE listed mortgage REIT and multiple external managers for public non-traded REITs

Credentials

  • University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D. cum laude, 1998 (Tennessee Law Review)
  • Vanderbilt University, B.E., Civil and Environmental Engineering magna cum laude, 1995
  • Chambers USA, REITs (Nationwide), 2021–2024
  • Legal 500 U.S., Capital Markets: Equity Offerings, 2017; Real Estate: REITs, 2008, 2009, 2017–2020, 2022-2024
  • Atlanta Business Journal, Deals of the Year Award for Sale of Preferred Apartment Communities to Blackstone REIT, 2022
  • The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), Mergers & Acquisitions Law (Washington), 2023 and 2024
  • Selected to the Virginia Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2009 and 2013
  • Chairman: Real Estate Investment Trusts Committee of the American Bar Association, 2008-2010; Vice Chairman: 2007-2008
  • Member: American Bar Association
  • Member: National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts
  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland
  • Tennessee
  • Virginia
  • “Qualified Opportunity Funds, Real Estate, and REITs,” REIT Series, V&E New York Office, February 20, 2019 (speaker)
  • “SPACs: An Alternative to the Traditional IPO for REITs and Other Real Estate Companies,” V&E New York Office, October 30, 2019 (presenter)
  • “REIT Internalization Transactions,” REIT Series, V&E New York Office, October 30, 2018 (panelist)
  • “Advising the Board on Crisis Management,” CRE.Converge 2018, October 17, 2018 (panelist)
  • “TCJA Impacts on REITs and REIT Transaction Structures,” V&E New York Office, February 15, 2018 (speaker)
  • “IRS Issues Guidance on Elective Cash Stock Dividends by REITs,” V&E REIT Update E-communication, August 16, 2017 (co-author)
  • “D.C. region has dramatically grown its number of REITs — but that could change,” Washington Business Journal, June 8, 2017 (quoted)
  • “Vinson & Elkins Scores REIT Team From Hunton & Williams,” Law360, April 5, 2016 (mentioned)
  • A Closer Look At The Proxy Case Everyone’s Talking About,” Law360, May 27, 2016 (quoted)
  • “Compliance Matters For Equity REITS Using Derivatives,” Real Estate Finance Journal, Fall 2013 (co-authored)
  • “Best Efforts Offerings: Nuts & Bolts,”  Webinar, January 28, 2016 (speaker)
  • “Structuring Real Estate Investment Trusts,” National Business Institute Teleconference, October 30, 2013 (speaker)
  • “The Anatomy of a Listing for Non-Traded REITs,” Information Management Network Non-Traded REIT Industry Symposium, June 21, 2012 (moderator)
  • “A Post-Stimulus Bill (ARRA 2009), TARP, ESSA and Post-Election Update on Regulatory and Tax Initiatives Impacting Real Estate,” American Bar Association Hot Topics Call, March 25, 2009 (speaker)
  • “REITs – Investments in a Post Sub-Prime Market,” 19th Annual Spring Symposia, American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, May 1, 2008 (speaker)