Susan E. Graham

Wide-Ranging Service

Susan quarterbacks a billion dollars annually in multi-state or single-state deals across the country for her U.S. and international clients. Her well-developed local counsel network allows her to handle jurisdictional matters across multiple states and remain highly involved in her clients’ transactions. When a loan requires specialized entitlement, environmental, tax, corporate, or other deal-specific attention, she seamlessly facilitates the work using the in-house resources of her Allen Matkins colleagues.

Borrowers' Counsel

Borrowers benefit from Susan’s civil, pragmatic approach. She is known for focusing on client goals and moving things along, offering sound strategic advice without over-lawyering issues or grandstanding. Thanks to her decades of doing deals, she’s quick to identify workable market solutions without getting hung up on immaterial issues, which results in better deals for her clients.

Susan represents borrowers in connection with structuring, negotiating, and documenting all types of real estate secured loan transactions, including loan originations and modification agreements. She also negotiates often-complicated construction, and bridge and permanent financings tailored to fit client needs, making sure that the borrower understands all the implications that might affect their exit strategy or development plans.

Further, through the years, she has built good relations with borrowers—often client CFOs or general counsel—and lenders alike, and she enjoys bringing parties together for mutually beneficial opportunities.

Lenders’ Counsel

Susan represents lenders in connection with loan originations as well as enforcement of remedies, including modifications, forbearance agreements, non-judicial foreclosures, deeds in lieu of foreclosure, and other resolutions of distressed debt.

In all matters, Susan puts together the right lean team to get things done economically and with dispatch. She’s quick to review deal documents, pick up the phone and explain the issues to her client, and develop a workable position that she rapidly communicates to the other side. Along the way, she often makes introductions to other Allen Matkins clients with similar interests who may have new insights—connections that can lead to further efficiencies and collaborations.