Don Lussier has extensive experience in real estate, finance and corporate matters. On the real estate side, he has counseled developers and investors in connection with all aspects of the acquisition, development, operation and disposition of commercial real estate, including multifamily, hotel, office, retail and golf course properties in all regions of the United States. His experience includes portfolio acquisitions involving complex debt and equity structures. He also has significant experience in representing both office and retail property owners on leasing matters, and has also represented commercial property owners in connection with a variety of land use issues.
Don has represented both lenders and borrowers in a wide variety of commercial and real estate finance transactions. He has represented commercial banks and financial institutions on bridge and permanent mortgage loans, construction loans, mezzanine financings and unsecured lines of credit, and has represented conduit lenders in connection with the origination and securitization of mortgage loans. He has represented borrowers in connection with all such matters. Don has also drafted and negotiated intercreditor, participation, syndication and note purchase agreements, and has represented both borrowers and lenders in workout and debt-restructuring arrangements.
As to corporate law, Don has counseled companies in a myriad of industries in connection with their business affairs. Along with handling general corporate governance matters for his clients, he has negotiated joint venture agreements in a variety of commercial contexts, merger and purchase and sale agreements, venture capital and “angel” investments (from both the investor and company sides of the table), operating and shareholder agreements, licensing arrangements for patents and other types of intellectual property, and a variety of other contractual matters.
Immediately prior to joining Dionne & Gass, Don was the General Counsel of Sawyer Realty Holdings LLC, a privately held, fully integrated real estate investment and management company specializing in the multifamily sector. He oversaw all legal affairs in connection with general operating matters and all capital transactions executed by the company, and handled the transactional work on many matters himself during a very active business cycle. Don's experience at Sawyer allowed him to view transactions from a businessperson’s perspective, and helped him develop an inventive, practical approach to solving problems.
"I came to Dionne & Gass because of its unique blend of a collegial work environment with a very sophisticated commercial practice. What sets us apart from our competition is the ability to deliver very high quality legal services in a cost-effective manner, and with a personal touch."
Don Lussier’s Areas of Focus
Real Estate, Finance & Corporate
Memberships and affiliations
Boston Bar Association
Previous experience
- Sawyer Realty Holdings LLC, General Counsel
- Seyfarth Shaw, LLP, Partner
- Goldstein & Manello, P.C.
- Law Clerk to the Honorable Henry J. Boroff, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts
- Law Clerk to the Honorable John J. Farley, III, U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
Education
- Boston University, B.A., cum laude
- Hofstra University School of Law, J.D., with distinction
Admissions
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1995
- State of New York, 1998
