Susan T. Alterman

With more than 30 years of experience working on commercial finance, real estate and creditors’ rights matters, Susan Alterman focuses her practice on commercial banking and complex real estate transactions. She assists a variety of financial institutions and real estate investors in structuring real estate and asset-based credit facilities, including loan documentation, underwriting considerations, and regulatory matters. Susan regularly represents banks and other financial institutions in structuring, negotiating and documenting a variety of lending transactions, including construction loans, bridge loans, term loans, mezzanine loans, revolving lines of credit, and secured and unsecured loan facilities. She also has a strong focus in the area of office, commercial, industrial and retail leasing. Susan also handles distressed real estate assets and loans, including the acquisition and sale of bank-owned properties. Her practice also includes Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, including performing both private and public dispositions of personal property collateral. She also counsels business clients on commercial loans and workouts. In her comprehensive real estate practice, Susan has advised real estate investors in buying, selling, and leasing commercial, retail, industrial and agricultural properties, forming condominiums, and multiple land use proceedings. She has handled the purchase, sale and finance of auto dealerships in Oregon and Washington, negotiated and drafted multi-floor leases in core downtown office buildings in Portland and Seattle, and acts as outside counsel to one of the largest real property acquisition companies in the United States. Susan is the former chair of Oregon State Bar's Client Security Fund. She is a member of the Leadership Cabinet of Willamette Law School, and is a former member of the executive committee of the Portland State University Foundation.