Frederic M. Umane, Partner

Attorney Frederic M. Umane

Frederic M. Umane is a partner at ZEK and heads the firm’s transactional banking, corporate and real estate group. In this multi-disciplinary capacity, Fred is involved in new lending and acquisition transactions as well as remedial work-outs. The lending transactions Fred has worked on include direct and syndicated loans secured by commercial, multi-family residential and industrial real estate, hedge fund, partnership and share interests and other equity investments, accounts receivable and inventory, fine art and leaseholds in residential oil and gas drilling camp facilities. Fred has substantial experience in bank regulatory matters and issues involving mortgage fraud, automobile and hotel finance. As part of this practice, Fred handles environmental, trust and estates and tax matters. He has lectured on loan documentation and real estate matters to various bank, credit training, and trade association groups and has assisted in the creation of bank credit policies for unrecognized cooperative lending, art and real estate lending. He has been designated as a “Super Lawyer” for the last ten years.

Known as a problem solver and deal maker, Fred’s reasoned and skillful approach to transactions provides the right atmosphere to document and close secured and unsecured loans to high net worth individuals. As a result of this approach, Fred provides sought after advice to many of the Private Banks and Wealth Management groups in New York and elsewhere around the United States. In this representation of Private Banking groups, Fred has made secured and unsecured loans to many of the largest law firms in the country and to their partners on a secured and unsecured basis. This practice has been expanded to include national accounting and management consulting firms.

Fred is also experienced in construction lending, industrial development loans, Small Business Administration guaranteed loans and loan structures involving New Markets Tax Credits.

Fred has recently handled a transaction where the firm’s clients sub-divided their property into two lots and sold the air rights lot for substantial sums and will exchange the remaining lot for commercial improved space in the successful development. Thereafter, he represented the same clients in the purchase of other commercial properties as part of an IRC Section 1031 transaction.

In the area of remedial work-outs, Fred has been instrumental in obtaining significant recoveries for bank clients in many varied remedial credits to business borrowers including contractors, professionals such as legal, engineering, architectural and medical practices, car dealership, internet sales, auto parts and sports memorabilia companies. In addition, Fred has successfully represented lenders and special servicers of real estate loans in restructuring the existing facilities on commercial, industrial, multi-family residential, hotel and shopping center properties in and out of bankruptcy. Fred has advised many lenders with loans secured by taxi medallions in New York and other jurisdictions.

Outside of the office, Fred is involved with political and community affairs. He has served as a Commissioner of the New York City Board of Elections since 1995 and served as President during the last three mayoral election years. He has been active in local politics for over thirty years. He is also a member of his building’s cooperative board of directors and other community groups and is familiar with the issues that come before these boards.

*Not admitted to practice in the State of Connecticut