ArentFox Schiff Welcomes Experienced Finance and Real Estate Partner in San Francisco

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce the addition of partner Jena Watson to its Real Estate and Municipal Bond practices in the firm’s San Francisco office. Jena brings nearly three decades of experience managing project and municipal finance and commercial real estate transactions, including 10 years in senior in-house counsel roles in financial institutions.

Most recently, Jena served as Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Associate Corporate Secretary, at HomeStreet Bank. In this capacity, she advised leadership teams on a range of regulatory strategy, legal compliance, and operational issues, while also managing commercial agreements and financial transactions. Earlier in her career, Jena served as Associate General Counsel of the Multifamily Division at Fannie Mae and, prior to that, spent many years in private practice at large international law firms.

At ArentFox Schiff, Jena will counsel both private and public companies on a range of financing transactions. Her practice will focus on serving as counsel in municipal finance transactions; assisting clients in financing, real estate, and other aspects of infrastructure deals; and advising on public-private partnership (P3) projects. Jena has represented both lenders and borrowers in private debt financings, recapitalizations and acquisition facilities, leveraged and structured financings, mezzanine debt, securitized executions and distressed debt situations, among other complex transactions. She has worked on large financial transactions in numerous industries, including housing, energy, and manufacturing projects.

“A seasoned finance lawyer, Jena has proven herself to be a trusted advisor to companies and governmental entities in structuring and securing financing for their most critical development projects. Her in-house leadership experience and success managing municipal finance, project finance, and other financing transactions in private practice will bring significant value to our clients. Having worked with Jena personally over the years, I’ve seen firsthand the benefits of her business-minded approach, extensive knowledge of public and private financings, and genuine care for driving the best possible outcomes. We could not be more thrilled to welcome her to the team.”

David L. Dubrow, Partner and Municipal Bond Recovery Team Leader

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