ArentFox Schiff Welcomes Back Real Estate Partner Carolyn Austin in New York; Adds Real Estate Counsel Heather Murphy in Washington, DC

Carolyn’s practice focuses on advising lenders and borrowers in complex real estate financing transactions, providing guidance from origination and purchase through disposition and restructuring. Her work involves matters pertaining to senior and mezzanine real estate and corporate loans, as well as preferred equity investments and loan participation interests. Carolyn has extensive experience with every major real estate asset class, including office, retail, multifamily, industrial, hotel, mixed-use, student housing, and rental and resale condominiums. Carolyn’s real estate practice also includes supporting commercial and residential acquisitions and sales, as well as negotiating partnerships, joint ventures, and operating agreements. Prior to rejoining ArentFox Schiff, Carolyn was a partner with a prominent New York-based law firm.

A versatile real estate lawyer, Heather’s practice covers commercial real estate finance, acquisition and disposition transactions, joint ventures, real estate restructuring matters, distressed debt transactions, banking acquisitions and dispositions, portfolio sales, commercial lending, and other finance transactions. Heather provides counsel to commercial banks, lenders, institutional investors, asset managers and other owners, developers, and managers of real estate and real estate-related investments. Before joining ArentFox Schiff, Heather held in-house counsel roles at American Real Estate Partners and Pacific Western Bank, developing an understanding of the issues and challenges faced by in-house teams and how legal strategies can help achieve a client’s business objectives.

“We’re excited to welcome Carolyn back to ArentFox Schiff and to welcome Heather to the firm,” said Thomas R. Castiello, partner and Real Estate Practice Group Leader. “With economic uncertainty and volatility defining much of 2025, Carolyn and Heather’s practical counsel and sophisticated real estate finance experience will be a tremendous asset to our clients.”