August 18, 2025 – Seyfarth Shaw LLP continues to strategically bolster its Real Estate Finance capabilities with the move to the firm by Varuna Bhattacharyya as a partner based in the firm’s New York office. Bhattacharyya comes to Seyfarth from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, where she had been a partner for the past three years.
Bhattacharyya has built a reputation as a highly accomplished commercial real estate finance lawyer, counseling both borrowers and lenders, including financial institutions and real estate funds, in all aspects of complex real estate financings from origination through closing.
Bhattacharyya provides vast experience in permanent loans, mezzanine loans and other leveraged financings and offers proficiency in loan on loan, REPO and other arrangements. She covers acquisitions, construction, bridge and permanent loans, as well as complicated intercreditor, co-lender and leveraged arrangements.
“It is rare to have a new partner who checks every box like Varuna” said Paul Mattingly, national chair of Seyfarth’s Real Estate department. “Her wide range of lending experience, debt fund, repo lending, note-on-note and construction lending, as well as deep leasing expertise – her skillset is a great fit for our clients, along with her obvious leadership qualities. Varuna will be a great value-add for our clients.”
Bhattacharyya advises major global financial institutions and real estate funds in all parts of the capital stack, focusing on single-lender as well as agented, multi-lender transactions involving a wide range of asset types, including office, hospitality, residential, warehouses and retail on a local, regional, and national basis. Bhattacharyya additionally represents both landlords and tenants with regard to all elements of commercial leasing transactions.
“We view Varuna as being a key addition to the Real Estate Finance group and our New York office,” said Miles Borden, co-chair of Seyfarth’s Real Estate practice in New York. “She is a highly skilled real estate finance attorney, especially in sophisticated areas of note-on-note, repo and mezz and debt-like preferred equity financing.
Bhattacharyya also represents lenders and distressed borrowers with respect to foreclosure alternatives, including, modifications, note sales, forbearances, and other secured creditor remedies, for nonperforming commercial real estate loans across all asset classes.
“Varuna is a very gifted finance attorney who brings to Seyfarth the key skill-sets that our real estate finance team values greatly,” said Cynthia Mitchell, co-chair of Seyfarth’s Real Estate practice in New York. “She has worked at a very high level with firms who have high volume and high value practices. Varuna was a key member of many teams at those firms, as she will be here at Seyfarth.”
“Seyfarth offers a rare combination of longstanding strength and stellar reputation, paired with a genuine sense of growth and innovation,” said Bhattacharyya. “I’m thrilled to join this exceptional real estate team and honored by the opportunity to further develop my practice.”
Bhattacharyya was selected as one of the Notable Leaders in Real Estate 2023 by Crain’s New York Business. She currently serves as president-elect of the Asian American Bar Association of New York.
Bhattacharyya earned her JD from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and her BA from Wesleyan University.
Seyfarth’s Real Estate department is recognized as one of the largest real estate practices in the US, counseling clients on a local, regional, or national basis. The team services sophisticated clients across a number of industries in each of the largest money center markets across the country.
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With more than 975 lawyers across 17 offices, Seyfarth Shaw LLP provides top-tier advisory, litigation, and transactional legal services to clients worldwide.
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