Armando E. Batastini

What do you focus on?

I focus my practice on the following areas:

Distressed Commercial Debt

I represent special servicers, balance sheet lenders and purchasers with respect to every aspect of distressed commercial debt, from sale and acquisition to work-out, foreclosure, receivership, and associated guaranty and lender liability litigation. I successfully sought the first federal receiver for CMBS debt in New England and represent holders in federal and state receivership proceedings throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Real Estate Transactions and Litigation

I represent parties in the sale and acquisition of commercial real estate and have broad experience in negotiating commercial leases of all sorts, including retail, office and industrial. I also represent commercial realty owners in title, boundary, easement, restrictive covenant, adverse possession, partition, and leasing disputes.

Shareholder Disputes

I represent closely held businesses and their owners in ownership, fiduciary and oppression claims in a variety of industries.

Election Law

Every cycle, I advise and represent candidates before the Rhode Island Board of Elections, Rhode Island Supreme Court, Federal Court for the District of Rhode Island and First Circuit Court of Appeals with respect to election challenges and other election law issues including ballot access disputes.

What do you see on the horizon?

Inevitable rising interest rates and the continuing decline in retail will affect the ability of maturing loans to refinance, particularly given more stringent underwriting and the reset in realty values.