Overview
Amy E. Jellicorse is a Shareholder in the Corporate & Securities Department. Her practice focuses on representing clients in the real estate and hospitality industries in structuring and drafting joint venture arrangements, structuring and offering interests in pooled investment funds, and sophisticated debt, equity and mezzanine financing transactions. Her experience also includes representing businesses and non-profit entities in general corporate transactions, including entity formation and structuring, sales and acquisitions, and debt and equity transactions. Amy also has experience assisting clients with commercial leases, business and regulated industry permitting, including alcohol licensing, and intellectual property matters, including the registration of trademarks and wordmarks.
Amy’s pro bono activities include the representation of abused and neglected children in court, through a county level legal aid guardian ad litem program, and the representation of small and/or minority-owned businesses with respect to their general corporate needs.
Representative Experience
- Represented BMC – The Benchmark Management Company, LLC in a merger of “co-equals” with Pyramid Management Holdings (“Pyramid), two companies in the hospitality and hotel management business. After the merger transaction, the combined Benchmark Pyramid hotel management business became the third largest independently managed hotel management company in the U.S., with a worldwide portfolio of 210 properties and annual operating revenue under management of more than $3 billion. Concurrently with the merger transaction, Benchmark consummated a recapitalization and reorganization transaction pursuant to which Benchmark’s parent company obtained subordinated debt provided by Certares-Knighthead (“CK”). The proceeds of the CK facility were primarily used to redeem Benchmark’s then current preferred equity investor – Colony Capital – and to provide liquidity to etc Venues, which is a Benchmark affiliate that manages and operates conference, event, training and other venues throughout the world. In addition to the financing with CK, the transaction also required the consents or amendments to credit facilities of various parties to the transaction, including Ares as the primary lender to Pyramid and Gulf Capital, which provided a “main street loan” to Benchmark.
- Represented clients engaged in the real estate and hotel industries in connection with their entry into joint ventures with various investors, including institutional investors, private equity funds and hedge funds, for single asset or portfolio acquisitions or for the establishment of real estate acquisition platforms.
- Represented clients in connection with the structuring and offering of interests in multiple real estate investment funds from $10 million to $125 million focused on areas including multi-family residential and/or mixed-use assets, hotels and resorts.
- Represented clients in connection with loan transactions to obtain, amend and/or refinance large credit facilities.
- Represented clients in connection with the structuring and offering of interests in private placement opportunities for the acquisition, development, and management of various residential housing projects.
- Represented clients engaged in real estate and senior housing industries in connection with the structuring and acquisition of both the real property and assets of senior housing facilities.
- Represented clients in a variety of industries, including software companies, medical, dental and veterinarian practices, residential and multi-family housing, and senior housing, among other industries, in merger and acquisition transactions and contract negotiations.
- Represented clients in loan transactions (both real property and asset based) on behalf of lenders and borrowers.
- Represented clients engaged in various industries in intellectual property matters, including restaurant, mobile application, non-profit religious organizations, retail clothing and accessories, and marine sporting goods, including the registration of trademarks and wordmarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the acquisition, assignment, and licensing of copyrights and other intellectual property rights.
- Advise clients on ongoing internal employment issues, including the preparation and negotiation of employment agreements, independent contractor agreements, non-competition/non-solicitation agreements, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, the granting of phantom stock and unit appreciation rights, and internal company policy documents.
- Represented clients in licensing and permitting matters, including alcohol licenses, business and regulated industry permitting, and professional employer organization licensure.
Professional & Community Involvement
- Leadership Fort Lauderdale, Class 26
- Broward Center for the Performing Arts Ghost Light Society, Steering Committee Member, 2019-Present
- Emerge Broward, Member, 2019-2020
- The Florida Bar
- Broward County Bar Association
Recognition
- Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, 2023-Present
- Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2022-2023
- New Lawyer Award of Excellence, Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, 2018
- Honors Book Award in International and European Copyright Law
Newsroom
In the Media:
Stearns Weaver Names 11 New Shareholders Across Fla.
October 2022
Firm Announcements:
Stearns Weaver Miller Names 11 New Shareholders
October 2022