Michael J. Schwartz is co-head of the firm’s U.S. financial sponsor capital markets practice. He represents corporate clients, sponsors, REITs and investment banks in a variety of capital markets transactions, including public and private offerings of equity and debt securities and initial public offerings, as well as project finance, public finance, spin-off and liability management transactions.
Schwartz has worked on numerous corporate high-yield and investment-grade debt offerings, municipal bond offerings, project financings, private capital transactions, initial public offerings, spin-offs and other public and private equity and equity-hybrid securities offerings, as well as liability management transactions. He also regularly counsels corporate clients, including on the review and preparation of SEC filings, corporate governance matters and interactions with security holders, stock exchanges and regulatory bodies. n recognition of his work, Schwartz has been named one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Dealmakers in America and 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers.
Lawdragon Honors
| Honor | Year | Practice |
|---|---|---|
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers | 2026 | REITs |
| The 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Dealmakers in America | 2026 | Capital Markets |
| The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Real Estate Lawyers | 2025 | REITs |
Notable representations have included:
- the underwriters in the combined IPOs and combined private placements by Pershing Square USA, Ltd. and Pershing Square Inc.
- Brightline Trains Florida in connection with numerous public activity bond, high-yield debt and equity transactions, including:
- a $5.1 billion recapitalization of its Florida operating subsidiary’s debt, including pursuant to the issuance of $3.2 billion of private activity bonds in a transaction
- New Fortress Energy in numerous high yield debt and equity transactions, including:
- in connection with a $2.6 billion liability management transaction, which included the issuance of $1.2 billion of structurally enhanced senior secured notes and the exchange of $1.4 billion of existing notes for the structurally enhanced senior secured notes
- a $400 million public offering of its Class A common stock
- FTAI Aviation Ltd. in connection with several high-yield debt and preferred stock transactions, including:
- a $500 million senior notes transaction
- a $800 million senior notes transaction
- an offering of 9.500% fixed-rate reset Series D cumulative perpetual redeemable preferred shares
- FTAI Infrastructure Inc. in connection with several financings, including:
- a $100 million reopening of its 10.500% senior secured notes due 2027
- multiple private activity bond offerings to finance the development, construction and acquisition of transport, loading, unloading and storage facilities at the Port of Beaumont, Texas, and the Repauno Port and Terminal in New Jersey
- the inaugural issuance of $600 million senior secured notes due 2032 by Long Ridge Energy, a subsidiary of FTAI Infrastructure Inc.
- Rithm Capital Corp. (a REIT) in numerous corporate matters, including:
- the acquisition of Sculptor Capital Management, Inc.
- several senior notes offerings
- a $600 million capital raise through a private senior secured loan agreement and the issuance of warrants
- its acquisition of Home Loan Servicing Solutions, Ltd.
- OneMain Holdings, Inc. in numerous corporate matters, including:
- its approximately $400 million initial public offering
- the underwriters in a $7.75 billion notes offering by Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
- Morgan Stanley in a $100 million public equity offering by SFL Corporation Ltd.
- Aircastle Ltd in its $241 million initial public offering
- Fortress Investment Group in numerous corporate matters, including:
- its $3.3 billion acquisition by SoftBank Group Corp.
- its initial public offering (the first public listing of an alternative asset investment manager in the United States)
- the private sale to Nomura Holdings, Inc. of a 15% interest for $888 million
- Ares Management LLC and Fortress Investment Group LLC in an investment in Chimera Investment Corporation through a $400 million senior secured term loan and issuance of warrants
- Realogy Corporation in numerous corporate matters, including:
- its initial public offering
- an approximately $2.7 billion exchange transaction pursuant to which holders of Realogy’s unsecured notes exchanged such notes for either convertible notes or new longer-dated notes
- Oppenheimer Holdings Inc. in several senior secured high-yield notes offerings