Becker and Hebert is a boutique business and real estate transaction and litigation law firm formed in 1987 by Richard L. Becker subsequent to his return to Lafayette, Louisiana after practicing law in Washington, D.C. The firm, originally founded and known as Becker and Associates, APLC, continued the representation of clients from Mr. Becker’s tenure in Washington, D. C. and had a national practice with respect to multifamily lending programs administered by the Federal National Mortgage Association ("Fannie Mae”) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD”).

For approximately fifteen years after its formation, the firm served as general counsel to a Washington, D. C. based mortgage banking company. During that time and in that capacity, members of the firm provided representation in a broad variety of corporate, real estate and financial matters, including:

• general corporate representation;
• senior corporate management support;
• supervision of corporate activities, including approximately 100 employees and multiple offices nationwide;
• development of corporate business plans, budgets and operational processes and procedures;
• corporate recapitalizations and investor relations;
• supervision of corporate litigation;
• lender representation in negotiating and closing Fannie Mae multifamily acquisition and refinance transactions with an aggregate loan value in excess of $5 Billion;
• lender representation in negotiating and closing HUD multifamily new construction and permanent financing transactions with an aggregate loan value in excess of $2 Billion;
• asset management and loan servicing; and
• representation of principals in a $55 million stock sale to Wachovia Bank.

The firm’s practice areas in Lafayette, Acadiana and Louisiana are more varied but are primarily transaction based. The firm also handles selective real estate, business and commercial litigation and certain members of the firm provide representation to clients in serious personal injury, mass torts and class action claims involving businesses, individuals and property owners who have suffered pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages.

Clients of the firm include real estate developers and investors, home builders, general contractors, health care facility owners, physicians, oil and gas exploration and production related service companies, mortgage bankers, financial institutions, high net-worth individuals and families, real estate title insurance companies, business owners, non-profit organizations, local governments and government agencies. Attorneys in the firm provide representation to clients in matters including, but not limited to:

• corporate sales and acquisitions;
• asset sales and acquisitions;
• business and entity formations;
• real estate sales and acquisitions;
• commercial real estate development, including shopping centers, office developments, medical office buildings;
• residential real estate developments including multifamily apartment projects;
• lender representation in commercial development and construction loan transactions;
• lender representation in tax credit construction and permanent loan transactions;
• borrower/ sponsor representation in affordable housing tax credit transactions;
• issuer counsel in tax exempt bond transactions;
• zoning and land use matters;
• commercial lease preparation and negotiation;
• commercial and residential condominium formation and conversion; and
• master service contract preparation, review and negotiation.

Mr. Becker has been an Assistant City-Parish Attorney for the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government for more than six years. He and other members of the firm provide representation to the Lafayette Planning and Zoning Commission, the Lafayette Board of Zoning Adjustment and the Department of Planning Zoning and Codes. Firm responsibilities include:

• providing interpretation and advice with respect to the Lafayette City and Parish Subdivision regulations and the Lafayette Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance;
• providing legal research and opinions with respect to applicable law and jurisprudence governing actions of the Lafayette Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Zoning Adjustment;
• representation of the Lafayette Planning and Zoning Commission before the Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Council;
• drafting of subdivision regulations, zoning ordinances and other ordinances;
• litigation matters related to the Lafayette Planning and Zoning Commission.

Becker and Hebert is general counsel to the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority and has provided representation with respect to matters undertaken by the Authority. The firm has served as issuer’s counsel to the Authority in connection with single family revenue bond issues and revenue bond issues related to projects for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Mr. Becker provides counsel to the Authority in connection with the Authority’s funding and development of its tax credit affordable housing projects.

The firm is special counsel to the City of Lafayette Housing Authority. As special counsel, members of the firm assist the Housing Authority in various matters including its application for housing tax credits allocated by the State of Louisiana and the development and funding of its affordable housing tax credit projects.

Through the efforts and experience of Jeremy A. Hebert, who has been practicing with the firm since 2001, Becker and Hebert has also developed a complementary litigation practice which handles the various litigation needs of its core clients and others. Mr. Hebert has successfully represented and defended businesses, commercial real estate developers, restaurants, landowners, hotels, real estate title insurance companies, banks, health care facilities and local divisions of government in a wide variety of lawsuits. Mr. Hebert, on a select basis, also represents businesses, individuals and property owners in the prosecution of claims against large corporations and others to recover monetary damages for personal injuries, damage to property and business-related harm. Mr. Hebert also has experience handling class actions, mass tort claims and other complex litigation.

Becker and Hebert’s affiliate company, American Title Company, L.L.C., is a title insurance agency licensed by the State of Louisiana formed in 1997. American Title Company is an approved agent for national underwriters, including First American Title Insurance Company, Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, Chicago Title Insurance Company, Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company and Stewart Guaranty Title Insurance Company. American Title Company not only provides escrow and title insurance services to clients of Becker and Hebert but also handles commercial and residential real estate transactions originated by various other mortgage lenders and real estate brokers. Since its formation, American Title Company has provided escrow and title insurance services in transactions aggregating well over $1 Billion.

Becker and Hebert is a full service real estate, business and commercial law firm for the 21^st century and is the only boutique firm of its kind in South Louisiana. Since its inception by Mr. Becker, the firm has garnered the respect of businesses throughout Louisiana for excellence in transactional real estate and business services. Today we are also proud to offer our clients the same high level of representation in business and real estate litigation. Now we are a comprehensive legal resource for businesses. The firm has a businesslike approach and recognizes that a law firm that serves the needs of businesses should be run like a business.

At Becker and Hebert, we understand that your selection and retention of a legal service provider is based on service, quality and a breadth of business knowledge. We are committed to providing our clients professional and personal service. If your problem demands immediate attention, we will deal with it accordingly. At Becker and Hebert, our clients set the expectations. Business clients expect technical expertise and skills from their attorneys. We pride ourselves on our knowledge of the law and our skills as practicing business lawyers. Quality in legal services means more than technical proficiency. Real quality derives from the ability to discern a client’s objectives and to develop and implement a legal and business strategy that can achieve those objectives, at a reasonable cost. At Becker and Hebert, we have more than 50 years of collective experience in the practice of real estate and business law. That is 50 years of experience and judgment that we bring to bear on your legal issues, whether they involve real estate and business transactions or litigation. A distinctive mark of Becker and Hebert’s practice is the wide range of industries that make up our client base. Such diversity of experience affords us the knowledge to recommend solutions for your business that are often drawn from the best practices in other industries.