Congrats to Peter Friedman (right, with Steve Elrod) recently promoted to head of the Chicago real estate group, overseeing both the land use  and  transactional practices. Both partners have been with Holland since it merged with their old firm (Burke, Weaver & Prell) in 2000. The Chicago office has historically represented suburban municipalities but recently tacked on private developers. No surprise then that they're working a lot with distressed properties and its associated debt, including an Illinois client financing the purchase of 250 foreclosed homes in Southern California to resell.

Like a child with ulterior motives, Jonathan Furr and Jim Mayer  find more "green" on their plate. Their sustainability-type projects include contracts helping major commercial buildings, like the Empire State Building, guarantee they save the amount consultants promised when they made green improvements. The H&K real estate practice has grown to about 35 attorneys in Chicago and over 200 nationwide.