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Jonathan W.J. Armour

If I can make someone’s life easier, even if it’s not law-related, I’m happy.

Contact: P /612.604.6742E /[email protected]

Education

Hamline University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1996

• Silver Gavel Honor Society, 1996

University of Minnesota, B.A., Political Science, 1991

Bar Admissions

Minnesota, 1999

Wisconsin, 1996

U.S. District Court, E.D. Wis.

U.S. District Court, W.D. Wis.

U.S. District Court, D. Minn.

U.S. Court of Appeals, 8^th Cir.

U.S. Court of Appeals, 7^th Cir.

My Approach

I treat every day as an opportunity to help my clients. Whether it’s working together to close a deal and keep the wheels of commerce rolling, taking a hard line position with opposing counsel to protect a client, or simply making a key introduction that opens a door or two, I revel in the give and take of building and sustaining relationships. What keeps me focused and excited is partnering with entrepreneurial minded clients and being an advocate and advisor to ensure their success.

Adding real, measurable value is a cornerstone of my practice. Inherent in adding value is my ability to not only be fastidious in dealing with short-fuse issues, but also analytical about the full spectrum of long-term implications of all transactions. This means determining when we can be flexible to make progress, while weighing and mitigating risk to my clients. I strive to place my clients in the best position possible to make substantive real world decisions. No matter the decision, I do what needs to be done to accomplish the end goal for my clients.

Practice Areas

Practicing Commercial Lending

My Experience

My practice focuses on the areas of commercial financing, construction and real estate financing, secured transactions and creditors’ remedies. I routinely represent national, regional and community banks, joint venture groups, hedge funds and private equity funds, operating businesses and real estate owners, franchisees and developers on a wide variety of financing matters varying in geographic location, size and complexity.

Representative Matters

• Lead counsel for primary lender on the Downtown East mixed use, office, multifamily, retail, hotel and parking redevelopment project in Minneapolis, MN.
• Lead counsel for financing on multiple mixed-use multi-family and retail projects in the Twin Cities with over 1,500 units including Latitude 45, EDITION – Downtown East, 222 Hennepin Apartments (Whole Foods) and Track 29 Apartments.
• Lead counsel for financing of more than 20 hotels in 8 states including the redevelopment of the iconic Foshay Tower in Minneapolis, MN, the construction of The Chambers Hotel in Minneapolis, MN and the construction of the AC Hotel by Marriot in Madison, WI.
• Lead counsel for multiple distressed debt due diligence projects involving teams of attorneys, paralegals and business professionals with combined asset/pool values in excess of $1 billion.
• Lead counsel for the acquisition and development of Surly Brewing Company’s destination brewery, food service space, retail and entertainment space and recreation and festival beer gardens.

Also experienced in

Real Estate Development & Transactions

Franchise Transactions

Real Estate Finance

Honors & Awards

The Best Lawyers in America©

Real Estate Law, 2017-2025

America's Leading Lawyers for Business

Chambers USA

AV Preeminent

LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, Peer review ratings

Rising Stars

Minnesota Law & Politics

Associations & Memberships

Minnesota State Bar Association

Business Law and Real Property Law Sections

Wisconsin State Bar Association

American Bar Association

Business Law Section

Ramsey County Bar Association

Hennepin County Bar Association

National Association for Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP)

Commercial Real Estate Development Association

Association for Corporate Growth (ACG)

Amplio

Board of Directors

NiceRide

Board of Directors, 2011 - 2019

Surly Gives a Damn

Board of Directors

Free Bikes 4 Kidz Minnesota

Member of Development Committee