Michael Schor

“The ‘Treeline Way’ means conducting our business with honesty, diligence and professionalism. We are candid and straightforward – we say what we mean, we perform what we promise and we don’t play hide the ball. We have a high level of transparency to our investors, partners and lenders. We have an excellent track record of success, and the drive to make the best results out of a deal that we can. We are proud of what we do and how we do it.”

As an attorney at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, Michael Schor gained invaluable insight into the nuances of commercial real estate as an integral member of the legal team on several large scale, multi-national real estate bankruptcies.  Michael gained significant experience in complex real estate finance and structuring, leasing, underwriting and investing and made long-standing industry contacts that he maintains today.  More importantly, Michael observed and learned the art of negotiating “the Deal” from some of the best in the business, and he carries that with him every day.

“I am generally regarded as being fair minded and open to reasonable suggestions in negotiating a deal.  Wherever possible, I work to build consensus.  I will negotiate hard on points that are of significance, but I don’t allow small points to get in the way of reaching the goal of a successful transaction.  One of the best ways for me to work out issues is through a face-to-face meeting.  I find that when I speak with people in person, and we can discuss areas of mutual interest, deals are built.”

Since joining Treeline in 2000, Michael has been instrumental in sourcing and financing real estate acquisitions in the hundreds of millions of dollars and has completed nearly 1,000 individual lease transactions.  In each case, Michael has applied his experience to see not just the obvious, but the subtle points needed to close the deal.

“Seeing things differently when it comes to making a real estate deal means taking the conventional approach and turning it upside down to find the best value creation opportunity.  It means considering the deal not only from our own perspective and defining what is best for us, but understanding and appreciating the needs and concerns of the other side to the deal, be it an investor, property owner, tenant or lender.  Talk is valuable in making a real estate deal – whether brainstorming ideas and solutions with our team, or negotiating with diverse parties to make a deal work.”

Michael believes he is good at what he does because he truly cares and takes great pride in his work. “I feel personally invested in each project that I work on.  I understand that we are trusted partners who invest capital for ourselves and others and I take that responsibility seriously. ”

“I love the challenge of what I do. Making a great real estate deal is a difficult, step-by-step process, especially in today’s ultra-competitive market place. We look at a lot of deals and only do a select few. So the challenge is identifying the good ones. The sense of satisfaction of closing a deal and achieving results for investors and partners is what drives me every day.”

Michael received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Chicago and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.  In his role as Treeline’s Chief Investment Officer and Senior Counsel, Michael calls on his extensive relationships with key lenders, institutional partners and equity sources to facilitate Treeline’s investment goals.  Michael’s work with the Treeline team has enabled the company to complete recent financing and acquisitions totaling over $250 million. In his leisure time, Michael enjoys obstacle racing and golf. He’s also an avid Yankees, Islanders and Giants fan.