Anitra D. Lanczi
Anitra Lanczi is an AV rated lawyer and a partner in the firm’s Governmental Law Practice Group, where she focuses on public finance, government, real estate and commercial transactions. She has more than 25 years of experience and has built a reputation as a hands-on problem solver for clients. Whether it involves public financing, commercial loans or government contracts, Ms. Lanczi works ahead of the issues to avert problems that impact budgets.
Public Finance. Ms. Lanczi has focused her practice in public finance transactions throughout her career, representing lenders as purchasers or credit enhancers, underwriters, borrowers and trustees in the issue, purchase and restructuring of tax exempt and taxable bonds. The Daily Business Review recently recognized Ms. Lanczi as a 2011 Dealmaker of the Year finalist in Public Finance and Corporate Finance. She is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and the South Florida Government Finance Officers Association.
Government. Anitra Lanczi knows Broward County--its officials and its business climate. As a former Assistant County Attorney, she has an insider’s understanding of Broward County government and what it takes to do business with it and in it, which helps clients navigate this territory for smoother transactions. For companies doing business with Port Everglades, Ms. Lanczi is a trusted guide. Because of her day-to-day work on Port contract issues, she knows the people, the issues and the process involved. This experience helps her clients compete for and negotiate contracts. Ms. Lanczi is a member of the Board of the Port Everglades Association and the President of the Board of Seafarer House.
Real Estate. Throughout her career, Ms. Lanczi has helped real estate clients buy, sell, finance and develop real property. Her experience adds valuable benefits to projects that involve government partnerships or public financing. She worked with the developer of a public housing project, for example, to turn the area into a mixed-income community, using HOPE VI, tax credits, tax-exempt bonds and a partnership with a public housing authority. She handles all aspects of commercial real estate.
Background
Before joining Shutts & Bowen, Ms. Lanczi handled real estate matters as an Assistant County Attorney for Broward County from 1999 to 2001, was in house counsel to a national affordable housing developer, and was an attorney in a large New England based law firm specializing in public finance transactions. She has an "AV" or top rating in the Martindale-Hubbell legal directory. Ms. Lanczi is actively involved in several civic and industry groups, including the National Association of Bond Lawyers, the South Florida Government Finance Officers Association, and the Port Everglades Association. She is the President of the board of Seafarers House and the former Chairperson of the Broward County Diversity Advisory Council.
Representative Transactions. Ms. Lanczi lead a team representing a bank in providing a credit facility for a group of aviation related companies who needed to restructure existing tax exempt and taxable bonds and issue new bonds for expansion. She worked with her client to structure and document the transaction, which involved two lenders, 8 borrowers, 7 leasehold mortgages, restructuring of several bond issues to create a new interest rate mode that would not require a letter of credit, purchase of the restructured bonds and newly issued bonds, and forward purchase agreements for additional bonds based on milestones to be achieved. This transaction was recognized as a 2011 Deal of the Year finalist in the Public Finance and Corporate Finance categories by the Daily Business Review.
Ms. Lanczi helped a bank and its customer renew a credit facility for a municipal bond issue in two days. Despite such short notice, she worked with various parties to structure the renewal successfully and avoid an unwanted acceleration.
She brokered a solution for an asset-based leveraged buyout loan that was at risk of not closing. Although the party with difficulties was not her client, the bank, she understood their issues and resolved them to secure the closing.
She helped a client acquire a bankrupt business through a complex deal at Port Everglades. This involved a team effort with bankruptcy practitioners and corporate lawyers, and was helped by extremely good relationships with Port staff, Port's inside and outside counsel and other county officials. Through her relationships and aggressive management of the deal, she was able to keep communication lines open, identify and resolve problems, and negotiate solutions that met business objectives for all sides.
Education
- Northeastern University School of Law, J.D., 1979
- University of Massachusetts, B.A., summa cum laude, English, 1976
Bar Admissions
- The Florida Bar
Affiliations
- National Association of Bond Lawyers
- South Florida Government Finance Officers Association
- Port Everglades Association Board
- Seafarers’ House, President of the Board of Directors
- Leadership Broward, Class XXVIII
- Broward County Diversity Advisory Council, Former Chairperson
