09 Mar 2026
Arnold & Porter Expands Seattle Real Estate Team with Partner Rhys Hefta
"Arnold & Porter has hired Rhys Hefta as a partner in its Real Estate practice in Seattle; Hefta will work on real estate finance across multiple asset classes, bringing over 15 years of Seattle experience."
Hefta brings more than 15 years of experience in Seattle and a broad real estate finance practice advising clients across a range of asset classes, including office, hospitality, retail, multifamily, industrial/logistics, and senior housing. He represents commercial real estate lenders — from life insurance companies to Wall Street investment banks and foreign financial institutions — and counsels them on loan originations, structuring, purchases and sales, securitizations, syndications, joint ventures, workouts, and restructurings. He regularly advises on complex senior and subordinate financings, multi‑state portfolio deals, and transactions involving mezzanine debt and preferred equity. Hefta also advises landlords and tenants on commercial leasing matters and assists owners in negotiating asset, property management, and franchise agreements.
Hefta joins Arnold & Porter as a partner resident in Seattle. He holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and a B.A. from the University of Washington, cum laude.
With Hefta’s arrival, Arnold & Porter’s Seattle office has grown to 36 attorneys and staff since opening in July 2025, and the firm intends to continue expanding its team in the region.