Howard J. Kirschbaum

Howard has always understood that business involves risk. Howard works with his clients to understand their business, their goals and their level of risk tolerance. That understanding enables him to craft solutions that work for his clients. It is one reason why he has represented many of his clients for decades. For more than 40 years, Howard has served as a trusted lawyer and adviser to clients ranging from some of the world’s largest and best-known real estate, tech, software, and other companies, to national and international financial institutions.

Howard is one of the founders of BFKN and currently serves as co-managing partner. He concentrates his practice on commercial real estate and related corporate, securities and business planning matters. Howard has extensive experience in the acquisition, development, leasing, and disposition of office buildings, shopping centers and other retail locations, multi-family housing, industrial buildings and mixed-used facilities, real estate financings, restructurings and foreclosures, as well as in the formation of joint ventures between institutional partners and developers.

Howard is frequently recognized as one of real estate law's top-ranked practitioners in Illinois by Chambers USA; Best Lawyers in America; Who's Who Legal; Super Lawyers; and Leading Lawyers, among others. Most recently, Howard was named Best Lawyers® 2021 Chicago Real Estate Lawyer of the Year in addition to his Best Lawyers® 2019 Chicago Litigation - Real Estate “Lawyer of the Year” recognition.