Seyfarth Adds Vallerie as Real Estate Finance Co-Chair
Megan Vallerie joins Daniel Evans as co-chair, and Christopher Manzer is elevated to vice chair of the firm's real estate finance practice.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in People
Seyfarth Shaw LLP has expanded leadership of its real estate finance practice, adding Megan Vallerie as co-chair alongside Daniel Evans and elevating Christopher Manzer to vice chair. Vallerie and Evans are based in the firm's New York office, while Manzer is based in Seattle.
Why it matters
The changes strengthen the practice's leadership bench as the firm builds out its real estate finance capabilities for institutional lenders. The expansion also reflects the firm's push to integrate AI tools into real estate transaction work.
The announcement contains no quantitative financial or operational metrics. Vallerie rejoined Seyfarth in April 2026 after serving as vice president of transaction management at FirstKey Lending.
The players
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
A global law firm with a large real estate practice that serves institutional lenders and other clients across the capital markets.
Megan Vallerie
A real estate finance attorney who rejoined Seyfarth in April 2026 after serving as vice president of transaction management at FirstKey Lending.
Daniel Evans
A New York-based real estate finance lawyer who has helped institutional lenders launch and scale new lending platforms.
Christopher Manzer
A Seattle-based real estate lawyer who has led Seyfarth's efforts to integrate AI into real estate transactions.
The details
Vallerie will focus on growing work across the capital stack, including transactions that provide leverage to lender clients and support secondary market execution. Manzer will work with Evans and Vallerie to develop the next generation of the team, and has been central to Seyfarth's efforts to integrate AI into real estate transactions, including due diligence and deal execution.
Timeline
April 2026: Vallerie rejoined Seyfarth.
November 6, 2026: The leadership expansion was announced.
Market Landscape
The move reflects how large law firms are adding dedicated real estate finance leadership as lenders and secondary markets demand more specialized transaction support. Seyfarth's use of its Seyfarth Link deal tracking platform and AI-enabled document review places the practice among firms competing to automate parts of real estate deal execution.
For clients seeking real estate finance counsel, the leadership change may affect which Seyfarth attorneys handle lender transactions and secondary market deals. Businesses working with the firm should expect the practice to continue expanding its AI-enabled deal processes.
The takeaway
The expansion shows that firms are pairing experienced leaders with technology investments to handle complex lender transactions more efficiently. Clients evaluating real estate finance counsel may look for similar combinations of deal expertise and workflow tools.
Further reading
Explore more leadership and career moves in the People section of Business news.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NYREJ.
