Bio
Joshua A. Berlinsky is the Chair of DarrowEverett’s Commercial Real Estate Practice Group and a Practice Leader for the Banking & Finance Group. His practice concentrates on commercial lending, complex real estate, and general business and finance law. Throughout his career, Josh has represented national and regional financial institutions in a variety of corporate transactions and commercial financings throughout the U.S., including acquisition financings, syndicated facilities, secured and unsecured lending transactions, and asset-backed loans, among other general corporate matters. He regularly serves as counsel in commercial real estate transactions involving acquisition, development, and construction financing and represents owners and acquirers of commercial, industrial, and multifamily properties throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Prior Experience
Before joining DarrowEverett in 2007, Josh was a partner at a highly regarded Providence and Boston-based law firm, refining his practice in commercial finance and entering upon numerous client representations which have continued and thrived throughout his tenure at DE. He began his career in Chicago at one of its oldest and most prestigious law firms.
Accolades
- The Best Lawyers in America© Best Lawyer (2026)
- Super Lawyers — 2024-2025 (Real Estate)
Practice Areas
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
Education
- Northwestern University Law School, J.D.
cum laude - Colgate University, Political Science and English
cum laude
Involvement
- Illinois Bar Association – Member
- Massachusetts Bar Association – Member
- Rhode Island Bar Association – Member
- Rhode Island Committee on Appropriations, Town of Barrington – Vice Chair 2017-2019
Representative Matters
- Represented BH Group and PEBB Enterprises in closing an $89.88 million loan for The Eclipse, a transformative mixed-use redevelopment in Boca Raton, Florida, located at the former site of Office Depot’s world headquarters. The loan will fund Class A tenant improvements and the upcoming construction of a 37,000-square-foot Equinox gym, as well as the necessary infrastructure for the broader project that includes more than 405,000 square feet of office space, two retail and restaurant outparcel buildings totaling 21,500 square feet, and 500 multifamily units being developed with Related Group.
- Recently represented BH Group Miami, a prominent Miami-based real estate development firm, on the acquisition and financing of a significant $83 million waterfront property transaction in Miami-Dade County involving real estate, financing, and joint venture components. The deal involved the negotiation and closing on the purchase of two 10-story towers comprising over 330 residential units, and all aspects of the associated due diligence. As part of the acquisition, our finance team assisted BH Group in securing a significant loan from a Miami-based mortgage lender, negotiating favorable financing terms to support and fund a portion of the purchase. Additionally, our corporate and finance teams structured a joint venture with a strategic partner, drafted a comprehensive joint venture agreement, and negotiated and closed on a collateralized loan facility in collaboration with the joint venture partner.
- Represented a South Florida real estate developer and a South Florida private equity family office in connection with their joint venture acquisition of a national retailer’s corporate headquarters for more than $100 million. I served as lead attorney for all three debt transactions as part of the acquisition, which consisted of a mortgage loan and two layers of mezzanine loans.
- Represented a real estate client in designing and implementing a multi-layered management and control framework intended to ensure continuity of operational control without altering equity ownership. The engagement included a detailed evaluation of all existing operating agreements, loan documents, and 30+ years of corporate records spanning more than a dozen projects in various stages of development and stabilization; the amendment and restatement of project-level operating agreements; and the creation of a centralized management company which, together with a reconstituted corporate parent under a new board of directors governance structure, established a clear succession and decision-making framework designed to preserve stability, transparency, and institutional governance.
- Represented a prominent South Florida real estate developer in connection with its acquisition of a prime oceanfront hotel in Miami Beach as part of a joint venture agreement with a diversified real estate developer and investment firm. Our work involved drafting organizational documents for various levels of entity ownership, assisting with securing and closing on acquisition and building loans, and assisting on drafting both customary and complex real estate acquisition documents.
- Represented a prominent real estate developer in a joint venture agreement for the development of a 40B apartment project in New England. The matter involved both registered and unregistered land, title matters, the development of easements and use restrictions and negotiation of a complex joint venture agreement involving partnership terms, commercial loan documents and construction contracts.
- Represented the McKee Group in obtaining $50M in financing in connection with its purchase of a residential luxury apartment complex with resort-style amenities located in suburban Philadelphia, PA. This deal involved the establishment of a $50M borrowing facility and creating a complex corporate structure to allow for tenants in common to use 1031 exchange funds in connection with the acquisition, and other bespoke deal items.
- Served as lead counsel to one of South Florida’s most renowned development firms in connection with an eight-figure multifamily construction loan for a property located in Sarasota, Florida. The proposed development will consist of 200-plus luxury apartments located on approximately 10 acres.
- Represented Rhode Island based developer in connection with a $20 million HUD Loan Refinance transaction pursuant to Section 223(f) of the National Housing Act for a 50-unit apartment facility located in Providence, Rhode Island.