PETER BENUDIZ is a partner in Sidley’s Century City office and co-leader of the global Real Estate practice. He is also leading the firm’s Global Hospitality group. Recognized as one of the leading hospitality lawyers in the United States, Peter’s multidisciplinary practice focuses on all aspects touching hospitality and real estate. He is regularly called upon to provide strategic advice and guidance to boards of directors and senior management of operating businesses on various cross-border and domestic matters. Peter has advised on billions of dollars of hospitality, real estate, corporate finance and M&A deals, including domestic and cross-border leveraged private equity deals. He has counseled some of the world’s leading financial institutions and private equity funds on the acquisition, financing and restructuring of major real estate and hotel projects. Prior to joining Sidley, Peter was a partner at an international law firm and co-head of the Gaming and Hospitality group.
Peter’s numerous accolades include being ranked nationally in Band 1 for Leisure & Hospitality by Chambers USA since it began ranking lawyers nationally in the hospitality industry.
Chambers has also noted in its annual reviews and rankings over the years that Peter is recognized by both peers and clients citing that he:
- is “unsurpassed within the hospitality sector, particularly with regard to finance matters, branded management company representation, and owner and investor management.”
- has “the knowledge base of a scholar, but is practical too.”
- he handles “the financing, acquisition and restructuring hotel projects on behalf of some of the world’s most prominent financial institutions” with “particular strength in cross-border transactions…”
- has “a great understanding of the implications of business decisions and … diffusing difficult situations and conflicts.”
He is also ranked in Real Estate (California) by Chambers USA and was named a top real estate transactional attorney by the Daily Journal (2013).
The San Francisco Recorder included him as one of the top 30 real estate lawyers in California. Peter has been a featured speaker, moderator or panelist at more than 200 hospitality conferences addressing topics including cross-border transactions, financings, restructurings, management agreements and joint venture and corporate restructurings.
Peter earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was a teaching fellow at the Harvard University Government Department. He graduated with an A.B. from the University of California, Berkeley.