Sullivan
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Biography

Ashley leads Sullivan's Real Estate Group and is a former member of the firm's Management Committee.

Ashley’s practice focuses on all aspects of real estate development, including commercial development, complex debt and equity structures, ground leases, loan workouts and restructures, acquisitions/dispositions, and leasing transactions. Ashley represents a broad spectrum of clients, from international to family office developers, institutional investors to public and private companies, and government agencies across various asset classes throughout the United States. Ashley's experience includes negotiating and documenting complex loan facilities (senior and mezzanine), construction loans, common/preferred equity and co-GP ventures, fund formation, portfolio acquisitions and sales, ground leases, sale-leasebacks, workouts and foreclosures. Ashley has established herself as a go-to person with public/private partnerships in connection with real estate development across the United States.

Education
  • Northeastern University School of Law (J.D.)
  • Colby College (B.A.)
Bar & Court Admissions
  • Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Professional Qualifications
  • Real Estate Lender's Association (RELA)
  • Trustee, Lawrence Model Lodging House Trust
  • American Bar Association
  • Boston Bar Association
  • NAIOP Massachusetts Commercial Real Estate Development Association
  • Former Co-Chair, Real Estate Finance Committee, Boston Bar Association
Awards & Honors
  • Connect CRE, Lawyers in Real Estate Awards, Boston & New England (2024)
  • "Go To Lawyer," Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2023)
  • Chambers USA, Recognized Practitioner in Real Estate, Massachusetts (2022-2026)
  • Boston Magazine Top Lawyers, Commercial Real Estate (2021-2025)
  • Best Lawyers in America® (2020-2026)
  • Boston Real Estate Times Excellence Award: Real Estate (2019)
  • "Top Women of Law," Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2018)
  • Recommended by The Legal 500 U.S. (2016-2026)
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellows Program (2016)
  • "Rising Star," Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2009)
Community Engagement
  • CREW Network
  • Women's Leadership Program, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
  • Former co-chair, Heading Home Outreach Council
Languages
  • French
Viewpoints
All Viewpoints
Zoning and Development Newsletter
Sullivan's Permitting & Land Use Practice Group and Litigation Department have released the next issue of their Zoning and Development Newsletter. The publication aims to provide our firm's clients and others interested in land use and permitting issues with an update on notable developments in the law that might be relevant to their projects. This edition summarizes the following: A Superior Court decision entering summary judgment in favor of our client and against plaintiffs’ challenge to the adoption of a PDA zoning amendment in Boston; Three Land Court decisions construing protections afforded by the Dover Amendment (namely, protections for solar energy, educational, and childcare facilities); An Appeals Court decision construing the Mechanic’s Lien Statute to prohibit courts from deducting costs attributable to the non-use of equipment from mechanic’s liens; An Appeals Court decision underscoring that courts may reach different findings from special permit granting authorities, even where the evidence presented in both proceedings is the same; A Land Court decision ruling that a special permit for a multi-family housing project required a supermajority (rather than bare majority) vote of the special permit granting authority because the project did not provide affordable housing on-site; An Appeals Court decision underscoring the bright line rule against overloading easements; and Two decisions construing and applying the Derelict Fee Statute.
Zoning and Development Newsletter
Sullivan's Permitting & Land Use Practice Group and Litigation Department have released the second issue of their Zoning and Development Newsletter. The publication aims to provide our firm's clients and others interested in land use and permitting issues with an update on notable developments in the law that might be relevant to their projects. This issue summarizes a wide range of recent cases, including two U.S. Supreme Court decisions (one involving tax takings, the other limiting federal wetlands jurisdiction); a State Attorney General decision, Land Court decision, and administrative decisions concerning battery energy storage systems; and state court decisions involving the interpretation of easements taken by eminent domain, the Dover Amendment, conditional use permits, site plan approval, and the Anti-SLAPP statute. To view the newsletter, please click here.
Sullivan Represents Fattal Hotel Group in Acquisition of The Blakely Hotel in Midtown Manhattan
Sullivan & Worcester represented Fattal Hotel Group, owner and operator of 329 hotels across 22 countries and based in Tel Aviv, in its acquisition and financing of The Blakely Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The acquisition marks the client's first hotel investment in the United States and is a milestone in its evolution from a leading European hospitality operator into a global hotel group. The acquisition was completed on July 7, 2026. The Sullivan team included Ashley Brooks, Tamir Chagal, Oded Har-Even, Gerry Silver, John Steiner, Nancy Gillman and Ashley Tan. Read more about the transaction here.  
Top Tier Firm, Legal 500 United States 2026
Sullivan & Worcester Ranked in the Legal 500 United States 2026 Edition
Boston, MA – Sullivan & Worcester announced that its practice groups and attorneys have been ranked and recommended in the Legal 500 United States 2026. The firm’s Real Estate practice was newly ranked Tier 1 in the “Real estate – mid-market ($0-500m)” category and the firm maintained rankings across a variety of practice areas. Partners Nicole Crum and John Steiner were newly ranked as Leading Partners and Ryan Rosenblatt as a Next Generation Partner. Peers and more than 300,000 corporate counsel were surveyed and interviewed globally in the past 12 months to assess law firms’ overall visibility and reputation, culminating in detailed rankings and editorial. The Legal 500 is an independent guide, and firms and individuals are recommended purely on merit. Sullivan's lawyers received the following rankings: Leading Partners: The Legal 500’s Guide to Outstanding Lawyers Nationwide Benjamin Armour - M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500m); M&A: middle-market ($0-250m) Ameek Ashok Ponda - Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)  Nicole Crum - Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds Lewis Segall - M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500m); M&A: middle-market ($0-250m) John Steiner - Real estate – mid-market ($0-500m) Douglas Stransky - International Tax Joel Telpner - Fintech Next Generation Partners: The Legal 500’s Guide to Up-and-Coming Lawyers Nationwide Ryan Rosenblatt - General commercial disputes – mid-market ($250-500m) Sarah Wellings - Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Practice Areas Ranked and Attorneys Recognized Corporate Governance “Our lead partner, Nicole Crum, who leads the investment industry practice, is exceptional. She demonstrates strong industry knowledge yet is very personable and anticipates what we need to know or what we should consider doing to handle any matter. The team roll up their sleeves and provide recommendations as to how we as a board should handle any matter. Strong service commitment and work ethic!” “The team we have at Sullivan & Worcester has served our company for years and knows the management team, staff as well as our board members. They are extremely responsive and proactive and anticipate what we should be aware of, concerned about, excited about, and how to handle oversight, processes and protocols to ensure we are carrying out our fiduciary duties. The partners are experts in this industry.” Leading Partner: Nicole Crum Recommended Lawyers: Howard Berkenblit, David Leahy Dispute Resolution/General Commercial Disputes “Diverse skillset. Client centric. Transparency. Urgency provided on all matters.” “I have worked with Gerry Silver for over 15 years and have found his pragmatic approach to complex matters refreshing. He understands our business, culture and market, and will give me his opinion in a digestible manner.” Next Generation Partner: Ryan Rosenblatt Recommended Lawyers: Gerry Silver, Patrick Dinardo, Laura Steinberg, Michael Sullivan, Amy Zuccarello, Erika Todd, Christopher Shields, Anna Lea McNerney Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design “The level of expertise is top shelf. David Guadagnoli seems to know all of ERISA and IRS rulings.” “David Guadagnoli and Amy Sheridan both have superior knowledge in their respective areas. I value the ability to raise issues whether simple or complex. The firm takes the same diligent approach across all spectrums of complexity.” Recommended Lawyers: David Guadagnoli, Amy Sheridan Environment: Transactional Fintech “Sullivan & Worcester is one of the finest firms with which I have worked.” “The lawyers are excellent, and the firm consistently provides the highest quality of customer service.” Leading Partner: Joel Telpner Recommended Lawyers: Natalie Lederman, Benjamin Armour, Scott Kaufman, Harvey Bines, Christopher Curtis Land Use/Zoning Recommended Lawyers: Gregory Sampson, Ashley Brooks, Victor Baltera, Karen Kepler, Ashley Tan M&A: Corporate and Commercial: Venture Capital and Emerging Companies Recommended Lawyers: Scott Kaufman, Lewis Segall, Benjamin Armour, Michael Student M&A: Middle-Market ($0-250m) “The partner Lewis Segall has been working with our company for 15 years and we have a good working relationship with him. He knows our history and very attentive to our needs.” “Lewis Segall is very attentive to our needs. We very much value him.” Leading Partners: Benjamin Armour, Lewis Segall Recommended Lawyers: Natalie Lederman Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds “Sullivan & Worcester's practice is defined by its deep expertise in investment funds and its ability to deliver clear, commercially grounded advice across the full fund lifecycle—from formation and structuring to regulatory compliance and complex transactions.” “The team is highly experienced, collaborative, and excel in efficient execution and clear communication.” Leading Partner: Nicole Crum Recommended Lawyers: David Leahy, David Mahaffey, Rachael Schwartz Real Estate Leading Partner: John Steiner Recommended Lawyers: Ashley Brooks, Karen Kepler, Gregory Sampson, Sharon Leifer, Louis Monti, Spencer Stone, Ashley Tan Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) “We have built multiple complex and sophisticated REIT platforms over the years and worked with many top-tier REIT specialists, but Sullivan’s REIT practice is by far the best, with Sarah Wellings.” Leading Partner: Ameek Ashok Ponda Next Generation Partner: Sarah Wellings Recommended Lawyers: Angela Gomes, Louis Monti, Shu Wei, Cameron Cosby International Tax “The international collaboration with S&W is exceptional.” “What really stands out is their willingness to engage, openness to different ideas and opinions, clearly expressed expectations, and clients' objectives.” Leading Partner: Douglas Stransky Recommended Lawyers: Lewis Greenwald, Eric Rietveld Tax > US Taxes: Contentious Recommended Lawyers: Richard Jones, David Nagle, Daniel Ryan, Caroline Kupiec Tax > US Taxes: Non-Contentious “Sarah Wellings is, quite simply, the best lawyer we have ever worked with. Her expertise extends far beyond tax and REIT matters, encompassing governance, financing, and complex commercial issues. Decades of experience and technical mastery make her an indispensable partner. Sarah is our central point of contact who makes everything seamless. Her in-house counsel background gives her a unique client perspective: she anticipates needs, solves problems before they arise, and delivers concise, well-structured updates that simplify even the most intricate issues. She coordinates effortlessly with all parties involved. Her judgment is exceptional. Sarah strikes the perfect balance between comprehensive academic rigor and practical, business-oriented advice. She combines technical REIT/tax excellence with commercial instincts, ensuring every recommendation is both legally sound and strategically smart. Her ability to translate complex law into clear, actionable guidance is unmatched. Sarah is incredibly responsive without ever sacrificing quality. She treats our matters as her own, demonstrating a rare ownership mindset and collaborative spirit. Her integrity is uncompromising, giving us absolute confidence in her counsel. In short, Sarah Wellings defines legal excellence: reliable, commercially minded, and client-focused. Working with her feels like being in the safest possible hands; she consistently exceeds expectations and orchestrates complex transactions with clarity and precision.” Recommended Lawyers: Ameek Ashok Ponda, Richard Jones, Douglas Stransky, Sarah Wellings About Sullivan Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) is a premier international law firm with lawyers in Boston, London, New York, Tel Aviv and Washington, D.C. Sullivan’s clients, including Fortune 500 companies, leading financial services firms and asset managers, boards of directors, real estate companies, and emerging businesses, rely on Sullivan’s ability to navigate complex legal and operational landscapes, the impeccable judgment of its lawyers, and its commitment to best-in-class client service.

Ashley H. Brooks

Ashley leads Sullivan's Real Estate Group and is a former member of the firm's Management Committee.

Ashley’s practice focuses on all aspects of real estate development, including commercial development, complex debt and equity structures, ground leases, loan workouts and restructures, acquisitions/dispositions, and leasing transactions. Ashley represents a broad spectrum of clients, from international to family office developers, institutional investors to public and private companies, and government agencies across various asset classes throughout the United States. Ashley's experience includes negotiating and documenting complex loan facilities (senior and mezzanine), construction loans, common/preferred equity and co-GP ventures, fund formation, portfolio acquisitions and sales, ground leases, sale-leasebacks, workouts and foreclosures. Ashley has established herself as a go-to person with public/private partnerships in connection with real estate development across the United States.

Viewpoints
All Viewpoints
Zoning and Development Newsletter
Sullivan's Permitting & Land Use Practice Group and Litigation Department have released the next issue of their Zoning and Development Newsletter. The publication aims to provide our firm's clients and others interested in land use and permitting issues with an update on notable developments in the law that might be relevant to their projects. This edition summarizes the following: A Superior Court decision entering summary judgment in favor of our client and against plaintiffs’ challenge to the adoption of a PDA zoning amendment in Boston; Three Land Court decisions construing protections afforded by the Dover Amendment (namely, protections for solar energy, educational, and childcare facilities); An Appeals Court decision construing the Mechanic’s Lien Statute to prohibit courts from deducting costs attributable to the non-use of equipment from mechanic’s liens; An Appeals Court decision underscoring that courts may reach different findings from special permit granting authorities, even where the evidence presented in both proceedings is the same; A Land Court decision ruling that a special permit for a multi-family housing project required a supermajority (rather than bare majority) vote of the special permit granting authority because the project did not provide affordable housing on-site; An Appeals Court decision underscoring the bright line rule against overloading easements; and Two decisions construing and applying the Derelict Fee Statute.
Zoning and Development Newsletter
Sullivan's Permitting & Land Use Practice Group and Litigation Department have released the second issue of their Zoning and Development Newsletter. The publication aims to provide our firm's clients and others interested in land use and permitting issues with an update on notable developments in the law that might be relevant to their projects. This issue summarizes a wide range of recent cases, including two U.S. Supreme Court decisions (one involving tax takings, the other limiting federal wetlands jurisdiction); a State Attorney General decision, Land Court decision, and administrative decisions concerning battery energy storage systems; and state court decisions involving the interpretation of easements taken by eminent domain, the Dover Amendment, conditional use permits, site plan approval, and the Anti-SLAPP statute. To view the newsletter, please click here.
Sullivan Represents Fattal Hotel Group in Acquisition of The Blakely Hotel in Midtown Manhattan
Sullivan & Worcester represented Fattal Hotel Group, owner and operator of 329 hotels across 22 countries and based in Tel Aviv, in its acquisition and financing of The Blakely Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The acquisition marks the client's first hotel investment in the United States and is a milestone in its evolution from a leading European hospitality operator into a global hotel group. The acquisition was completed on July 7, 2026. The Sullivan team included Ashley Brooks, Tamir Chagal, Oded Har-Even, Gerry Silver, John Steiner, Nancy Gillman and Ashley Tan. Read more about the transaction here.  
Top Tier Firm, Legal 500 United States 2026
Sullivan & Worcester Ranked in the Legal 500 United States 2026 Edition
Boston, MA – Sullivan & Worcester announced that its practice groups and attorneys have been ranked and recommended in the Legal 500 United States 2026. The firm’s Real Estate practice was newly ranked Tier 1 in the “Real estate – mid-market ($0-500m)” category and the firm maintained rankings across a variety of practice areas. Partners Nicole Crum and John Steiner were newly ranked as Leading Partners and Ryan Rosenblatt as a Next Generation Partner. Peers and more than 300,000 corporate counsel were surveyed and interviewed globally in the past 12 months to assess law firms’ overall visibility and reputation, culminating in detailed rankings and editorial. The Legal 500 is an independent guide, and firms and individuals are recommended purely on merit. Sullivan's lawyers received the following rankings: Leading Partners: The Legal 500’s Guide to Outstanding Lawyers Nationwide Benjamin Armour - M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500m); M&A: middle-market ($0-250m) Ameek Ashok Ponda - Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)  Nicole Crum - Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds Lewis Segall - M&A: Middle-Market (Sub-$500m); M&A: middle-market ($0-250m) John Steiner - Real estate – mid-market ($0-500m) Douglas Stransky - International Tax Joel Telpner - Fintech Next Generation Partners: The Legal 500’s Guide to Up-and-Coming Lawyers Nationwide Ryan Rosenblatt - General commercial disputes – mid-market ($250-500m) Sarah Wellings - Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Practice Areas Ranked and Attorneys Recognized Corporate Governance “Our lead partner, Nicole Crum, who leads the investment industry practice, is exceptional. She demonstrates strong industry knowledge yet is very personable and anticipates what we need to know or what we should consider doing to handle any matter. The team roll up their sleeves and provide recommendations as to how we as a board should handle any matter. Strong service commitment and work ethic!” “The team we have at Sullivan & Worcester has served our company for years and knows the management team, staff as well as our board members. They are extremely responsive and proactive and anticipate what we should be aware of, concerned about, excited about, and how to handle oversight, processes and protocols to ensure we are carrying out our fiduciary duties. The partners are experts in this industry.” Leading Partner: Nicole Crum Recommended Lawyers: Howard Berkenblit, David Leahy Dispute Resolution/General Commercial Disputes “Diverse skillset. Client centric. Transparency. Urgency provided on all matters.” “I have worked with Gerry Silver for over 15 years and have found his pragmatic approach to complex matters refreshing. He understands our business, culture and market, and will give me his opinion in a digestible manner.” Next Generation Partner: Ryan Rosenblatt Recommended Lawyers: Gerry Silver, Patrick Dinardo, Laura Steinberg, Michael Sullivan, Amy Zuccarello, Erika Todd, Christopher Shields, Anna Lea McNerney Employee Benefits, Executive Compensation and Retirement Plans: Design “The level of expertise is top shelf. David Guadagnoli seems to know all of ERISA and IRS rulings.” “David Guadagnoli and Amy Sheridan both have superior knowledge in their respective areas. I value the ability to raise issues whether simple or complex. The firm takes the same diligent approach across all spectrums of complexity.” Recommended Lawyers: David Guadagnoli, Amy Sheridan Environment: Transactional Fintech “Sullivan & Worcester is one of the finest firms with which I have worked.” “The lawyers are excellent, and the firm consistently provides the highest quality of customer service.” Leading Partner: Joel Telpner Recommended Lawyers: Natalie Lederman, Benjamin Armour, Scott Kaufman, Harvey Bines, Christopher Curtis Land Use/Zoning Recommended Lawyers: Gregory Sampson, Ashley Brooks, Victor Baltera, Karen Kepler, Ashley Tan M&A: Corporate and Commercial: Venture Capital and Emerging Companies Recommended Lawyers: Scott Kaufman, Lewis Segall, Benjamin Armour, Michael Student M&A: Middle-Market ($0-250m) “The partner Lewis Segall has been working with our company for 15 years and we have a good working relationship with him. He knows our history and very attentive to our needs.” “Lewis Segall is very attentive to our needs. We very much value him.” Leading Partners: Benjamin Armour, Lewis Segall Recommended Lawyers: Natalie Lederman Mutual/Registered/Exchange-Traded Funds “Sullivan & Worcester's practice is defined by its deep expertise in investment funds and its ability to deliver clear, commercially grounded advice across the full fund lifecycle—from formation and structuring to regulatory compliance and complex transactions.” “The team is highly experienced, collaborative, and excel in efficient execution and clear communication.” Leading Partner: Nicole Crum Recommended Lawyers: David Leahy, David Mahaffey, Rachael Schwartz Real Estate Leading Partner: John Steiner Recommended Lawyers: Ashley Brooks, Karen Kepler, Gregory Sampson, Sharon Leifer, Louis Monti, Spencer Stone, Ashley Tan Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) “We have built multiple complex and sophisticated REIT platforms over the years and worked with many top-tier REIT specialists, but Sullivan’s REIT practice is by far the best, with Sarah Wellings.” Leading Partner: Ameek Ashok Ponda Next Generation Partner: Sarah Wellings Recommended Lawyers: Angela Gomes, Louis Monti, Shu Wei, Cameron Cosby International Tax “The international collaboration with S&W is exceptional.” “What really stands out is their willingness to engage, openness to different ideas and opinions, clearly expressed expectations, and clients' objectives.” Leading Partner: Douglas Stransky Recommended Lawyers: Lewis Greenwald, Eric Rietveld Tax > US Taxes: Contentious Recommended Lawyers: Richard Jones, David Nagle, Daniel Ryan, Caroline Kupiec Tax > US Taxes: Non-Contentious “Sarah Wellings is, quite simply, the best lawyer we have ever worked with. Her expertise extends far beyond tax and REIT matters, encompassing governance, financing, and complex commercial issues. Decades of experience and technical mastery make her an indispensable partner. Sarah is our central point of contact who makes everything seamless. Her in-house counsel background gives her a unique client perspective: she anticipates needs, solves problems before they arise, and delivers concise, well-structured updates that simplify even the most intricate issues. She coordinates effortlessly with all parties involved. Her judgment is exceptional. Sarah strikes the perfect balance between comprehensive academic rigor and practical, business-oriented advice. She combines technical REIT/tax excellence with commercial instincts, ensuring every recommendation is both legally sound and strategically smart. Her ability to translate complex law into clear, actionable guidance is unmatched. Sarah is incredibly responsive without ever sacrificing quality. She treats our matters as her own, demonstrating a rare ownership mindset and collaborative spirit. Her integrity is uncompromising, giving us absolute confidence in her counsel. In short, Sarah Wellings defines legal excellence: reliable, commercially minded, and client-focused. Working with her feels like being in the safest possible hands; she consistently exceeds expectations and orchestrates complex transactions with clarity and precision.” Recommended Lawyers: Ameek Ashok Ponda, Richard Jones, Douglas Stransky, Sarah Wellings About Sullivan Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) is a premier international law firm with lawyers in Boston, London, New York, Tel Aviv and Washington, D.C. Sullivan’s clients, including Fortune 500 companies, leading financial services firms and asset managers, boards of directors, real estate companies, and emerging businesses, rely on Sullivan’s ability to navigate complex legal and operational landscapes, the impeccable judgment of its lawyers, and its commitment to best-in-class client service.

Ashley H. Brooks