Steinberg, Benjamin

Jim is a shareholder in the firm of Briggs and Morgan, Professional Association, who focuses on health care law and real estate development. He is based in our Minneapolis office and is a member of the Financial Institutions and Real Estate, and Corporate and Business Law Sections, as well as the Health Care Practice Group.

Jim’s health care practice has involved representation of several clinics in negotiation of provider agreements and other specialized health care contracts, as well as a variety of commercial contracts. He has represented preferred provider organizations in a variety of contract matters, including the negotiation of provider contracts. He has also represented clinics and hospitals in analyzing issues related to fraud and abuse, the Stark law, recruiting arrangements and employment contracts, and in revising contracts and economic structures to avoid potential conflict with such laws. Jim has also reviewed contract relationships with payors and uncovered claims against payors that have resulted in multi-million dollar settlements. Jim has also represented hospitals in construction financing matters and equipment leases.

Jim’s real estate practice is in the areas of land use and development, purchase and sale, construction, leasing, brownfields development, redevelopment and tax increment financing, private/public partnerships, and financing.

In recent years, Jim has represented clients on a variety of interesting real estate projects. Recently, Jim has led Briggs and Morgan's representation of an international company in major portions of a $1.65 billion mine to steel mill operation.

In 2005, he represented an international pharmaceutical company in its effort to acquire a substantial manufacturing plant in Arizona . He also represented a prominent Twin Cities development company in the sale of the St. Paul Lawson office tower, as well as other developers in the financing and construction of several condominium projects.

Jim has represented a West Coast public biotech pharmaceutical company in the acquisition of land and negotiation of a tax increment financing package for a manufacturing facility/campus in Brooklyn Park and in the eventual sale of the manufacturing facility and related assets. He served as counsel for the negotiation and structuring of a $120-million redevelopment of a Nicollet Avenue downtown block for retail and office tower uses.

A major school district retained Jim to handle the land assembly, land use development and construction of a $60-million high school. Portions of this high school have been constructed pursuant to a joint powers agreement structured by Jim, whereby the city of location will construct significant athletic and park facilities adjacent to the high school. The city and school district will achieve significant savings by sharing athletic facilities.

Jim served as counsel for a suburban economic development authority on the completion of a $70-million brownfields development, which consisted of a medical campus and used Jim’s idea of a "disposable" shopping center to inventory land for future expansion of the medical campus. This resulted in special legislation, now applicable to the entire state, which allowed the use of a tax increment to create an environmental indemnity fund for the project lender.

Additional examples of Jim’s real estate experience include representation of:

• A home mortgage company in leasing office and warehouse space across the United States ranging from small offices of less than 5,000 square feet to those in excess of 300,000 square feet.
• Negotiation of a health care company’s lease of 120,000 square feet of office space and campus, which included a 60,000-square-foot existing building and construction of an adjacent 60,000-square-foot facility.
• A school district in structuring a private/public health club facility (a unique combination of private and public ownership) that saved the city and school district millions of dollars in facility costs.
• The owners of a prominent downtown Minneapolis high-rise office complex in the sale of office condominiums.
• A horse racing track and its land assembly, financing and construction.
• Residential and commercial real estate developers in the acquisition, zoning and platting of raw land.
• Building owners and corporate tenants in a rezoning conflict in Fridley and a controversial sound ordinance conflict in Plymouth .
• The sale of the Lawson Tower , a St. Paul high-rise office tower.
• The sale of a substantial nursing home.
• A hospital construction financing project.

Jim's leasing practice has involved warehouse, retail and office leasing. His CLE outline on "Commercial Leases in Minnesota " has been a reference work for many attorneys. Jim represents building owners in the financing or refinancing of construction projects or existing buildings.

Jim is recognized in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Lawyers. He has been listed in Minnesota Super Lawyers, as published in Minnesota Law & Politics, and is a member of the Hennepin County, Minnesota State and American Bar associations. In addition, Jim serves as chairman and a former member of the board and executive committees of Community Health Charities of Minnesota. He is a member of the board of directors for the Children's Home Society and Family Services.

Born in Mitchell , South Dakota , Jim received his B.A. from the University of Iowa , where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated from Harvard Law School ,  where he was a member of the editorial staff of the Harvard Civil Rights and Liberties Law Review. Jim joined Briggs in 1997.