Bridge Development Partners has hired Daniel Hemmer as its first general counsel. Based in Bridge’s Chicago headquarters, Hemmer will oversee all of the firm’s legal functions, including real estate transactions, corporate and litigation. He will also be responsible for managing the company’s relationships with outside counsel and assuring every area of its business is in compliance with law.
Before joining Bridge, Hemmer served as general counsel for five years at First Industrial Realty Trust, a publicly traded real estate investment trust and leading owner and operator of industrial properties. Prior to that, he spent 11 years as general counsel for CenterPoint Properties, an industrial property and transportation infrastructure developer and investor owned by the country’s largest pension fund. Before entering the real estate industry, Hemmer worked at LKQ Corporation and practiced law at Warner Norcross & Judd LLP.
“I am extremely excited to bring my two decades of experience to Bridge—a company with a strong entrepreneurial culture and an unparalleled reputation across the industrial real estate arena,” said Hemmer. “My arrival coincides with a period of intense growth, and I look forward to playing a key role alongside my accomplished colleagues to help push it to even greater heights.”
In addition to his regular responsibilities, Hemmer will also play a significant role in the development of processes and procedures to support Bridge’s ongoing growth, in facilitating real estate transactions that drive its profits, and in the company’s capital raising efforts. Hemmer joins Bridge during a time of growth; in addition to welcoming its first-ever corporate counsel, the company also named Steve Groetsema as its first chief operating officer earlier this year.
“Demand for first-class industrial space continues to show no signs of slowing down, and Bridge continues to pursue our expansion across our seven core U.S. industrial markets, as well as begin our first ventures into international markets. As our company and our portfolio continued to grow, securing a skilled and experienced legal mind like Dan’s was imperative,” said Steve Poulos, founder and chief executive officer. “He has already proven himself to be an invaluable asset, and we look forward to putting his unique skill set to use at Bridge for years to come.”
Hemmer earned his J.D. from Harvard Law School. He also holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan. He is an active member of the Association of Corporate Counsel and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, where he is chair of the organization’s National Forum of General Counsel.
