Umar A. Sheikh is a Principal attorney with over twenty years of practical experience. Mr. Sheikh concentrates on all aspects of real estate law – purchases, sales, financing, development, leasing, evictions, foreclosures, management – and those areas of law related to real estate – corporate, tax, asset protection, estate planning, and litigation. Mr. Sheikh regularly represents parties in the purchase, sale and financing of multifamily, mixed-use, commercial and retail properties. He also represents family offices, private lenders, private equity firms and borrowers in CMBS transactions.

In addition, Mr. Sheikh provides outside general counsel services to small and mid-size companies, as well as foreign investors and entities doing business, real estate or otherwise, in the United States.

Mr. Sheikh is well-versed in the principles of Islamic (Shariah compliant) finance, including the finance of real estate through permitted structures. Umar has closed numerous transactions under Shariah-permitted structures. Mr. Sheikh has assisted finance companies in building Shariah compliant transaction documents for use in numerous states for financing both commercial and residential real estate.

Mr. Sheikh currently serves on the Board of Directors for both the New Jersey Muslim Lawyers Association and Muslims for Peace, Inc. He has previously served on the Board of Directors for the Asian American Bar Association of New York. He is a member of the American Bar Association, New Jersey Muslim Lawyers Association, and the Asian American Bar Association of New York. He received his JD from Brooklyn Law School in 2000. Mr. Sheikh was named a 2022 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Champion for Justice by the New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards. The New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards’ honorees achieve measurable impact and represent outstanding acts of public service, without the expectation of recognition or compensation. In 2022, Umar was named a Notable Diverse Leader in Law by Crain’s New York Business. Crain’s New York Business identified top law professionals from underrepresented groups who have made an impact in New York in the types of cases handled, clients won and/or pro bono work.