About Susan
Susan T. Alterman: Experienced Commercial Banking and Real Estate Lawyer in Portland, OR
With more than 30 years of experience working on commercial finance, real estate, and creditors’ rights matters, Susan T. Alterman focuses her practice on commercial banking and complex real estate transactions. She assists a variety of financial institutions and real estate investors in structuring real estate and asset-based credit facilities, including loan documentation, underwriting considerations, and regulatory matters.
Practice Areas
- Banking and Finance Law
- Real Estate Law
Susan regularly represents banks and other financial institutions in structuring, negotiating, and documenting a variety of lending transactions, including construction loans, bridge loans, term loans, mezzanine loans, revolving lines of credit, and secured and unsecured loan facilities. She also has a strong focus in the area of office, commercial, industrial and retail leasing.
Susan handles distressed real estate assets and loans, including the acquisition and sale of bank-owned properties. Her practice also includes Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, including performing both private and public dispositions of personal property collateral.
Practice Areas
- Courtroom Strategy and Negotiations for Bankruptcy Cases
- Banks and Creditors' Rights Litigation
Susan also counsels business clients on commercial loans, workouts, and other legal issues. She has advised real estate investors in buying, selling, and leasing commercial, retail, industrial, and agricultural properties, forming condominiums, and multiple land use proceedings.
She has handled the purchase, sale, and finance of auto dealerships in Oregon and Washington, negotiated and drafted multi-floor leases in core downtown office buildings in Portland and Seattle, and acts as outside counsel to one of the largest real property acquisition companies in the United States.
Awards
- Lawyer of the Year: Banking and Finance Law, Portland, OR (2026)
- Recognized: Banking and Finance Law
- Recognized: Real Estate Law
Susan is a member of the Leadership Cabinet of Willamette Law School, and is a former member of the executive committee of the Portland State University Foundation.
Firms
- Kell, Alterman & Runstein LLP
Education
- Bachelor of Science in Economics from Willamette University
- J.D. from University of California - Los Angeles
Bar Admissions
- Oregon, United States
Languages
- English
Susan has been recognized in Best Attorney USA since 2020. She is also a former chair of Oregon State Bar's Client Security Fund.
Affiliations
- Kell, Alterman & Runstein LLP
- Leadership Cabinet of Willamette Law School
- Powell & Co., Portland
