Jennifer Knight Lang Joins Brownstein’s Litigation Department as Shareholder
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck announced that Jennifer Knight Lang has joined the firm as a shareholder in its Litigation Department in Denver.
Lang is a construction and real estate litigator who delivers practical, results-driven counsel. She represents owners, developers, contractors and other industry participants in complex disputes across all phases of construction projects, partnering closely with clients to manage risk and achieve efficient resolutions.
“Jennifer brings a strong track record of success in construction and real estate litigation and a client-first mindset that aligns perfectly with our platform,” said Adam Bult, co-chair of Brownstein’s Litigation Department. “Her ability to deliver strategic, business-oriented solutions will be a tremendous asset to our clients and our team.”
Lang’s practice focuses on construction and real estate disputes, including matters involving contract rights, nonpayment claims, delays, mechanic’s liens, bond claims and property rights issues. Lang advises clients from pre-dispute strategy through litigation, arbitration and mediation, aligning legal approaches with business objectives. She has extensive experience handling disputes involving residential, commercial and industrial developments and is recognized for her ability to navigate contentious project issues while driving toward cost-effective outcomes. Prior to joining Brownstein, Lang was a director at Fennemore, practicing construction law and business litigation. Lang earned her J.D. from the University of Colorado Law School, her M.P.S. from the University of Denver and her B.A. from the University of Denver.
Realberry Appoints Layne Hirsch as Managing Director, Private Capital
Realberry announced the appointment of Layne Hirsch as managing director, private capital. In this role, Hirsch will lead Realberry’s strategy to expand relationships with family offices and ultra-high-net-worth investors, supporting the company’s broader capital formation strategy.
“Layne brings deep experience working with sophisticated private capital sources and a strong understanding of what family offices and high-net-worth investors expect from long-term investment relationships,” said Chad McWhinney, CEO, chairman and co-founder of Realberry. “As we continue to expand our investment platform, Layne’s leadership will help us open access to a broader set of investors while continuing to serve the partners who have trusted us for decades. His experience will support our ability to channel that expanded access into increased impact and investment across the country, backed by the rigor, alignment and accountability of a sponsor that originates, underwrites and owns the opportunities we offer.”
Hirsch brings over 20 years of financial services experience across institutional RIA sales, private wealth management, capital formation and investor relationship development. He most recently served as managing director, Institutional RIA Sales, in the Client and Product Solutions group at Apollo Global Management, where he led fundraising efforts across the Pacific West region. Before Apollo, Hirsch spent seven years at PIMCO leading RIA sales on the West Coast, covering RIAs and multifamily offices. Earlier in his career, he served as a principal at AllianceBernstein in Private Wealth Management, working with high-net-worth families and single-family offices.
In his new role at Realberry, Hirsch will focus on developing and maintaining relationships with family offices and ultra-high-net-worth capital sources in the United States and globally. He will work closely with Realberry’s executive leadership, investor relations and marketing teams to support capital raises, expand the company’s private capital strategy and provide market insights that help shape future investment offerings.
Hirsch’s appointment comes as Realberry continues to evolve its investment platform, announced earlier this year, and broaden access to sponsor-led real estate investment opportunities across the company’s hospitality, multifamily, commercial, mixed-use and master-planned community portfolio.
“I was drawn to Realberry because the company is building something meaningfully different in the private real estate investment market,” said Hirsch. “The platform combines the discipline and alignment sophisticated investors expect with a more direct, user-friendly investor experience. I look forward to helping expand Realberry’s private capital relationships and supporting a strategy that gives more investors access to high-quality real estate opportunities backed by an experienced sponsor.”
Hirsch earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Prime West Names Chris Payne Senior Vice President, Investments
Prime West, a Denver-based real estate investment, development and property management firm, announced that Chris Payne has recently joined the company as senior vice president, investments.
Payne brings an owner’s perspective shaped by more than 15 years of experience overseeing more than $2 billion in real estate projects from concept through execution. Throughout his career, he has focused on creating long-term value through thoughtful capital deployment and operational excellence across an award-winning portfolio of developments in Denver and Chicago.
“Chris brings a unique combination of both development expertise and investment insight, which aligns well with our focus at Prime West,” said Tim Schlichting, president of Prime West. “His track record of executing complex projects and building strong industry partnerships makes him an ideal addition to our leadership team.”
In his new role, Payne will help lead the firm’s investment activities, leveraging his experience across acquisitions, development and asset strategy while working closely with Prime West’s leadership team and partners. Prior to joining Prime West, Payne was a partner at Riverside Investment & Development, where he led the firm’s expansion into Denver and the development of a $400 million office project.
“What attracted me to Prime West is its reputation as a relationship-first organization with a long history of delivering best-in-class quality and creating value for its partners and the communities it serves,” said Payne. “I look forward to working alongside the team to build on that legacy and pursue opportunities that leverage the firm’s market knowledge and operational expertise.”
Payne holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is active in the real estate community and serves on the Downtown Denver Partnership Board of Governors and the ULI Colorado Office & Industrial Council.
