Vince Toenjes, the former general counsel and corporate secretary for Chicago-based self-storage operator LifeStorage LP, which was purchased last year by Sovran Self Storage Inc. (now known as Life Storage Inc.), has joined the Atlanta law firm of Weissmann Zucker Euster Morochnik P.C. (WZEM) to serve in its real estate and corporate practice. In his new role, Toenjes will work with self-storage operators as well as owners of other business types.
Toenjes’ career has involved a full range of corporate counseling, with legal practice in the areas of bankruptcy, commercial leasing, construction, corporate governance, employment law, finance, investor relations, land use, mergers and acquisitions, and real estate, according to a press release. "We are excited to have Vince on board. He is a very talented, versatile and approachable real estate and corporate attorney who has experience in a wide variety of complex transactions across multiple industries for more than two decades,” said Scott Zucker, a partner with WZEM and a well-known self-storage attorney. “He greatly bolsters our already prominent real estate and self-storage practice and overall corporate-transaction capabilities."
In addition to his experience with LifeStorage, Toenjes previously served as deputy general counsel, assistant corporate secretary and vice president of real estate for publicly traded retailer Coldwater Creek Inc. Before going in-house, he was also a shareholder at Denver-based law firms Gorrell Giles Gollata PC and Moye White LLP. He has advised numerous companies including Dick's Sporting Goods, Quizno's and Vineyard Vines.
Admitted to practice law in Colorado, Toenjes received a juris doctor degree in 1994 from the University of Denver School of Law. He also holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and a master’s in finance from the University of Houston.
LifeStorage was acquired in 2016 by real estate investment trust Sovran Self Storage Inc., which has since changed its name to Life Storage Inc. While with the company, Toenjes helped build a portfolio of more than 90 facilities and assisted in closing the 2016 transaction, the release stated.
WZEM is a transaction- and litigation-services firm assisting all types of businesses with legal needs relating to banking, construction, employment, finance and real estate. With offices in Atlanta and Denver, it specializes in business litigation with an emphasis on real estate, landlord-tenant and construction law.
Zucker is a regular contributor to industry publications and events, including “Inside Self-Storage” magazine and the Inside Self-Storage World Expo. Video copies of seminar presentations made by Zucker can be purchased and viewed at www.iss-store.com.
