Form 8-K Apollo Commercial Real For: Dec 12

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December 16, 2016 10:26 AM EST

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 12, 2016

APOLLO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FINANCE, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

c/o Apollo Global Management, LLC

9 West 57^th Street, 43^rd Floor

New York, New York

(Address of principal executive offices)

001-34452

(Commission File Number)

27-0467113

(IRS Employer

Identification Number)

10019

(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 515-3200

n/a

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

Underwriting Agreement

On December 12, 2016, Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and among the Company, ACREFI Management, LLC, the Company’s external manager (the “Manager”), and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (the “Underwriters”). Pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Company agreed to sell, and the Underwriters agreed to purchase, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, an aggregate of 10,500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Shares”). In addition, the Company granted to the Underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,575,000 Shares.

The public offering, expected to close on December 16, 2016, will generate net proceeds of approximately $177.9 million, after deducting estimated transaction expenses. The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, conditions to closing, indemnification rights and obligations of the parties and termination provisions.

The preceding description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the underwriting agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.



1.1		Underwriting Agreement dated December 12, 2016, by and among the Company, the Manager, and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representatives of the several Underwriters listed on Schedule 1 attached thereto

5.1		Opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP regarding the legality of the shares of common stock

8.1		Opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP regarding certain tax matters

23.1		Consent of Clifford Chance US LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.2		Consent of Clifford Chance US LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1)

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

December 16, 2016

APOLLO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

FINANCE, INC.

/s/ Stuart A. Rothstein

Stuart A. Rothstein

President and Chief Executive Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.		Description

1.1		Underwriting Agreement dated December 12, 2016, by and among the Company, the Manager, and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representatives of the several Underwriters listed on Schedule 1 attached thereto

5.1		Opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP regarding the legality of the shares of common stock

8.1		Opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP regarding certain tax matters

23.1		Consent of Clifford Chance US LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

23.2		Consent of Clifford Chance US LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1)

Exhibit 1.1

EXECUTION VERSION

APOLLO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FINANCE, INC.

10,500,000 Shares of Common Stock

Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”)

December 12, 2016

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

As Representatives (the “Representatives”) of the

several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto

c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, NY 10036

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), which is externally managed and advised by ACREFI Management, LLC, a limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of Delaware (the “Manager”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), an aggregate of 10,500,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”; and such shares, the “Underwritten Shares”) and, at the option of the Underwriters, up to an additional 1,575,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares”). The Underwritten Shares and the Option Shares are herein referred to as the “Shares”.

The shares of Common Stock to be outstanding after giving effect to the sale of the Shares are referred to herein as the “Stock”.

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Shares, as follows:

1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-203971), including a prospectus, relating to the Shares. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any

amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Shares. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. Any reference to “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.

At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated December 12, 2016, each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act), if any, listed on Annex B hereto and the information listed on Annex C hereto.

“Applicable Time” means 8:00 a.m., New York City time, on December 13, 2016.

2. Purchase of the Shares by the Underwriters.

(a) Underwritten Shares. The Underwriters propose to offer the Underwritten Shares from time to time for sale in negotiated transactions or otherwise, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The Company agrees to issue and sell the Underwritten Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price per share of $16.97.

(b) Option Shares. In addition, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Option Shares to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and the Underwriters, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, shall have the option to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company the Option Shares at a price per share of $16.97, less an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Underwritten Shares but not payable on the Option Shares.

If any Option Shares are to be purchased, the number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the number of Option Shares which bears the same ratio to the aggregate number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of Underwritten Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto (or such number increased as set forth in Section 12 hereof) bears to the aggregate number of Underwritten Shares being purchased from the Company by the several Underwriters, subject, however, to such adjustments to eliminate any fractional Shares as the Representatives in their sole discretion shall make.

The Underwriters may exercise the option to purchase Option Shares at any time in whole, or in part, on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus, by written notice from the Representatives to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Option Shares as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Option Shares are to be delivered and paid for, which may be the same date and time as the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined) but shall not be earlier than the Closing Date or later than the tenth full business day (as hereinafter defined) after the date of such notice (unless such time and date are postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 12 hereof). Any such notice shall be given at least two business days prior to the date and time of delivery specified therein.

(c) Public Offering. The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Shares as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Shares on the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Shares to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter.

(d) Closing. Payment for the Shares shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives (A) in the case of the Underwritten Shares, at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on December 16, 2016, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing or, (B) in the case of the Option Shares, on the date and at the time and place specified by the Representatives in the written notice of the Underwriters’ election to purchase such Option Shares. The time and date of such payment for the Underwritten Shares is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”, and the time and date for such payment for the Option Shares, if other than the Closing Date, is herein referred to as the “Additional Closing Date”.

Payment for the Shares to be purchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall be made against delivery to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters of the Shares to be purchased on such date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of such Shares duly paid by the Company. Delivery of the Shares shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct. Certificates for the Shares, if the Shares are represented by certificates, will be made available for inspection and packaging by the Representatives at the office of DTC or its designated custodian not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(e) The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Underwriter is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Shares contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, none of the Representatives or any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

(a) Preliminary Prospectus. No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act.

(b) Pricing Disclosure Package. The Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter expressly for use in such Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(b) hereof.

(c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. Other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clause (i) below) that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act, an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (ii) the documents listed on Annex B hereto, each electronic road show and any other written communications approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary

Prospectus accompanying, or delivered prior to delivery of, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter expressly for use in such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or Preliminary Prospectus, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(b) hereof.

(d) Registration Statement and Prospectus. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission, and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Shares has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of (i) the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, (ii) the date of the Prospectus and (iii) the Closing Date and the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Registration Statement and any such post-effective amendment complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act, and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date and as of the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 9(b) hereof.

(e) Well-Known Seasoned Issuer. (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the Securities Act) made any offer relating to the Shares in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 of the Securities Act, and (iv) at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (iv)), the Company was and is a “well known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, and the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form.

(f) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package, when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirement of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(g) Financial Statements. The financial statements (including the related notes thereto) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and Apollo Residential Mortgage, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“AMTG”), and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and AMTG and its consolidated subsidiaries, respectively, as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby, and any supporting schedules in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; the Company’s ratios of earnings to fixed charges and, if applicable, ratios of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred stock dividends (actual and, if any, pro forma) included in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been calculated in compliance with Item 503(d) of Regulation S-K of the Commission; and the other financial information of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and presents fairly, in all material respects, the information shown thereby. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

(h) Pro Forma Financial Statements. The unaudited pro forma condensed consolidated financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and, in the opinion of the Company, the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and provide a reasonable basis for presenting the significant effects directly attributable to the transactions or events described therein, and the related adjustments used therein give appropriate effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein and the pro forma columns therein reflect the proper application of these adjustments to the corresponding historical financial statement amounts.

(i) No Material Adverse Change. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than the issuance of shares of common stock upon exercise of stock options and warrants or vesting of

restricted stock units described as outstanding in, and the grant of options and awards under existing equity incentive plans described in, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than under the revolving credit facilities and repurchase facilities described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or short-term indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business), or, except for the regular quarterly dividends on the shares of common stock in amounts per share that are consistent with past practice, any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement except in the ordinary course of business that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or, subject to Section 3(pp), incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, except any liability or obligation in the ordinary course of business.

(j) Organization and Good Standing. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, and has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its properties and to conduct the business in which it is now engaged and in which it proposes to be engaged as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Company Material Adverse Effect”). The subsidiaries listed in Schedule 2 to this Agreement are the only significant subsidiaries of the Company.

(k) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization”; all the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and are not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights; except as described in or expressly contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and other than the issuance of shares of common stock upon exercise of stock options and warrants or vesting of restricted stock units under existing equity incentive plans described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding rights (including, without limitation, pre-emptive rights), restricted stock units, warrants or options to acquire, or instruments convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock or other equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any contract, commitment, agreement, understanding or arrangement of any kind relating to the issuance of any capital stock of the Company or any such subsidiary, any such convertible or exchangeable securities or any such rights, warrants or options; the capital stock of the Company conforms in all material

respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

(l) Equity Incentive Awards. With respect to the stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and/or other equity incentive awards (the “Equity Incentive Awards”) granted pursuant to the stock-based compensation plans of the Company and its subsidiaries, including without limitation the Company’s 2009 Equity Incentive Plan ( the “Company Stock Plans”), (i) each Equity Incentive Award intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code so qualifies, (ii) each grant of an Equity Incentive Award was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Equity Incentive Award was by its terms to be effective (the “Grant Date”) by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto, (iii) each such grant was made in accordance with the terms of the Company Stock Plans, the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) and any other exchange on which Company securities are traded, and (iv) each such grant was properly accounted for in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis in the financial statements (including the related notes) of the Company and disclosed in the Company’s filings with the Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and all other applicable laws. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company of granting, Equity Incentive Awards prior to, or otherwise coordinating the grant of Equity Incentive Awards with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or its subsidiaries or their results of operations or prospects.

(m) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken.

(n) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(o) The Shares. The Shares to be issued and sold by the Company hereunder have been duly authorized and, when issued and delivered and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued, will be fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and the issuance of the Shares is not subject to any preemptive or similar rights. The form of certificates used to represent the Shares, where the Shares are represented by certificates, complies in all material respects with all applicable statutory requirements and any requirements of the Exchange and with any applicable requirements of the charter, by-laws and other

organizational documents of the Company. The Shares have been registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act. The Shares have been approved for listing on the Exchange, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Shares under the Exchange Act or de-listing the Shares from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission or the Exchange is contemplating terminating such registration or listing.

(p) Other Material Agreements. Each of the Management Agreement, dated September 23, 2009, between the Company and the Manager which, among other things, provides for the management of the Company by the Manager (the “Management Agreement”) and that certain license agreement, dated September 23, 2009, between the Company and Apollo Global Management, LLC (“Apollo”) pursuant to which, among other things, Apollo granted to the Company a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use the name “Apollo” (the “License Agreement”) remains in full force and effect.

(q) Descriptions of Documents. Each of the Underwriting Agreement, the Management Agreement and the License Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(r) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(s) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(t) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, license, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, except for (i) such as has been obtained or made, (ii) the registration of the Shares under the Securities Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, and (iii) registrations or qualifications as may be required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) and under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters.

(u) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect; no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the Securities Act to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(v) Accuracy of Disclosure. The descriptions in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus of statutes, legal, governmental and regulatory proceedings and organizational documents, contracts, benefit plans, and other documents are accurate in all material respects; (i) the statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus under the heading “Underwriting” and “Additional U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”, (ii) the statements in the Registration Statement under the headings “Description of Certain Provisions of the Maryland General Corporation Law and Our Charter and Bylaws,” “Description of Common Stock” and “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations” (as modified and supplemented by the statements in the Preliminary Prospectus and Prospectus under the heading “Additional U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”), to the extent that they constitute summaries of the terms of stock, matters of law or regulation or legal conclusions, fairly summarize the matters described therein in all material respects.

(w) Independent Accountants. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act. Deloitte & Touche LLP, who has certified certain financial statements of AMTG and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the AMTG and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

(x) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple (in the case of real property) to, or have valid and marketable rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property and assets that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or may arise or exist directly as a result of borrowings under any applicable repurchase agreements which are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (ii) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (iii) could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(y) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted and as proposed to be conducted (as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), and to the knowledge of the Company, the conduct of their respective businesses will not conflict in any material respect with any such rights of others. The Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement, misappropriation or conflict with any such rights of others in connection with its patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights and knowhow, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(z) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Pricing Disclosure Package.

(aa) Investment Company Act. The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus will not be, required to register as an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

(bb) Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all material federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all material tax returns required to be filed through the date hereof; and except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no material tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets.

(cc) Real Estate Investment Trust. Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2009, the Company has been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Code, and its proposed method of operation will enable it to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code.

(dd) Description of Organization and Method of Operations. The description of the Company’s organization and method of operation and its qualification and taxation as a REIT set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is accurate and presents fairly the matters referred to therein; the Company’s operating policies and investment guidelines described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus accurately reflect in all material respects the operation of the Company’s business, and no material deviation from such guidelines or policies is currently contemplated.

(ee) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations (collectively, “Licenses”) issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties and the conduct of their respective businesses as conducted as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Company Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course.

(ff) No Labor Disputes. The Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by, or dispute with, the employees of any of the Company, its subsidiaries or the Manager, except as would not have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

(gg) Employee Matters. Neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any employer of any officers, investment professionals or other key persons of the Company or the Manager named in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (each, a “Company-Focused Professional”) has been notified that any such Company-Focused Professional plans to terminate his or her employment or association with his or her employer. Neither the Company nor, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any Company-Focused Professional is subject to any noncompetition, non-disclosure, confidentiality, employment, consulting or similar agreement that would be violated by the business activities of the Company or the Manager as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company does not have any employees. No subsidiary of the Company has any employees.

(hh) ERISA. Prior to the Closing Date, the Company will not have an employee benefit plan within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

(ii) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and that has been designed to provide reasonable assurances that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

(jj) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and 15d-15 of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto. Other than as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

(kk) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in such amounts as are prudent and customary for the businesses in which they are engaged; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused

any insurance coverage sought or applied for or has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary for it to continue business.

(ll) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent or other person associated with and acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 or any similar law applicable to the Company; or (iv) made any bribe, unlawful rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

(mm) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Company and its subsidiaries conduct business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

(nn) Compliance with OFAC.

1. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any director, officer or employee thereof, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent, affiliate or representative of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity (“Person”) that is, or is owned or controlled by a Person that is

(a) the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) (collectively, “Sanctions”); nor

(b) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Sudan and Syria).

2. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person:

(a) to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any Person or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions; or

(b) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any Person (including any Person participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

3. Since their inception, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

(oo) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or directly as a result of borrowings under any applicable repurchase agreements which are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.

(pp) Indebtedness. Neither the Company nor any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries has any indebtedness as of the date hereof other (A) than as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (B) increases in the principal amount outstanding under revolving credit facilities and repurchase facilities which are described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and (C) immaterial short-term indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business.

(qq) No Dissolution Proceedings. Neither the Company nor any subsidiary of the Company has commenced any legal proceedings, nor have any legal proceedings been threatened, to the knowledge of the Company, against the Company or any subsidiary of the Company for the winding up, liquidation or dissolution of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company.

(rr) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares.

(ss) No Registration Rights. No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Shares, except pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement dated September 29, 2009 between the Company and Apollo Principal Holdings I, L.P. and ACREFI Co-Investors, L.P.

(tt) No Stabilization. Neither the Company nor its affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.

(uu) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

(vv) Statistical and Market Data. Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that are reliable and accurate in all material respects.

(ww) Apollo-Related Data. Any financial or other data regarding Apollo and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including, but not limited to, the Manager, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is derived from Apollo’s accounting or other applicable records and is accurate in all material respects.

(xx) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company and the Manager have taken all necessary action to enable the Company, upon effectiveness of the Registration Statement, to be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith that are then in effect and with which the Company is then required to comply.

(yy) Status under the Securities Act. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or any offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Securities Act) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

4. Representations and Warranties of the Manager. The Manager represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

(a) Manager-Related Disclosure. Any financial or other data regarding the Manager and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is derived from the Manager’s accounting or other applicable records and is accurate in all material respects.

(b) Organization and Good Standing. The Manager is an indirect subsidiary of Apollo and does not have any subsidiaries. The Manager has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization, is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, and has all power and authority necessary to own or hold its respective properties and to conduct the business in which it is engaged and in which it proposes to be engaged as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Manager and its subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Manager Material Adverse Effect”).

(c) Manager Ownership Interests. The ownership interests of the Manager are owned indirectly by Apollo, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

(d) Due Authorization. The Manager has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery by it of this Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby has been duly and validly taken.

(e) The Management Agreement. The Management Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Manager, and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Manager enforceable against the Manager in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability.

(f) Underwriting Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Manager.

(g) No Violation or Default. Neither the Manager nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate of formation or limited liability company agreement or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Manager or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Manager or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Manager or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Manager Material Adverse Effect.

(h) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Manager of this Agreement and the performance by the Manager of the Management Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Manager or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Manager or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Manager or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Manager or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the certificate of formation or limited liability company agreement or similar organizational documents of the Manager or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Manager Material Adverse Effect.

(i) No Consents Required. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no consent, approval, authorization, order, license, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Manager of this Agreement or the performance by the Manager of the Management Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Management Agreement.

(j) No Material Adverse Change. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, since its formation, there has not been any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Manager or that could prevent the Manager from carrying out its obligations under this Agreement or the Management Agreement.

(k) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Manager is or may be a party or to which any property of the Manager may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Manager or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Manager Material Adverse Effect; no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are, to the knowledge of the Manager, threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others.

(l) Employee Matters. The Manager has not been notified that any of the Manager’s officers, investment committee members, investment professionals or other key persons named in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus plans to terminate his or her employment or association with the Manager. Neither the Manager nor any of the Manager’s officers, investment committee members or other key persons named in the Pricing Disclosure Package is subject to any non-competition, non-disclosure, confidentiality, employment, consulting or similar agreement that would be violated by the business activities of the Company or the Manager as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(m) Investment Advisers Act. The Manager is not prohibited by the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or the rules and regulations thereunder, from performing its obligations under the Management Agreement as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(n) Free Writing Prospectus. The Manager (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Shares.

(o) No Stabilization. Neither the Manager nor any of its affiliates has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or that could reasonably be expected to, cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Shares.

(p) No Unlawful Payments. The Manager has not (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

(q) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Manager are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with all applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Bank Secrecy Act, as amended by Title III of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), and the applicable anti-money laundering statutes of jurisdictions where the Manager conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Manager Anti-Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Manager with respect to the Manager Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Manager, threatened.

(r) Compliance with OFAC.

1. The Manager is not owned or controlled by a Person that is

(a) the subject of any Sanctions; nor

(b) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Crimea, Sudan and Syria).

2. Since its inception, the Manager has not knowingly engaged in, is not now knowingly engaged in, and will not engage in, any dealings or transactions with any Person, or in any country or territory, that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions.

5. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

(a) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement, or such time as otherwise agreed by the Representatives, in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(b) Delivery of Copies. The Company will deliver, without charge, (i) to the Representatives, six signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith; and (ii) to each Underwriter through the Representatives (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto, all documents incorporated by reference therein and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus) as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Shares is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Shares by any Underwriter or dealer.

(c) Amendments or Supplements, Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. Before using or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not use or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object.

(d) Notice to the Representatives. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus has been filed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Shares for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Shares and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

(e) Ongoing Compliance. (1) If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law and (2) if at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package as may be necessary so that the statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Pricing Disclosure Package is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.

(f) Blue Sky Compliance. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Shares; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

(g) Earning Statement. The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

(h) Clear Market. For a period of 45 days after the date of the Prospectus, the Company will not (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or

warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, or file any registration statement with respect to, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (ii) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or any such securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than: (A) the registration, offer and sale of the Shares as contemplated hereunder, (B) the issuance of any shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of options granted under the Company Stock Plans and/or any shares of Common Stock issued upon final vesting of restricted stock units granted under the Company Stock Plans, (C) the issuance of any shares of Common Stock or restricted stock units of the Company issued under the Company’s 2009 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2009 Plan”), (D) the issuance or other transfers of shares of Common Stock by the Company to the Manager (in whose hands such shares of Common Stock will be locked up pursuant to Section 6(b) below) in connection with the payment of any tax withholding obligations incurred by the Company’s officers and personnel of the Manager in relation to the vesting of restricted shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the Company Stock Plans, (E) the filing of a registration statement in respect of a dividend reinvestment plan of the Company and any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant thereto, (F) transfers of Common Stock required by Article VII of the charter of the Company and (G) the issuance of shares of Common Stock pursuant to that certain ATM Equity Offering Sales Agreement among the Company, the Manager, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and JMP Securities LLC dated May 7, 2013.

(i) Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of proceeds”.

(j) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, and will cause its subsidiaries and affiliates not to take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Stock.

(k) Exchange Listing. The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Shares on the Exchange.

(l) Reports. During the period from two years from the date of this Agreement, so long as the Shares are outstanding, the Company will furnish to the Representatives, as soon as they are available, copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to holders of the Shares, and copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange or automatic quotation system; provided that the Company will be deemed to have furnished such reports and financial statements to the Representatives to the extent they are filed on the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system.

(m) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

(n) Filings. The Company will file with the Commission such reports as may be required by Rule 463 under the Securities Act.

(o) Qualification and Taxation as a REIT. The Company will use its best efforts to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for its taxable year ending December 31, 2016, and the Company will use its best efforts to continue to qualify for taxation as a REIT under the Code unless the Company’s Board of Directors determines in good faith that it is no longer in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders to be so qualified.

6. Further Agreements of the Manager. The Manager covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

(a) No Stabilization. The Manager will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Stock.

(b) Manager Lock-Up. The Manager will not, during the period ending 45 days after the date of the Prospectus, (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock, or such other securities, which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock without the prior written consent of the Representatives, in each case other than transfers of shares of Common Stock or securities convertible into shares of Common Stock or exercisable or exchangeable to members or personnel of the Manager; provided that in the case of any such transfer, each transferee shall execute and deliver to the Representatives a lock-up letter in the form of this paragraph; and provided, further, that in the case of any such transfer, no filing by any party (transferor or transferee) under the Exchange Act, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the 45-day period referred to above). In addition, this Section 6(b) shall not apply to (1) the sale pursuant to any contract, instruction or plan in effect on the date hereof that satisfies the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(B) (a “Plan”) or (2) the establishment of any Plan after the date hereof, provided that no sales of Common Stock shall be made pursuant to a such Plan prior to the expiration of the 45-day restricted period.

7. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

(a) It has not used, authorized use of, referred to or participated in the planning for use of, and will not use, authorize use of, refer to or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus not required to be filed by the Company with the Commission that contains no “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433(h)(2) under the Securities Act) that was not included (including through incorporation by reference) in the Preliminary Prospectus or a previously filed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex B or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 5(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).

(b) It has not and will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, use any free writing prospectus that contains the final terms of the Shares unless such terms have previously been included in a free writing prospectus filed with the Commission.

(c) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

8. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase the Underwritten Shares on the Closing Date or the Option Shares on the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company and the Manager of their covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) Registration Compliance; No Stop Order. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

(b) Representations and Warranties. The respective representations and warranties of the Company and the Manager contained herein, unless otherwise provided herein, shall be true and correct on the date hereof, as of the Applicable Time and on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be; and the respective statements of the Company and the Manager and their respective officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(c) No Downgrade. Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Applicable Time and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, if there are any debt securities or preferred stock of, or

guaranteed by, the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) of the Exchange Act, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any such debt securities or preferred stock and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of any such debt securities or preferred stock (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

(d) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(i) or Section 4(j) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

(e) Company Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company and one additional senior executive officer of the Company who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officers have carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officers, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above.

(f) Manager Officer’s Certificate. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Manager and one additional senior executive officer of the Manager who is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that the representations and warranties of the Manager in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Manager has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and (ii) to the effect set forth in paragraph (d) above.

(g) Comfort Letters. On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, Deloitte & Touche LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries and AMTG and its subsidiaries contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; provided that the letters delivered on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date or such Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

(h) Opinions of Counsel for the Company. At the request of the Company, (i) Venable LLP, Maryland counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A-1 hereto, (ii) Clifford Chance US LLP, special counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion (which written opinion shall include a 10b-5 opinion), dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A-2 hereto, and (iii) Clifford Chance US LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written tax opinion, dated the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect set forth in Annex A-3 hereto.

(i) Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, an opinion and 10b-5 statement of Latham & Watkins LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

(j) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, prevent the issuance or sale of the Shares.

(k) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company, the Manager and their respective subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing as foreign entities in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

(l) Exchange Listing. The Shares to be delivered on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.

(m) Lock-up Agreements. The “lock-up” agreements, each substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, between you and the persons and entities listed on Annex D hereto relating to sales and certain other dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities, delivered to you on or before the date hereof, shall be full force and effect on the Closing Date or Additional Closing Date, as the case may be.

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

9. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors, selling agents and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) or any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act or any Pricing Disclosure Package (including any Pricing Disclosure Package that has subsequently been amended), or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in subsection (b) below.

(b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Pricing Disclosure Package, it being understood and agreed upon that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the following information in the Prospectus furnished on behalf of each Underwriter: the concession information appearing in the second paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” and the information contained in the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth paragraphs of text under the caption “Underwriting.”

(c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interest between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representatives and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such

Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, from the offering of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Shares and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Shares. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Shares exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

(f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section 9 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

10. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

11. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date or, in the case of the Option Shares, prior to the Additional Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on or by any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Stock Market or the Chicago Board Options Exchange; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Shares on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

12. Defaulting Underwriter.

(a) If, on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Shares that it has agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Shares by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Shares, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Shares on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 12, purchases Shares that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, does not exceed one-eleventh

of the aggregate number of Shares to be purchased on such date, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder on such date plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the number of Shares that such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date) of the Shares of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Shares of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate number of Shares that remain unpurchased on the Closing Date or the Additional Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate amount of Shares to be purchased on such date, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement or, with respect to any Additional Closing Date, the obligation of the Underwriters to purchase Shares on the Additional Closing Date shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 12 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the provisions of Section 9 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

13. Payment of Expenses.

(a) Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Shares and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing this Agreement; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification of the Shares under the state or foreign securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith); (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the costs and charges of any transfer agent and any registrar; (viii) if required all expenses and application fees, incurred in connection with the review by, any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, FINRA (including filing fees and fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to the clearance of the offering by FINRA); (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors; (x) all expenses and application fees related to the listing of the Shares on the Exchange; and (xi) all fees and expenses in connection with the registration of the Shares under the Exchange Act. It is understood, however, that, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, the Underwriters will pay all fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters.

(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 11, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Shares for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Shares for any reason permitted under this Agreement (other than a termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 12(c) hereof), the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

14. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to in Section 9 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Shares from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

15. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company, the Manager and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company, the Manager or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Shares and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.

16. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

17. Miscellaneous.

(a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, One Bryant Park, New York, NY 10036, Facsimile: (646) 855 3073, Attention: Syndicate Department, with a copy to: Facsimile: (212) 230-8730, Attention: ECM Legal; c/o J.P, Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10179, Facsimile: (212) 622-8358, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk; c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013, Facsimile: (646) 291 1469, Attention: General Counsel; and c/o Morgan Stanley, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, Second Floor, New York, NY 10014, Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk, with a copy to the Legal Department. Notices to the Company or the Manager shall be given to it at Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. c/o Apollo Global Management, LLC, 9 West 57th Street, 43rd Floor, New York, New York 10019, Facsimile: (212) 515-3251, Attention: John J. Suydam.

(b) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed in such state.

(c) Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

(d) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

(e) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

Very truly yours,


Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc.

By:	/s/ Jai Agarwal
	Name:	Jai Agarwal
	Title:	Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary


ACREFI Management, LLC

By:	/s/ Stuart Rothstein
	Name:	Stuart Rothstein
	Title:	President and Chief Executive Officer


Accepted: 12/12, 2016

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

For itself and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.

By:		/s/ Matt Warren
		Authorized Signatory Matt Warren Managing Director Head of Real Estate Origination


Accepted: 12/12, 2016

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

For itself and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.

By:		/s/ Drummond S. Rice
		Authorized Signatory


Accepted: Dec 12, 2016

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

For itself and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.

By:		/s/ Scott Eisen
		Authorized Signatory


Accepted: 12/12, 2016

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

For itself and on behalf of the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.

By:		/s/ Michael Occi
		Authorized Signatory

Schedule 1


Underwriter	Number of Shares
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated		2,782,500
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC		2,782,500
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.		2,362,500
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC		2,362,500
JMP Securities LLC		210,000
Total		10,500,000

Schedule 2

SIGNIFICANT SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY

1.	ACREFI Operating, LLC

2.	ACREFI Holdings DB Member, LLC

3.	ACREFI Holdings DB, LLC

4.	ACREFI Holdings DB-Series II

5.	ACREFI Currency, LLC

6.	ACREFI Lender, LLC

7.	ACREFI I TRS, Inc.

8.	ACREFI II TRS, Ltd.

9.	ACREFI Mezzanine, LLC

10.	ACREFI Holdings J-II, LLC

11.	ACREFI Mortgage Lending, LLC

12.	ACREFI Holdings J-I, LLC

13.	ACREFI Insurance Services, LLC

14.	PEM Kent Holdings, LLC

15.	ACREFI Holdings U-1, LLC

16.	ACREFI Cash Management, LLC

17.	ARM Operating, LLC

18.	ARM I, LLC

19.	ARM I WL, LLC

20.	ARM II, LLC

21.	ARM II SPE, LLC

22.	ARM I QRS, Inc.

23.	ARM Cash Management, LLC

24.	ARM TRS, LLC

25.	ARWL 2013-1 Trust

26.	ARWL 2013-1 REO Trust

27.	ARWL 2014-1 Trust

28.	Apollo Residential Mortgage Loans, LLC

29.	Apollo Residential Mortgage Securities, LLC

Annex A-1

Form of Opinion of Venable LLP

Annex A-2

Form of Opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP

Annex A-3

Form of Tax Opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP

Annex B

None.

Annex C

Information

1. The price per Share to the public is: Variable price offering on an investor by investor basis.

2. The number of Shares purchased by the Underwriters is 10,500,000.

3. The Company has granted an option to the Underwriters to purchase 1,575,000 Option Shares.

Annex D

PERSONS AND ENTITIES SUBJECT TO LOCK-UP AGREEMENTS


1.		Apollo Principal Holdings I, L.P.

2.		Jeffrey Gault

3.		Mark C. Biderman

4.		Robert A. Kasdin

5.		Eric L. Press

6.		Scott S. Prince

7.		Michael E. Salvati

8.		Stuart A. Rothstein

9.		Jai Agarwal

10.		Scott Weiner

Exhibit A

FORM OF LOCK-UP AGREEMENT

December 12, 2016

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

As Representatives (the “Representatives”) of the

several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto

c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

Incorporated

One Bryant Park

New York, NY 10036

Re:

APOLLO COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FINANCE, INC. – Public Offering

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The undersigned understands that you, as representative of the several Underwriters, propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) by the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriters”) of shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”; and such shares of Common Stock publicly offered by the several Underwriters, the “Shares”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

In consideration of the Underwriters’ agreement to purchase and make the Public Offering of the Shares, and for other good and valuable consideration receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters, the undersigned will not, during the period ending 45 days after the date of the prospectus supplement relating to the Public Offering (the “Prospectus”), (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or such other securities or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) or (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole

or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or any such other securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock without the prior written consent of the Representative, in each case other than (A) transfers of shares of Common Stock as a bona fide gift or gifts, (B) transfers of shares of Common Stock to members, partners, stockholders or other equity holders of the undersigned, (C) transfers to family members or trusts for the benefit of the undersigned’s family members or (D) transfers of shares of Common Stock or restricted stock units to the Company to pay any tax withholding obligations incurred by the undersigned in connection with the vesting of shares of restricted Common Stock or restricted stock units issued pursuant to Company Stock Plans held by the undersigned; provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (A), (B) or (C), each donee or transferee shall execute and deliver to the Representative a lock-up letter in the form of this paragraph; and provided, further, that in the case of any transfer pursuant to clause (A), (B) or (C), no filing by any party (donor, donee, transferor or transferee) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other public announcement shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer (other than a filing on a Form 5 made after the expiration of the 45-day period referred to above). In addition, this Letter Agreement shall not apply to (1) the sale pursuant to any contract, instruction or plan in effect on the date hereof that satisfies the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(B) (a “Plan”) or (2) the establishment of any Plan after the date hereof, provided that no sales of Common Stock shall be made pursuant to a such Plan prior to the expiration of the 45-day restricted period.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company, and any duly appointed transfer agent for the registration or transfer of the securities described herein, are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of securities if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Letter Agreement.

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Letter Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

The undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Common Stock to be sold thereunder, the undersigned shall be released from, all obligations under this Letter Agreement. The undersigned understands that the Underwriters are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Public Offering in reliance upon this Letter Agreement.

This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

Very truly yours,


By:
		Name:
		Title:

Exhibit 5.1

LOGO

December 16, 2016

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc.

c/o Apollo Global Management, LLC

9 West 57th Street, 43rd Floor

New York, NY 10019

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-203971) (the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). We are furnishing this letter to you in connection with the offer and sale by the Company of up to 12,075,000 shares (which includes 1,575,000 shares that may be purchased pursuant to the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Securities”), for issuance pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, dated December 12, 2016 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among the Company, ACREFI Management, LLC, and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein.

In rendering the opinion expressed below, we have examined and relied upon originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and certain resolutions of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board of Directors”) and of a pricing committee of the Board of Directors (the “Pricing Committee”), relating to the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and other related matters. As to factual matters relevant to the opinion set forth below, we have relied upon certificates of officers of the Company and public officials and representations and warranties of the parties set forth in the Underwriting Agreement.

Based on, and subject to, the foregoing, the qualifications and assumptions set forth herein and such other examination of law as we have deemed necessary, we are of the opinion that following the (i) issuance of the Securities pursuant to the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and (ii) receipt by the Company of the consideration for the Securities specified in the resolutions of the Board of Directors and of the Pricing Committee, the Securities will be legally issued, fully paid, and nonassessable.

The opinion set forth in this letter relates only to the Maryland General Corporation Law. We express no opinion as to the laws of another jurisdiction and we assume no responsibility for the applicability, or effect of the law of any other jurisdiction.

We consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to a Current Report on Form 8-K that shall be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and to the reference to us under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus supplement which is a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not concede that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Clifford Chance US LLP

Exhibit 8.1

LOGO

December 16, 2016

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc.

c/o Apollo Global Management, LLC

9 West 57th Street, 43rd Floor

New York, NY 10019

Re:	REIT Qualification of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the offer and sale by the Company of shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-203972) (the Registration Statement”), the related prospectus included therein, dated May 7, 2015 (the “Base Prospectus”), and the prospectus supplement dated December 13, 2016 (the “Prospectus Supplement,” and together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). Except as otherwise indicated, capitalized terms used in this opinion letter have the meanings given to them in the Registration Statement.

In rendering the opinions expressed herein, we have examined and, with your permission, relied on the following items:

1.	the Articles of Amendment and Restatement of the Company;

2.	the bylaws of the Company;

3.	a Certificate of Representations, (the “Certificate of Representations”) dated as of the date hereof, provided to us by the Company and ACREFI Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Manager”);

4.	the Registration Statement; and

5.	such other documents, records and instruments as we have deemed necessary in order to enable us to render the opinion referred to in this letter.

In our examination of the foregoing documents, we have assumed, with your consent, that (i) all documents reviewed by us are original documents, or true and accurate copies of original documents and have not been subsequently amended, (ii) the signatures of each original document are genuine, (iii) all representations and statements set forth in such documents are true and correct, (iv) all obligations imposed by any such documents on the parties thereto have been performed or satisfied in accordance with their terms, and (v) the Company at all times has operated and will continue to operate in accordance with the method of operation described in its organizational documents, the Registration Statement and the Certificate of Representations. As of the date hereof, we are not aware of any facts inconsistent with the statements in the organizational documents, the Registration Statement or the Certificate of Representations.

LOGO

For purposes of rendering the opinions stated below, we have assumed, with your consent, the accuracy of the representations contained in the Certificate of Representations provided to us by the Company and the Manager, and that each representation contained in such Certificate of Representations to the best of the Company’s or the Manager’s knowledge, intent or belief is accurate and complete without regard to such qualification as to the best of such entity’s knowledge, intent or belief. These representations generally relate to the organization and method of operation of the Company as a REIT under the Code.

Based upon, subject to, and limited by the assumptions and qualifications set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 2009, the Company has been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust (a “REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and its proposed method of operation as described in the Registration Statement and as set forth in the Certificate of Representations will enable the Company to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code; and,

The statements included in the Registration Statement under the caption “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” and in the Prospectus Supplement under the caption “Additional U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” to the extent they describe applicable U.S. federal income tax law, are correct in all material respects.

The opinions set forth in this letter are based on relevant provisions of the Code, Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, interpretations of the foregoing as expressed in court decisions, legislative history, and existing administrative rulings and practices of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) (including its practices and policies in issuing private letter rulings, which are not binding on the IRS except with respect to a taxpayer that receives such a ruling), all as of the date hereof. These provisions and interpretations are subject to change, which may or may not be retroactive in effect, and which may result in modifications of our opinions. Our opinions do not foreclose the possibility of a contrary determination by the IRS or a court of competent jurisdiction, or of a contrary determination by the IRS or the Treasury Department in regulations or rulings issued in the future. In this regard, an opinion of counsel with respect to an issue represents counsel’s best professional judgment with respect to the outcome on the merits with respect to such issue, if such issue were to be litigated, but an opinion is not binding on the IRS or the courts and is not a guarantee that the IRS will not assert a contrary position with respect to such issue or that a court will not sustain such a position asserted by the IRS.

The opinions set forth above represent our conclusions based upon the documents, facts, representations and assumptions referred to above. Any material amendments to such documents, changes in any significant facts or inaccuracy of such representations or assumptions could affect the opinions referred to herein. We assume no responsibility to inform any person of any change or inaccuracy that may come to our attention. Moreover, the Company’s qualification as a REIT depends upon the ability of the Company to meet for each taxable year, through actual annual operating results, requirements under the Code regarding gross income, assets, distributions and diversity of stock ownership. We have not undertaken to review the Company’s compliance with these requirements on a continuing basis. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the actual results of the Company’s operations for any single taxable year have satisfied or will satisfy the tests necessary to qualify as or be taxed as a REIT under the Code. In addition, the opinion set forth above does not foreclose the possibility that the Company may have to pay an excise or penalty tax, which could be significant in amount, in order to maintain the

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LOGO

Company’s REIT qualification. Although we have made such inquiries and performed such investigations as we have deemed necessary to fulfill our professional responsibilities as counsel, we have not undertaken an independent investigation of all of the facts referred to in this letter or the Certificate of Representations.

The opinions set forth in this letter are: (i) limited to those matters expressly covered and no opinion is expressed in respect of any other matter; (ii) as of the date hereof; and (iii) rendered by us at the request of the Company. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the SEC as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the references therein to us. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Clifford Chance US LLP

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