Exhibit 1.1

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of August 10, 2026, by and between ACRES Commercial Realty Corp., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a “Purchaser” and collectively the “Purchasers”).

WHEREAS, the Company desires to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined), an aggregate of up to 2,220,000 shares (the “Shares”) of its 8.625% Fixed-to-Floating Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Series C Preferred Stock”), at the offering price per share of $23.75, for an aggregate offering amount of approximately $52,725,000 (the “Offering”);

WHEREAS, the Shares are more fully described in the registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-278433), filed on April 1, 2024 (the “Registration Statement”), including a related prospectus contained therein (the “Base Prospectus”) and the Prospectus Supplement (as defined herein), for the registration of certain securities, including the Shares, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”); and

WHEREAS, the Company has previously issued, on June 10, 2014, shares of Series C Preferred Stock and as of the date hereof and before giving effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, there are 4,800,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock issued and outstanding (the “Outstanding Shares”). The Shares and the Outstanding Shares will be treated as a single class of equity securities and the Shares will have the same CUSIP and terms as the Outstanding Shares in all respects (other than the issue date and issue price).

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as follows:

ARTICLE I.

DEFINITIONS

1.1 Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:

“Action” means any action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding (including any partial proceeding such as a deposition) or investigation pending or threatened in writing against or affecting the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency, regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign), stock market, stock exchange or trading facility.

“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

“Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.

“Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Shares pursuant to Section 2.1.

“Closing Date” means August 12, 2026, or at such other place and time on such other date as may be agreed upon by the Company and the Placement Agent.

“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

“Company Counsel” means Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP and Womble Bond Dickinson LLP.

“GAAP” means United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved.

“General Disclosure Package” means the documents listed on Schedule A attached hereto.

“Issuer Permitted Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus consented to by the Placement Agent and the Company.

“Liens” means a lien, charge, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.

“Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(g).

“Per Share Purchase Price” equals $23.75, subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Series C Preferred Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement.

“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

“Placement Agent” means Seaport Global Securities LLC.

“Placement Agent Counsel” means Alston & Bird LLP.

“Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary form of the Prospectus, including any preliminary prospectus supplement specifically related to the Shares filed with the Commission by the Company with the consent of the Placement Agent.

“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, a partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.

“Prospectus” means, collectively, the Base Prospectus, as supplemented by Prospectus Supplement.

“Prospectus Supplement” means the prospectus supplement specifically related to the Shares in the form first used to confirm sales of the Shares (or in the form first made available to the Placement Agent by the Company to meet requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act).

“Purchaser Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.3.

“Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include locating and/or borrowing shares of Common Stock).

“Subscription Amount” means, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for Shares purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in United States dollars and in immediately available funds.

“Trading Day” means a day on which the principal Trading Market is open for trading.

“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock or the Shares are listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: New York Stock Exchange, Inc., the NYSE American or the Nasdaq Stock Market (or any successors to any of the foregoing).

“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, all exhibits and schedules hereto, the Articles Supplementary and any other documents or agreements executed by the Company or the Purchasers in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

“Transfer Agent” means Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, with offices located at 6201 15th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

ARTICLE II.

PURCHASE AND SALE

2.1 Closing. On the Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, the Company agrees to sell, and the Purchasers, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase, up to an aggregate of 2,220,000 Shares. Each Purchaser shall deliver to the clearing account designated by the Placement Agent, immediately available funds equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount as set forth on the signature page hereto executed by such Purchaser and the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser its respective Shares as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a), and the Company and each Purchaser shall deliver the other items set forth in Section 2.2 deliverable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the covenants and conditions set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur remotely via electronic exchange of documents and signature pages, or at the offices of Placement Agent Counsel or such other location as the parties shall mutually agree. Unless otherwise agreed upon by the Company and the Placement Agent, settlement of the Shares shall occur via “Delivery Versus Payment” (“DVP”) (i.e., on the Closing Date, the Company shall issue the Shares registered in the Purchasers’ names and addresses and released by the Transfer Agent directly to the account(s) identified by each Purchaser; upon receipt of such Shares, payment therefor, which will be held by the Company in a separate account until Closing, shall be deemed released for transfer to the Company’s operating account). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, including a Purchaser’s Subscription Amount set forth on the signature pages attached hereto, the number of Shares purchased by a Purchaser (and its Affiliates) hereunder shall not, when aggregated with all other shares of Series C Preferred Stock owned by such Purchaser (and its Affiliates) at such time, result in such Purchaser beneficially owning (as determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) in excess of 4.34% of the then issued and outstanding Series C Preferred Stock outstanding at the Closing (the “Beneficial Ownership Maximum”) unless such Purchaser has received a waiver of the Beneficial Ownership Maximum from the Company that has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company (an “Ownership Waiver”), and such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount, to the extent it would otherwise exceed the Beneficial Ownership Maximum immediately prior to the Closing, shall be conditioned upon the issuance of Shares at the Closing to the other Purchasers signatory hereto unless such Purchaser has received an Ownership Waiver. To the extent that a Purchaser’s beneficial ownership of the Shares would still exceed the Beneficial Ownership Maximum, such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount shall automatically be reduced as necessary in order to comply with this paragraph, unless such Purchaser has received an Ownership Waiver.

2.2 Deliveries.

(a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Purchaser the following:

(i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company;

(ii) a legal opinion of Company Counsel, directed to the Placement Agent and the Purchasers, substantially in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent and the Purchasers;

(iii) the Company shall have provided each Purchaser with the Company’s wire instructions, on Company letterhead and executed by the Chief Financial Officer (the “Wire Instructions”);

(iv) subject to the last sentence of Section 2.1, a copy of the irrevocable instructions to the Transfer Agent instructing the Transfer Agent to deliver on an expedited basis via The Depository Trust Company Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) Shares equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by the Per Share Purchase Price, registered in the name of such Purchaser; and

(v) the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement (which may be delivered in accordance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act).

(b) No later than 2:00 p.m. ET on the Business Day prior to the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company, the following:

(i) this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser (including completion of the information on the signature page hereto); and

(ii) such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount, to be delivered by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with the Wire Instructions, which shall be made available for DVP settlement with the Company.

2.3 Closing Conditions.

(a) The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are, solely with respect to the Closing of such an individual Purchaser’s purchase of Shares (and not with respect to the sale of the other Shares in the Offering), subject to the following conditions being met:

(i) the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of such Purchaser contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);

(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of such Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed in all material respects; and

(iii) the delivery by such Purchaser of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.

(b) The respective obligations of each Purchaser hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

(i) the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (unless as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);

(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;

(iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement;

(iv) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since the date hereof;

(v) from the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the Shares or the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission or any of the Company’s Trading Markets, and, at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of such Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Shares at the Closing; and

(vi) The Outstanding Shares and Common Stock have been approved for listing on the NYSE and the Company has applied for approval of the listing of the Shares on the NYSE, subject to official notice of issuance.

ARTICLE III.

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser:

At the respective times the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto was filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date, as of each time prior to the Closing Date that an investor agrees (orally or in writing) to purchase or, if applicable, reconfirms (orally or in writing) an agreement to purchase any securities from the Placement Agent, and at any time when a prospectus is required (or, but for the provisions of Rule 172, would be required) by applicable law to be delivered in connection with sales of Shares (whether to meet the requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173(d) or otherwise), none of the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, considered together as a whole, included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will 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.

The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing filed as part of the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, or delivered to the

Placement Agent for use in connection with the offering of the Shares, complied when so filed or when so delivered, as the case may be, in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations.

Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (defined below) does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that has not been superseded or modified.

The representations and warranties in the preceding paragraphs of this Section 3(b) do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any the foregoing made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Placement Agent expressly for use therein, which, for purposes of this Agreement, the Company and the Placement Agent hereby acknowledge and agree that such information is limited to the information set forth under the heading “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus.

At the respective times that the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment to any of the foregoing were filed, as of the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or any other offering participant made a bona fide offer of the Shares within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2), and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405, in each case without taking into account any determination made by the Commission pursuant to paragraph (2) of the definition of such term in Rule 405; and without limitation to the foregoing, the Company has at all relevant times met, meets and will at all relevant times meet the requirements of Rule 164 for the use of a free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby.

The copies of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments to any of the foregoing and the copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, that have been or subsequently are delivered to the Placement Agent in connection with the offering of the Shares (whether to meet the request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173(d) or otherwise) were and will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T of the Commission. For purposes of this Agreement, references to the “delivery” or “furnishing” of any of the foregoing documents to the Placement Agent, and any similar terms, include, without limitation, electronic delivery.

3.2 Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser, hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows (unless as of a specific date therein, in which case they shall be accurate as of such date):

(a) Organization; Authority. Such Purchaser is either an individual or an entity duly incorporated or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation with full right, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

(b) Understandings or Arrangements. Such Purchaser is acquiring the Shares as principal for its own account and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Shares in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). Such Purchaser is acquiring the Shares hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.

(c) Experience of Such Purchaser. Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Shares, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment.

Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Shares and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.

(d) Access to Information. Such Purchaser acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review the Transaction Documents (including all exhibits and schedules thereto) and the Company’s reports filed with the Commission and has been afforded, (i) the opportunity to ask such questions as it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Shares and the merits and risks of investing in the Shares; (ii) access to information about the Company and its financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the investment. Such Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that neither the Placement Agent nor any Affiliate of the Placement Agent has provided such Purchaser with any information or advice with respect to the Shares nor is such information or advice necessary or desired. Neither the Placement Agent nor any Affiliate has made or makes any representation as to the Company or the quality of the Shares and the Placement Agent and any Affiliate may have acquired non-public information with respect to the Company which such Purchaser agrees need not be provided to it. In connection with the issuance of the Shares to such Purchaser, neither the Placement Agent nor any of its Affiliates has acted as a financial advisor or fiduciary to such Purchaser.

(e) Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, directly or indirectly executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing as of the time that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the Company, the Placement Agent or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder and ending immediately prior to the execution hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Shares covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement or to such Purchaser’s representatives, including, without limitation, its officers, directors, partners, legal and other advisors, employees, agents and Affiliates, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, with respect to locating or borrowing shares in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

The Company acknowledges and agrees that the representations contained in this Section 3.2 shall not modify, amend or affect such Purchaser’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any representations and warranties contained in any other Transaction Document or any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

ARTICLE IV.

OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

4.1 Non-Public Information. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, which shall be disclosed pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on the Closing Date, the Company covenants and agrees that neither it, nor any other Person acting on its behalf will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that the Company reasonably believes constitutes material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser shall have consented to the receipt of such information and agreed with the Company to keep such information confidential. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. To the extent that the Company delivers any material, non-public information to a Purchaser without such Purchaser’s consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that such

Purchaser shall not have any duty of confidentiality to the Company, any of its subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, Affiliates or agents, including, without limitation, the Placement Agent, or a duty to the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, Affiliates or agents, including, without limitation, the Placement Agent, not to trade on the basis of, such material, non-public information, provided that the Purchaser shall remain subject to applicable law. To the extent that any notice provided pursuant to any Transaction Document constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.

4.2 Use of Proceeds. The Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Shares hereunder as set forth in the Prospectus Supplement.

4.3 Indemnification of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.3, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, stockholders, members, partners, investment managers, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, stockholders, agents, members, partners, investment managers or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling persons (each, a “Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against the Purchaser Parties in any capacity, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser Party, with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is solely based upon a material breach of such Purchaser Party’s representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Purchaser Party may have with any such stockholder or any violations by such Purchaser Party of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser Party which is finally judicially determined to constitute fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct), the Company will indemnify each Purchaser Party, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) and expenses, as incurred, arising out of or relating to (i) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in such registration statement, any prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of any prospectus or supplement thereto, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statements or omissions are based solely upon information regarding such Purchaser Party furnished in writing to the Company by such Purchaser Party expressly for use therein, or (ii) any violation or alleged violation by the Company of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any state securities law, or any rule or regulation thereunder in connection therewith. If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (x) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (y) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party, whose acceptance shall not be unreasonably withheld or (z) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (1) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (2) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents. The Company

shall not, without the prior written consent of the Purchaser Party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened action or proceeding in respect of which any Purchaser Party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Purchaser Party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such Purchaser Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and does not include any statements as to or any findings of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any Purchaser Party. The indemnification required by this Section 4.3 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or are incurred. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to any cause of action or similar right of any Purchaser Party against the Company or others and any liabilities the Company may be subject to pursuant to law.

4.4 Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue such shares in the event of conversion of the Shares.

4.5 Listing of Shares. The Company hereby agrees to use best efforts to maintain the listing or quotation of the Shares on the Trading Market on which it is currently listed. The Company further agrees, if the Company applies to have the Shares traded on any other Trading Market, it will then include in such application all of the Shares, and will take such other action as is necessary to cause all of the Shares to be listed or quoted on such other Trading Market as promptly as possible. The Company will then take all action reasonably necessary to continue the listing and trading of its Shares on a Trading Market and will comply in all material respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading Market. The Company agrees to use best efforts to maintain the eligibility of the Shares for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation, including, without limitation, by timely payment of fees to the Depository Trust Company or such other established clearing corporation in connection with such electronic transfer.

4.6 Equal Treatment of Purchasers. No consideration (including any modification of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document) shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document unless the same consideration is also offered to all of the parties to this Agreement. For clarification purposes, this provision constitutes a separate right granted to each Purchaser by the Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and is intended for the Company to treat the Purchasers as a class and shall not in any way be construed as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with respect to the purchase, disposition or voting of Shares or otherwise.

4.7 Failure to Deliver Shares. If the Purchaser has delivered the Subscription Amount to the Company in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, and the Company has not delivered the purchased Shares to Purchaser in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, then, on or after August 13, 2026, upon receipt of written demand, the Company shall promptly return the Subscription Amount allocable to any undelivered Shares to the Purchaser.

ARTICLE V.

MISCELLANEOUS

5.1 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by any Purchaser, as to such Purchaser’s obligations hereunder only and without any effect whatsoever on the obligations between the Company and the other Purchasers, by written notice to the Company, if the Closing has not been consummated on or before the fifth (5th) Trading Day following the date hereof; provided, however, that no such termination will affect the right of any party to sue for any breach by any other party (or parties).

5.2 Fees and Expenses. Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company and any exercise notice delivered by a Purchaser), stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied in connection with the delivery of any Shares to the Purchasers.

5.3 Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

5.4 Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto. To the extent that any notice provided pursuant to any Transaction Document constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

5.5 Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and Purchasers which purchased at least 50.1% in interest of the Shares based on the initial Subscription Amounts hereunder (or, prior to the Closing, the Company and each Purchaser) or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought, provided that if any amendment, modification or waiver disproportionately and adversely impacts a Purchaser (or multiple Purchasers), the consent of such disproportionately impacted Purchaser (or at least 50.1% in interest of such multiple Purchasers) shall also be required. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right. Any proposed amendment or waiver that disproportionately, materially and adversely affects the rights and obligations of any Purchaser relative to the comparable rights and obligations of the other Purchasers shall require the prior written consent of such adversely affected Purchaser. Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 5.5 shall be binding upon each Purchaser and holder of Shares and the Company.

5.6 Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

5.7 Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger). Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Shares, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Shares, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the “Purchasers.”

5.8 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. The Placement Agent shall be the third-party beneficiary of the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants of the Purchasers in this Agreement. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.3 and this Section 5.8.

5.9 Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal Proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, stockholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state

and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any Action or Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such Action or Proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such Proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such Action or Proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If any party shall commence an Action or Proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then, in addition to the obligations of the Company under Section 4.3, the prevailing party in such Action or Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the non-prevailing party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Action or Proceeding.

5.10 Survival. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Shares.

5.11 Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.

5.12 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

5.13 Rescission and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights.

5.14 Replacement of Shares. If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Shares is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction. The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement Shares.

5.15 Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any Action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

5.16 Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

5.17 Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance or non-performance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any Proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in its review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. For reasons of administrative convenience only, each Purchaser and its respective counsel have chosen to communicate with the Company through Placement Agent Counsel. Placement Agent Counsel does not represent any of the Purchasers and only represents the Placement Agent. The Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any of the Purchasers. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and a Purchaser, solely, and not between the Company and the Purchasers collectively and not between and among the Purchasers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, each of the Purchasers has been advised, and is being advised by this Agreement, to consult with an attorney before executing this Agreement, and each Purchaser has consulted (or had the opportunity to consult) with counsel of such Purchaser’s choice (which may be an in-house attorney) concerning the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents for a reasonable period of time prior to the execution hereof and thereof.

5.18 Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

5.19 Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel have reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments thereto. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and shares of Shares in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Shares that occur after the date of this Agreement.

5.20 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY.

(Signature Pages Omitted)

Exhibit 1.2

ACRES Commercial Realty Corp.

2,220,000 Shares of 8.625% Fixed-to-Floating Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock

Placement Agency Agreement

August 10, 2026

Seaport Global Securities LLC

360 Madison Ave 22nd Floor

New York, NY 10017

Ladies and Gentlemen:

ACRES Commercial Realty Corp., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), is offering, pursuant to the terms of this Placement Agency Agreement (this “Agreement”) and the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined), an aggregate of up to 2,220,000 shares (the “Shares”) of its 8.625% Fixed-to-Floating Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share (the “Series C Preferred Stock”), at the offering price per share of $23.75, for an aggregate offering amount of approximately $52,725,000 (the “Offering”). The Shares are more fully described in the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined).

The Company has previously issued shares of Series C Preferred Stock and as of the date hereof and before giving effect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, there are 4,800,000 shares of Series C Preferred Stock issued and outstanding (the “Outstanding Shares”). The Shares and the Outstanding Shares will be treated as a single class of equity securities and the Shares will have the same CUSIP and terms as the Outstanding Shares in all respects (other than the issue date and issue price).

The Company hereby confirms its agreement, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, to retain Seaport Global Securities LLC as placement agent (the “Placement Agent”) to assist the Company in offering and selling the Shares, as follows:

At or prior to the Applicable Time (as defined below), the Company has or will have prepared the following information (collectively with the pricing information set forth on Schedule 1, the “General Disclosure Package”): the Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus, filed with the Commission on August 6, 2026, each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Schedule 1 hereto, and any Issuer Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (if applicable).

“Applicable Time” means 5:00 P.M., Eastern time, on August 10, 2026.

At the respective times the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto was filed pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date, as of the Applicable Time, as of each time prior to the Closing Date that an investor agrees (orally or in writing) to purchase or, if applicable, reconfirms (orally or in writing) an agreement to purchase any securities from the Placement Agent, and at any time when a prospectus is required (or, but for the provisions of Rule 172, would be required) by applicable law to be delivered in connection with sales of Shares (whether to meet the requests of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173(d) or otherwise), none of the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto, considered together as a whole, included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will 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.

The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing filed as part of the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, or delivered to the Placement Agent for use in connection with the offering of the Shares, complied when so filed or when so delivered, as the case may be, in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations.

Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (defined below) does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that has not been superseded or modified.

The representations and warranties in the preceding paragraphs of this Section 3(b) do not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the General Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any the foregoing made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by the Placement Agent expressly for use therein, which, for purposes of this Agreement, the Company and the Placement Agent hereby acknowledge and agree that such information is limited to the information set forth under the heading “Plan of Distribution” in the Prospectus.

At the respective times that the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any amendment to any of the foregoing were filed, as of the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or any other offering participant made a bona fide offer of the Shares within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2), and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer” as defined in Rule 405, in each case without taking into account any determination made by the Commission pursuant to paragraph (2) of the definition of such term in Rule 405; and without limitation to the foregoing, the Company has at all relevant times met, meets and will at all relevant times meet the requirements of Rule 164 for the use of a free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405) in connection with the offering contemplated hereby.

The copies of the Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments to any of the foregoing and the copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, that have been or subsequently are delivered to the Placement Agent in connection with the offering of the Shares (whether to meet the request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173(d) or otherwise) were and will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T of the Commission. For purposes of this Agreement, references to the “delivery” or “furnishing” of any of the foregoing documents to the Placement Agent, and any similar terms, include, without limitation, electronic delivery.

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 Placement Agent.

[signature pages omitted]

Exhibit 5.1

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We serve as special Maryland counsel to ACRES Commercial Realty Corp., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the sale and issuance by the Company of up to 2,220,000 shares (the “Shares”) of 8.625% Fixed-to-Floating Series C Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company (“Series C Preferred Stock”) pursuant to the Placement Agent Agreement, dated August 10, 2026 (the “Placement Agent Agreement”), by and between the Company and Seaport Global Securities LLC. This opinion is being provided at your request in connection with the filing of the Prospectus Supplement (as defined below).

In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (collectively, the “Documents”):

1. The Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR of the Company (File No. 333-278433) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), on April 1, 2024 and declared effective on May 1, 2024 (the “Registration Statement”), in the form in which it was filed with the Commission;

2. The Prospectus dated April 1, 2024, which forms part of the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement dated August 11, 2026 (the “Prospectus Supplement”), relating to the Shares, in the forms in which they were filed with the Commission under the Act;

3. The charter of the Company (the “Charter”), certified as of a recent date by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland;

4. The Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), certified as of the date hereof by the Secretary of the Company;

5. Resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) relating to (a) the registration, sale and issuance of the Shares; and (b) the creation and delegation of authority to a Pricing Committee of the Board in connection with the sale and issuance of the Shares (the “Pricing Committee”), certified as of the date hereof by the Secretary of the Company;

6. Resolutions adopted by the Pricing Committee relating to the sale and issuance of the Shares, certified as of the date hereof by the Secretary of the Company;

7. The Placement Agent Agreement, certified as of the date hereof by the Secretary of the Company;

8. A certificate of the SDAT as to the good standing of the Company, dated as of the date hereof; and

9. A certificate executed by Jaclyn A. Jesberger, Secretary of the Company, dated as of the date hereof.

In expressing the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the following:

1. Each individual executing any of the Documents, whether on behalf of such individual or another person, is legally competent to do so.

2. Each individual executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so.

3. Each of the parties (other than the Company) executing any of the Documents has duly and validly executed and delivered each of the Documents to which such party is a signatory, and such party's obligations (including the Company’s) set forth therein are legal, valid and binding.

4. All Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic. All Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents. All signatures on all such Documents are genuine. All public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete. All statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete. There has been no oral or written modification or amendment to the Documents, or waiver of any provision of the Documents, by action or omission of the parties or otherwise.

5. The Shares will not be issued or transferred in violation of any restriction or limitation on transfer or ownership of Capital Stock (as defined in the Charter) contained in Article VI of the Charter.

6. The Company will issue the Shares in accordance with the resolutions of the Board and the Pricing Committee and, prior to the issuance of any Shares, the Company will have available for issuance, under the Charter, the requisite number of authorized but unissued shares of Series C Preferred Stock.

7. The Placement Agent Agreement is a valid and legally binding contract that conforms to the description thereof set forth in the Registration Statement.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, it is our opinion that, upon issuance and delivery of the Shares as contemplated by the resolutions of the Board and the Pricing Committee and upon payment therefor, the Shares will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

The foregoing opinion is limited to the substantive laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other law. We express no opinion as to compliance with the securities (or “blue sky”) laws of the State of Maryland. The opinion expressed herein is subject to the effect of judicial decisions which may permit the introduction of parol evidence to modify the terms or the interpretation of agreements.

We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that might change the opinion expressed herein after the date hereof.

This opinion is being furnished to you for submission to the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of the name of our firm therein under the heading “Legal Matters”. In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Act.

Very truly yours,

/S/ WOMBLE BOND DICKINSON (US) LLP