Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
RICE CATHERINE
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ISTAR FINANCIAL INC [SFI]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chief Financial Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1114 AVENUE OF THE AMERCIAS, 27TH FLOOR
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/18/2008
(Street)

NEW YORK, NY 10036
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Restricted Stock Units (1) 01/18/2008   A   79,823 (1) (2) A $ 0 112,034 (3) (4) D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
RICE CATHERINE
1114 AVENUE OF THE AMERCIAS, 27TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10036
      Chief Financial Officer  

Signatures

 s/ Catherine D Rice   01/22/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) iStar Financial Inc. has granted the Reporting Person awards of 79,823 Restricted Stock Units effective January 18, 2008. The Units represent the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of iStar common stock if and when the Units vest. Units that are not vested may not be sold, transferred or pledged except by will, the laws of descent or to or for the benefit of the Reporting Person's family. In addition, if the Reporting Person voluntarily terminates employment with iStar, or iStar terminates the Reporting Person's employment for cause (as defined in the award), any unvested Units will be forfeited automatically as of the date of termination of employment.
(2) Of the total number of Units awarded, 44,346 Units ("Time Vest Units") will vest in annual installments of 14,782 each in January 2009, January 2010 and January 2011 if the Reporting Person is employed on the applicable vesting date. The Reporting Person is entitled to receive common stock dividend equivalent payments on the unvested Time Vest Units from the award date. The remaining 35,477 Units ("Performance Vest Units") will cliff vest on December 31, 2010 if iStar common stock has achieved a total shareholder return of 20%, compounded annually, over the vesting period and the Reporting Person is employed on the vesting date. The Reporting Person is not entitled to receive common stock dividend equivalent payments on the unvested Performance Vest Units.
(3) The Reporting Person also owns 32,211 Restricted Stock Units that have not yet vested, representing the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of iStar common stock if and when the Units vest, pursuant to awards dated March 2, 2006 and January 19, 2007.
(4) In addition to these Restricted Stock Units, the Reporting Person is the beneficial owner of a total of 194,973 shares of iStar common stock, all of which are owned directly.

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