ACRE Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation

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                                                                                   
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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940                       

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Donohoe Bryan Patrick	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp [ ACRE ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director                    _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below)    _____ Other (specify below) Chief Executive Officer
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) C/O ARES COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE CORP., 245 PARK AVENUE, 42ND FLOOR	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 12/21/2020
(Street) NEW YORK, NY 10167 (City)        (State)        (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. 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
Common Stock	12/21/2020		A		32000 (1)	A	$0	69750 (2)	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. 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		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (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

Explanation of Responses:
(1)	Granted under the Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation Second Amended and Restated 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Equity Incentive Plan"). Each restricted stock unit represents the right to receive one share of the issuer's common stock upon vesting. The restrictions on such restricted stock units are scheduled to lapse in three equal installments on January 1, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
(2)	Reported amount includes 69,750 restricted stock units granted under the Equity Incentive Plan. Each restricted stock unit represents the right to receive one share of the issuer's common stock upon vesting. Therestricted stock units vest in installments in accordance with the applicable restricted stock unit award agreement.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Donohoe Bryan Patrick C/O ARES COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE CORP. 245 PARK AVENUE, 42ND FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10167			Chief Executive Officer

Signatures
/s/ Anton Feingold, by power of attorney		12/22/2020
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date