PRACTICES


Real Estate

Real Estate Overview

We have extensive experience in all types of real estate transactions, with emphasis on secured financing, purchases and sales, tax deferred exchanges, commercial and residential development, seniors housing facilities, affordable housing, leasing of office, retail and industrial space. Our Firm's representation of a broad range of lenders, borrowers, entrepreneurs, developers, investors, landlords, tenants and property managers enables it to fully identify and address all issues involved in any real property transaction.

Real Estate Purchase and Sale Transactions

We advise our clients in the acquisition and disposition of all types of commercial and residential property, including raw land, office buildings and office parks, retail (ranging from traditional regional malls to big box shopping centers to strip malls), industrial, health care, senior housing/assisted living and multifamily properties. This includes structuring, drafting and negotiating the purchase and sale agreement, conducting due diligence on behalf of the buyer, including lease review, title and survey analysis and environmental issues, handling the financing (whether new or assumption of existing financing), title insurance, supervising the escrow process and communicating with all parties to ensure a successful closing. These transactions often involve defeasance of existing loans or tax deferred exchanges, and we typically work with the client, the escrow company, the defeasance team and the exchange accommodator to facilitate these aspects of the transaction.

Real Estate Finance Transactions

Our representation of both financial institutions and borrowers includes all transactional elements of commercial real estate loans, ranging from traditional permanent and construction loans for single and portfolio transactions, sale/leasebacks, mezzanine loans, bridge loans, hard money lending, loan securitizations, bond financing, joint ventures and other equity participation products. We represent a number of institutional lenders and mortgage brokers, including various Freddie Mac Seller/Servicers and Fannie Mae DUS Lenders for multifamily loans. We handle each phase of the real estate finance process from the loan commitment, documentation, title insurance, escrow and closing stages through work-outs, foreclosure and management and disposition of REO portfolios.

Representation of Landlords and Tenants

We have extensive experience representing landlords and tenants, whether they are national corporations, regional developers, or smaller entrepreneurs, and whether the leases are for office, retail, industrial space, medical facilities, restaurants, banks, ground leases, or master leases. We handle the negotiation and documentation from the letter of intent stage through lease negotiation, construction of tenant improvements, guaranties, financing, and third party approvals.

Business

Corporate and Business Transactions

We represent various business enterprises in connection with their continuing corporate and business legal requirements. This includes not only all aspects of entity formation and legal governance, but also services involving negotiation, drafting and assistance in implementation of various forms of contracts, including buy-sell agreements, joint venture agreements, operating and partnership agreements, employment and consulting agreements, and industry-specific business contracts, such as license agreements and manufacturing and supply agreements. We also provide guidance and counseling to owners, boards of directors and key management personnel.