Real Estate

• Represented multifamily venture groups in the formation, acquisition, financing, operation and disposition of multifamily properties located throughout the United States.
• Represented a variety of originators of over one billion dollars in commercial mortgage loans throughout the United States.
• Lead counsel handling low income multifamily loan programs for 10 years for a public housing authority.
• Lead counsel representing ownership in numerous shopping center lease negotiations with major credit tenants such as Ross, Anna’s, Staples, Office Depot, Starbucks, and Chase.
• Lead counsel for local County government on the leasing of over 40 retail stores in a major southern California harbor property.
• Represented one of the largest regional discount chains in the acquisition, leasing and operation of over 100 locations located in 10 states.
• Represented a Fortune 500 client in a transaction involving the acquisition of over 200 home improvement retail stores located in 5 states.
• Negotiated the sale of the Wilshire Plaza Hotel in downtown Los Angeles out of bankruptcy on behalf of hotel’s ownership.
• Prepared Guidelines and instructed multiple special servicing units as to the rules and regulations associated with the servicing of defaulted CMBS loans.
• Represented numerous originators of commercial mortgage loans, including JP Morgan, Nomura, UBS and Thorofare Capital in connection with the origination of commercial loans throughout the United States.
• Assisted the nation’s largest sponsor of TIC owned commercial properties in re-positioning its nationwide portfolio.
• Represented many of the country’s leading special servicers of commercial loans in connection with the resolution of hundreds of defaulted commercial mortgage loans.
• Implemented regional commercial leasing program for major shopping center REIT.
• Negotiated the resolution of a distressed multi-family portfolio of over 2 billion dollars situated in more than a dozen States on behalf of project sponsor.
• Represented Property Owners in successful effort to obtain government approvals necessary to develop a high profile property in the City of Malibu.  Handled all legal issues arising during dealings with the City of Malibu Planning Commission and City Council ZORACES Subcomittee, including extensive interaction with City staff, as well as dealings with the California Coastal Commission and in fending off challenges from a neighboring property owner.  Presented aspects of the legal and project issues to the planning commission in open meetings.  Managed and coordinated a variety of task specific geological, environmental, and architectural consultants.  Client successfully obtained all necessary permits and governmental approvals for remodeling and construction of three separate dwellings on the property, two on the beach and one on the bluff above, with shared septic and a number of complicated and challenging issues.
• Represented manufacturing company in connection with potential condemnation of real property by City Redevelopment Agency; negotiated and drafted complicated long-term ground sublease on replacement property.
• Negotiated and drafted leases and subleases for multi-tenant commercial/industrial properties.
• Successful defense obtained after highly contested trial of quiet title action involving multi-million dollar residential real property in Beverly Hills.
• Obtained $1.2 million dollar judgment in lessor’s favor in a breach of commercial lease, breach of lease covenants, and waste action.
• On behalf of large interstate railroad, obtained summary adjudication of all damage claims asserted against railroad in action involving viability of railroad easement.  Railroad eventually obtained judgment in its favor on all remaining claims at trial.  Judgment upheld by California Court of Appeal.
• Long term representation of a build-and-hold developer of office properties, advising the client regarding the voluntary cleanup of contaminated brownfields, obtaining no further action letters so that development may proceed and successfully prosecuting cost recovery actions against responsible parties.  Recently, assisting this client in successfully obtaining public financing for a new project when conventional, private financing was unavailable due to the credit crisis.
• Long term represention of a family with a substantial interest in a portfolio of commercial real property with a gross value of half a billion dollars, advising them with respect to acquisitions and divestitures as well as a current reorganization of the portfolio management structure.
• Counseling a Fortune 200 company, assisting the client in overseeing the investigation and remediation by other responsible parties of contaminated land owned by the client.  Specific tasks include identification of historically responsible parties and their current successors in liability, research and discovery of evidence of responsibility, and interfacing with environmental consultants and regulators.
• Defended a large residential developer in an action by the condominium HOA and owners attacking the CC&Rs and alleging fraud in the sale of units and many claims for equitable relief.  Was sole attorney in the 10 week trial in Indio, which resulted in a judgment for the developer.
• Obtained temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction blocking trustee’s sale of residential property in dispute between two mortgage lenders involving proper lien priorities in title to property.
• Often retained as member of a developer’s team of lawyers and experts formed to obtain entitlements on major projects.
• Served as lead counsel for defendant national railroad in a real estate dispute in which landowners alleged that the railroad had abandoned property rights, those rights had reverted to the landowners and the railroad violated their rights by attempting to sell those rights on the open market.  Obtained defense verdict at trial and prevailed on subsequent appeal.
• Negotiated a purchase agreement and handled the closing of the sale of commercial property under threat of condemnation, among multiple Taiwanese individuals, as sellers, and the school district, as buyer.
• Represented landlord in the negotiation of a long-term lease of an industrial property to be used as a charter school.
• Negotiated and handled the closing of a sale of two commercial properties among co-owners previously adverse to each other in litigation.
• Drafted and negotiated a development agreement with the City of Anaheim, which provided for the development of a mixed use site, including office, retail, hotel and apartment components.
• Represented the seller in complex negotiations for the sale of commercial property to the City of Santa Monica under threat of eminent domain.  The site was the planned station for the Expo Line, a light rail line currently under construction in the Los Angeles County Metro Rail System.
• Negotiated the purchase and sale agreements and handled escrow and closing on behalf of several high profile entertainment clients, both as sellers and buyers of luxury residential homes.