Real Estate

Our real estate lawyers provide versatile legal services for a diverse array of clients, handling all forms of transactions and litigation. We bring not only expertise, but also an understanding of our clients' specific needs, with a reputation for both effective advocacy and practical deal making.

Our clients range from individuals to large corporations, both locally and nationally. They include financial institutions, investors, developers, buyers, sellers, owners, managers, landlords and tenants. We serve as counsel to many major industry participants, such as investor/developers, senior and health care providers, shopping centers and public agencies.

Experience

As a multiservice firm, we handle every aspect of a property transaction, from financing and development to environmental and construction issues, property management, and dispositions. Our vast experience representing local and state entities enables us to navigate laws and regulations in a manner that best serves our clients.     

Entity Formation and Tax Counseling

We assist clients in forming corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships and single purpose and bankruptcy remote entities. We implement common interest and cooperative ownership housing arrangements.

Land Use and Development

We help developers obtain the necessary entitlements and other regulatory approvals and are adept at fashioning pragmatic solutions when issues arise. Our areas of expertise include NEPA/CEQA compliance, general plan, zoning and map approvals, development agreements, transit related developments, land use disputes and LAFCO annexations.

Lending and Project Finance

We negotiate purchase money loans, construction loans, “mini-perm” and permanent take-out financing and other institutional lending arrangements. We also structure equity financing joint ventures and hybrid equity/mezzanine financing undertakings. Our clients include lenders in general real estate transactional matters – including commercial and retail leasing – as well as nonprofits and public sector entities.

Property Acquisition and Sales

We complete complex real estate transactions, negotiating letters of intent, purchase agreements and other transaction documents. We assist with assessing and performing property inspections, environmental, title and other necessary due diligence, and our tax specialists assist our clients with tax-free exchanges and other tax-driven transactions.

Leasing and Lease Litigation

We represent owners and managers of commercial real estate in all aspects of landlord-tenant relationships and lease litigation. We also advise them on day-to-day property management issues. We handle lease litigation for a variety of commercial developers and shopping centers, and also represent commercial landlords and shopping centers in tenant bankruptcies locally and nationwide.

Environmental Compliance

We provide coordination and analysis of Phase I and Phase II site assessments, and negotiate indemnity and remediation arrangements. We defend landowners against environmental claims and negotiate pragmatic remediation solutions with regulatory authorities, and we offer particular expertise in brownfields development and redevelopment incentive programs.

Construction Issues and Disputes

We offer a full array of construction law related services to developers, including contract preparation, project management, mechanic's liens, delay claims and construction defect disputes.

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

We handle all types of property related disputes, including purchase and sale transactions and breach of lease and other landlord-tenant conflicts. We also deal with issues over lender and financing, title, broker and agency, escrow and co-owner conflicts. In disagreements of land use, we have experience in zoning and use permit issues, boundary disputes, condemnation, easement and license disputes and premises liability matters. In addition to our extensive trial experience, we are also experts in resolving disputes through mediation, arbitration and legislative or administrative action.

Key Contacts

Jordan Lavinsky

Partner

San Francisco, CA

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