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Real Estate
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One of the most familiar phrases in real estate is location, location, location. But for those in the real estate space, another mantra may be even more on point: M&R, M&R, M&R.

The firm’s Real Estate Practice Group has its hands in virtually every aspect of real estate law. Whether advising buyers and sellers of commercial property, providing counsel to developers, builders, institutional investors, borrowers or lenders or representing brokerages, REITs, landlords or leasing companies, our real estate attorneys have seemingly done it all.

A Multi-Disciplinary Approach

Because oftentimes real estate transactions touch upon a broad range of issues, M&R’s real estate practitioners routinely collaborate with lawyers from our Banking & Financial Services, Construction, Corporate & Securities, Environmental and Tax Practice Groups, all of whom are well versed in the real estate business. And when transactions result in litigation, our commercial and business litigators are poised to handle even the most difficult of cases.

No doubt about it, for clients needing real estate representation – transactional or litigation – M&R is the obvious choice.

Areas Of Expertise

  • 1031 Exchanges

    We handle sophisticated real estate purchase and sale transactions, including 1031 exchanges and so called, “reverse” 1031 exchanges, which allow sellers to defer recognition of taxes on capital gains under certain prescribed circumstances.

  • Acquisitions & Dispositions

    The firm routinely helps business and real estate clients through all stages of multi-million dollar purchase and sales transactions

  • Commercial Leasing

    M&R negotiates ground, retail, industrial, office, medical and other commercial leases for clients in an array of industries.

  • Creditor's Rights

    Our real estate attorneys identify problem loans, restructure debt and oversee loan workouts, foreclosures and bankruptcies.

  • Development

    We represent clients in major commercial and residential development projects, both locally and nationwide, from inception to completion (including entity formation, acquisitions, entitlements and financing).

  • Environmental

    The firm conducts environmental due diligence in connection with client acquisitions, remediation and Brownfield developments. Likewise, we negotiate with regulatory agencies on a wide range of environmental matters, such as cleanup obligations, pollutant emissions and discharges and permit compliance. Our lawyers also handle issues pertaining to environmental insurance, risk allocation, land use and zoning.

  • Financing

    M&R’s work in real estate transactions includes mezzanine, sale-and-leaseback, acquisition and construction financing – this in addition to a variety of debt and equity investment structures. The firm also negotiates credit enhancement facilities for tax-exempt and taxable bond financings, and guides private equity, venture capital and other private investment funds so that they may optimize tax and investment goals in connection with fund formation and capital raising.

  • Health Care Finance

    In tandem with our Health Care Practice Group, the firm’s real estate lawyers represent purchasers of skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, free-standing emergency rooms, urgent care centers and the like. Our advice and counsel carries over to the financing and refinancing of such health care facilities, including refinancing through the HUD Lean Program.

  • Ownership Entity Structuring

    M&R’s real estate attorneys, along with those in the firm’s Corporate & Securities Practice Group, structure ownership investment vehicles – limited liability companies, partnerships and joint ventures – on behalf of our real estate clientele.

Acquisition; Environmental Due Diligence: Represented a purchaser of shopping centers, a complex multi-state transaction that included extensive environmental due diligence, navigation of the Connecticut Transfer Act, advice and counsel regarding financing and environmental insurance, a springing escrow and negotiation of a consent decree between the buyer, seller and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Acquisitions and Sales: Oversaw the purchase and sale of several industrial properties in California and Nevada, all of which qualified as reverse 1031 exchange transactions. 

Complex Real Property & Easement Dispute: Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a homeowner in Bel Air, California in a complicated real property and easement dispute, which judgment twas later affirmed by the California Court of Appeals. 

Easement Defense: Successfully defended a major real estate developer against an easement that would have terminated its approved 400+ home development plan. 

Environmental Due Diligence: Represented one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations in the acquisition of two environmentally-challenged commercial real estate properties. The transaction involved environmental due diligence, capital markets advice, negotiation of an indemnity agreement and coordination with local, state and federal regulators to clean up site, obtain environmental permits and procure environmental insurance. 

Joint Venture: Represented a national retail investment company in its purchase of a $14 million shopping center, which representation included a two-step closing to mitigate risk arising from potential contamination of outparcels, as well as the negotiation and documentation of $10 million in bank debt, a joint venture agreement with the senior equity investor and a $3 million limited offering. 

Land Purchase: Represented a developer in its acquisition of a 15-acre industrial property in Los Angeles County. The transaction involved risk allocation associated with significant environmental contamination, and the holdback of a portion of the purchase price for post-closing remediation of environmental matters. 

Office Lease: Represented a high-profile charitable foundation in connection with its lease of 18,000 square feet of office space in Los Angeles, a lease that included intricate termination and sublease provisions. 

Office Lease: Represented a national technology company in connection with its lease of 80,000 square feet of office space in the Silicon Valley. 

Real Estate Fraud: Negotiated an extremely favorable settlement of a multi-million dollar real estate fraud and broker nondisclosure case stemming from the purchase of a luxury home in Dana Point, California. 

Restructuring & Joint Venture: Negotiated and drafted contract amendments on behalf of a primary equity investor seeking to restructure an interrelated Southern California commercial development and raw land joint venture worth $55 million. Successfully implemented a wind down strategy to maximize client’s return on capital and limit exposure on pending projects. 

Sale & Defeasance: Represented the seller of a $25 million office tower. The complex transaction involved defeasance of a $10 million loan and the holdback of a portion of the purchase price for pending tenant improvements.