INDUSTRIES & PRACTICES

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Real Estate & Land Use

HELPING CLIENTS NAVIGATE THE REAL ESTATE LANDSCAPE.

Overview

Top 10 Real Estate Practice Groups 2019

Our Real Estate and Land Use practice group has a strong history of providing a full range of real estate advisory services to a diverse group of clients. With more than 20 lawyers who work exclusively on real estate matters and an additional team of lawyers who have substantial real estate backgrounds and capabilities, we have extensive experience in the full spectrum of real estate-related services.

The attorneys in our group represent developers, contractors, architects, corporate users and governmental authorities in connection with the purchase, zoning, permitting, financing and development of real estate, the construction and leasing of facilities and the sale of completed projects. Our lawyers also represent corporate users, retailers, real estate investors, REITs and property managers in connection with the purchase, financing, leasing, management, operation and sale of real estate assets.

We also routinely represent banks, insurance companies and other institutional lenders and investors in structuring loans and other credit facilities secured directly or indirectly by real estate assets. In addition, we help lenders and others enforce their rights and remedies and structure appropriate workouts in default situations.

Experience

Representative Clients
We have a worldwide practice that serves the full spectrum of clients in the construction and real estate industries, including: 

  • Architects and engineers 
  • Contractors and subcontractors 
  • Insurers and sureties 
  • Landlords and tenants 
  • Lenders and borrowers 
  • Owners and developers
  • Suppliers 
  • Utilities and governmental authorities

Representative Matters

We have a long history of providing a full range of services to a wide range of clients. Some of the many matters we have helped our clients with include:

  • Fortune 500 Clients. We serve as counsel to two of the nation’s largest insurance companies, a Fortune 100 technology company and a prominent wealth management firm in connection with hundreds of locations (leased and owned) throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The size of the facilities ranges from 100 square foot office sharing relationships to 500,000 square foot build-to-suit locations for single tenant occupancy.
  • Major Multi-National. We represented a multi-national corporation in the development, construction and financing of a corporate headquarters campus containing offices and R&D facilities. We assisted the client with a Municipal Development and Planned Urban Development agreement and a “pay as you go” tax increment financing arrangement.
  • Retail Center. We acted as counsel to the developer/contractor in the acquisition, development, construction, financing, leasing and partial sale of a 400,000 square foot retail center in a central city brownfield location involving significant governmental participation, including condemnation and rezoning of the land, a contract for private redevelopment, a minimum assessment agreement and a voluntary clean up action agreement with the state pollution control agency. We negotiated major tenant leases for build-to-suit facilities with national retailers and assisted in completing construction and long-term financing.
  • Energy Facilities. We represented an energy cooperative in connection with its acquisition of ground lease and easement parcels for a $750 million power plant. We acted as counsel to an energy company in the acquisition of a 200 megawatt wind energy project.
  • Major Contractor/Developer. We represented a developer in connection with its acquisition of unimproved land and the development of a 750,000 square foot shopping center containing national big box retailers and smaller local tenants.
  • National Real Estate Investment Trust. We acted for a publicly traded REIT in connection with the acquisition and sale of office buildings in a number of transactions and the leasing of over 300,000 square feet of office space to a Fortune 100 corporation.
  • Major Insurance Company. We represented a major U.S. insurance company in connection with the disposition of over 40 sites in 24 different countries.
  • Health Care. We represent a number of clients in the health care field and have assisted with the leasing, financing and development of hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, medical office buildings and assisted living facilities.
  • Tier III Data Centers. We represented a Fortune 100 insurance company in connection with the acquisition, financing, development and construction of two Tier III data centers.
  • Sale-Leaseback. We served as counsel to a major insurance company in connection with the sale-leaseback of six properties in four states resulting in gross proceeds of $185 million.
  • Major Acquisition. We represented a major U.S. grocery store chain in connection with its $12 billion acquisition of a national food/drugstore chain with over 1,400 properties in 27 states.
  • Indian Tribes. We regularly represent Indian tribes, their managers, contractors, service providers and lenders in connection with the development of service stations, convenience stores and other infrastructure projects, including fee-to-trust transfers and the acquisition of approvals required by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the National Indian Gaming Association on projects throughout the United States. We also assist Indian tribes with real estate investments off-reservation.

Accolades

US News Best Lawyers 2022 Leading Land Use & Zoning Law Practice

Top Ranked Law Firm in Alaska 12 Practice Areas Corporate Law, Commercial Litigation, Real Estate, Employment Law, and Others 2020

Leading Real Estate Practice

Real Estate Leading Lawyers

Chambers Leading Construction Practice 2021

2013-2019 Leading UK Firm-Legal 500

BTI Client Service A-Team 2022

American College of Real Estate Lawyers Four Dorsey Members 2018

US News Best Lawyers 2017 Top Real Estate Litigation Law Firm

2015 Leading Real Estate & Construction Firm US-Legal 500

Contacts

Marcus Mollison
Practice Group Co-Chair
Sarah Zach
Practice Group Co-Chair