The firm’s commercial real estate attorneys represent developers, investors, financial institutions, corporations, property owners, citizen groups, and educational institutions across the United States in a broad range of real estate transactions, land use matters and environmental disputes. We advise clients on a myriad of real estate transactions involving acquisitions and dispositions, development, financing, construction, joint ventures, leasing, restructuring and workouts, debt and tax matters, and environmental issues.
We counsel clients on a variety of land use matters, including conducting pre-application due diligence, securing permits and other entitlements, complying with planning and zoning requirements, seeking variances from those requirements, and negotiating government exactions during the development process. We also provide clients with counsel and dispute resolution services on environmental issues that arise in real estate transactions and land use development projects.
We pride ourselves on providing practical, real world solutions that remove obstacles that threaten real estate transactions and land use development projects rather than create them.
Real Estate
Our commercial real estate attorneys have represented a variety of clients involved in acquisition, development and disposition of real property throughout California. We have experience working on a broad range of properties, including office buildings, apartments, residential developments, warehouses, hotels, shopping centers, retail stores, restaurants, resorts, condominiums, energy generation facilities and other utility projects. We advise clients on negotiating and preparing term sheets and conducting due diligence on a variety of real estate transactions. We have experience advising, negotiating and documenting purchase, sale, sale-leaseback and tax deferred exchanges of numerous types of real estate properties and raw land. We work with clients to create and negotiate joint ventures and other business entities to facilitate real estate transactions and development projects across California. We have represented clients in financing and refinancing real estate holdings and joint venture assets. We have represented landlords and tenants in lease transactions on commercial, residential, retail, warehouse and industrial properties in California, New York and Florida. We have worked on behalf of both landlords and tenants to restructure problem real estate loans, revise commercial leases, and work out distressed real estate transactions. We have worked closely with clients in the disposition of real property to assure risks and liabilities are appropriately allocated and the sale proceeds protected from unanticipated claims.
Land Use & Development
Our commercial real estate attorneys have helped clients navigate through the land use development process in local jurisdictions across California. In doing so, we have developed considerable experience in a variety of land use matters. We have experience formulating strategies and conducting due diligence on real property prior to acquisition. We have formed acquisition and development entities and negotiated acquisition agreements and financing transactions. We have negotiated, prosecuted and documented local, state and federal permits and entitlements. We have negotiated re-zoning and variance requests. We have negotiated and prepared design, engineering and construction contracts for clients. We have prepared CC&Rs and related agreements for projects. We have developed and prepared risk minimization strategies to protect clients against liabilities that may arise from development projects. We have defended entitlements and project approvals, challenged unlawful fees and exactions, and challenged unlawful permits and entitlements. We have implemented leasing programs and formulated and implemented exit strategies from development projects. We have advised clients on applicable planning, zoning and environmental laws. We have prepared land use applications on behalf of clients and secured land use, environmental and other regulatory approvals required for development projects. We have helped clients formulate and execute community, government and public relations strategies for specific development projects. We provide our clients with the transactional, due diligence, entitlement, compliance, litigation and advisory services necessary to transform the obstacles that can threaten land use development projects and turn them into success stories.
Environmental
Our commercial real estate attorneys have experience working on environmental regulatory matters that present recurring and pervasive issues in real estate transactions and land use development projects throughout California. Our attorneys have worked with virtually all significant federal and state environmental laws, including the California Environmental Quality Act, California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Air Act, and comparable state statutes.
The firm’s attorneys focus many of their efforts on transactional, regulatory and planning matters. When called upon, however, we litigate real property and environmental disputes on behalf of our clients. We have considerable experience resolving disputes involving real estate transactions, creditors rights and land use permitting matters. We have also represented clients before federal, state and local environmental agencies in permitting and enforcement matters. We have represented clients in state and federal courts on a variety of environmental matters. We also have experience in arbitration, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
To find out more about the services offered by the firm’s commercial real estate attorneys and to receive a complimentary phone consultation, contact our office at 510-344-6601or info@finkellawgroup.com.