The firm's commercial real estate practice includes experience in virtually all aspects of sophisticated commercial real estate matters. Our real estate team counsels clients through highly complex transactions. It drafts and negotiates agreements with brokers, including exclusive listing and agency agreements and agreements with procuring brokers. It also drafts and negotiates contracts affecting real estate property management and manages the competitive RFP and competitive bidding processes relating to retaining real estate consulting professionals and construction contractors, and searching for space to lease or real property to acquire. The firm's real estate team is experienced in negotiating and drafting the documents required for the purchase and sale of real property as well as negotiating and drafting commercial ground and space leases, with retail, showroom, garage, office and industrial uses. It is also experienced in negotiating, drafting and monitoring lease escalations and "CAM" charges, and advises clients with respect to compliance and auditing of these areas.
The firm's capabilities in construction law include zoning, land use, developing architects', engineers' and contractors' contracts, and team members have custom-designed fully correlated owner-builder general construction agreements, including construction management agreements and related trade contracts and subcontracts, design and architectural agreements, and interrelated design and consultant agreements. The firm also has the capability to advise in the monitoring of these agreements and coordinate interactions among clients' various construction consultants, and has done this in transactions ranging from under 10,000 square feet to over 2 million square feet. In addition, the firm can assist clients in their searches for brokers, architects, engineers and other consultants, helping the client to establish criteria to identify the consultant whose capabilities, pricing and conflict mix best suit the needs of each client and project type.
With respect to financing real estate transactions, the firm has significant experience with developing and negotiating documentation relating to construction and acquisition loans, including permanent take-out financing and leasehold-improvement financings. Bond financing is a specialty that we understand, but do not practice; accordingly, the firm's role is limited to working with and supervising clients' bond counsel.
The firm has litigated complex real estate matters in State and Federal Courts, including Landlord-Tenant and Civil Courts. Such litigation has included matters concerning title, construction defects and contract performance, ground lease improvements, leasing fraud and forgery, ground lease financing and lease escalation disputes. The firm has sought injunctive relief and summary dispossess proceedings, among other remedies.
The firm also represents not-for-profit and governmental institutions, and over the course of such representation has developed an understanding of concerns and issues that are unique to this constituency. The firm has a flexible billing rate for not-for-profit clients.
Based in New York City, the scope of the firm's representation is national and international. It includes significant banking, corporate, commercial and real estate transactions both within and outside of New York. The firm has developed relationships with firms throughout the United States and internationally, and works in tandem with local counsel, as required.
If you would like to contact us, please call John Busey Wood at jbwood@akerman.com or call 212-880-3836..
Real Estate Department Practice
The firm has litigated complex real estate matters in State and Federal Courts, including Landlord-Tenant and Civil Courts. Such litigation has included matters concerning title, construction defects and contract performance, ground lease improvements, leasing fraud and forgery, ground lease financing and lease escalation disputes. The firm has sought injunctive relief and summary dispossess proceedings, among other remedies.
