Experience counts
Over the past 90 years, we have developed one of the most experienced real estate teams in the world. Norton Rose Fulbright's lawyers support any type of real estate project, both in the United States and abroad.
The commercial real estate law capabilities of the firm span all aspects of the commercial real estate industry, including acquisition and disposition, leasing, economic development incentives and programs, financing, workout and collateral enforcement, construction, development, land use regulation and management of all types of properties.
Norton Rose Fulbright's Real Estate team has highly experienced commercial real estate lawyers that recognize the particular issues involved and create solutions.
The firm's Real Estate Group is complemented by Norton Rose Fulbright's other key service areas, such as environmental law, tax, securities and other state and federal agency regulation, intellectual property, and litigation.
Norton Rose Fulbright's clients include:
- Developers
- Lenders and Servicers
- Owners and Landlords
- Tenants
- Real Estate Management Companies
- Contractors
- Institutional Investors and Owners
- Governments and Charities
- Health Care Providers
- Construction Companies
- Foreign Investors
- Real Estate Purchasers and Investors
- Retail Operators
- Residential Developers
- Corporate Users
- Universities
- School Districts
Move in the right direction
Drawing upon almost 90 years of experience in real estate matters, Norton Rose Fulbright's Real Estate team provides clients with the legal advice and relevant information required to efficiently execute and achieve the result that not only addresses the current matter but also prepares for the future.
With strategic locations world-wide, and with more than 60 integrated service areas, Norton Rose Fulbright's real estate lawyers can quickly assemble a team with the right disciplines, skills and experience to conclude clients' real estate transactions and disputes worldwide.
The breadth and depth of Norton Rose Fulbright's experience and the national and international reach of the firm's service allow us to assist clients on any aspect of a real estate transaction. Norton Rose Fulbright's real estate team is internationally recognized for its experience and responsiveness, and in handling transactions of any complexity around the world.
In 2009, in a multi-office effort, we represented an investment fund in the acquisition of almost 10 million square feet of warehouse and office space in nine states. The transaction was recognized nationally as the first "mega-deal" to close since credit markets froze in 2008. Some reports have indicated a belief that this transaction will serve to establish new values for real estate in today's market and may help reinvigorate large-scale investment and acquisition activity in commercial real estate. The transaction was designed with the current economic realities in mind that allowed both seller and purchaser incentives and flexibility. In this deal, as in others, we are able to offer the benefit of Norton Rose Fulbright's range of experience and to deploy the resources necessary to bring such a large-scale transaction to a timely conclusion.
From Financing to Disposition
From financing to disposition, we help clients throughout each project phase and manage all the detailed aspects of transactions that are essential to keeping new projects moving or managing existing ones. Norton Rose Fulbright's overall real estate team encompasses all aspects of commercial real estate, institutional investors, and foreign investors, including:
- Acquisition and sales agreements;
- Representation of lenders, landowners, developers, and other borrowers in connection with real estate finance matters, including traditional real estate secured loans, joint venture transactions, sale-leasebacks, leveraged leases, project financing, securitized loans, structured financing, and off-balance sheet financing, including synthetic leases and related financing techniques, as well as usury and regulatory matters;
- Real and personal property leases, including space leases, ground leases, equipment leases, and leveraged leases;
- Architect contracts, construction contracts, development agreements, construction management contracts, project management agreements; marketing agreements, operating contacts, licensing agreements, brokerage agreements, and management agreements;
- Structuring and documenting business entities involving real property, including corporations, general partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and single asset special purpose entities;
- Loan restructures, loan workouts, collateral realization, and related remedial matters, including deed in lieu of foreclosure transactions, and judicial and non-judicial foreclosures;
- The purchase, sale, and liquidation of businesses with real property assets;
- Land use regulation matters, including private restrictive covenants, zoning, subdivision, and building code compliance, variances, reciprocal use agreements, access agreements, annexation matters, shared utility arrangements, noise ordinances, sign and billboard ordinances, historic and cultural regulations, tree preservation ordinances, conservation easements, code compliance issues, and grandfathering and pre-existing use issues;
- Governmental incentive agreements, including tax abatement agreements and tax increment financing and improvement districts; and
- Traditional oil and gas transactions.
Types of real estate projects
Some of the types of projects we have helped Norton Rose Fulbright's clients develop, finance, operate, lease and/or sell are:
- Apartment complexes
- Commercial/office buildings
- Energy production and storage facilities
- Entertainment complexes
- Hospitals
- Industrial facilities
- Low- and moderate-income housing projects
- Medical facilities
- Planned communities
- Residential developments
- Resort properties
- Retail centers/single locations
- Sports stadiums/arenas
International real estate experience
Strategically located offices throughout the world put Norton Rose Fulbright's lawyers where the action is: working daily with the regulatory authorities that affect local real estate markets.
Asia/Pacific Rim
Norton Rose Fulbright's Hong Kong office is involved in the ongoing development of the Chinese industrial/commercial sector as well as with projects in Thailand, Indonesia, India, Singapore and other nations is the region. The firm's lawyers there have been involved in a variety of hotel, apartment, office, residential and resort projects throughout the world.
Europe/U.S.
Norton Rose Fulbright's Munich office, working with the firm's New York real estate lawyers, have helped German open- and closed-end funds make real estate investments in the U.S. following recent changes in German law that relaxed restrictions on foreign investments by mutual funds. We have also been involved in large-scale foreign commercial real estate projects in Eastern Europe and Russia and often negotiate financing with European commercial banks and organizations such as the European commercial banks and organizations such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Middle East/Europe
We also facilitated the purchase of a golf course and residential development in Portugal by a Saudi Arabian investor. Since then, we have assisted with ongoing operating issues, such as relationships with lender banks and employment matters.
International financing organizations
In providing legal support services to develop major infrastructure projects around the world, we have represented or worked with:
Norton Rose Fulbright's Real Estate Group has a unique combination of experience, overall resNorton Rose Fulbright'sces, and staffing to undertake and complete real estate transactions, in any location and on any timetable, all in a responsive and cost effective manner.