Practice Strengths

Effectively managing and leveraging real estate assets are critical to the success of today's businesses.

The foundation of Baker Hostetler's Real Estate Practice team rests on the broad experience of our real estate-focused lawyers. With capabilities in finance, distressed assets/workouts, development, acquisition, disposition and leasing matters, as well as in the energy and hospitality industries, we offer a full range of legal services to help clients meet their real estate objectives. Consistent with the multi-layered nature of our clients' transactions, our Real Estate Practice team frequently calls upon, and works seamlessly with, our colleagues in other disciplines such as tax, corporate and environmental to achieve results in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

We feature the nation's leading practice in timeshare, fractional and resort property development (for more information on our Hospitality Practice, click here)

Recognition

• Named among the top firms in real estate law for Ohio, Florida and Texas by Chambers USA, along with nine lawyers listed as leading attorneys.
• Ten team members listed in The Best Lawyers in America.
• Two Fellows in the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.

Distressed Real Estate Assets

Businesses affected by real estate and capital market turmoil require creative solutions for disposition of distressed assets, sound advice on evaluating new opportunities, and overall legal guidance throughout these turbulent times. To meet those diverse needs, Baker Hostetler has organized its Distressed Real Estate Assets capabilities. This nationwide, multi-disciplinary group provides clients with direct access to experienced practitioners who regularly deal with complex financing, acquisition, disposition, restructuring, litigation and bankruptcy issues. Our Distressed Real Estate Assets practitioners regularly work with lenders and other financial institutions, developers, asset owners, capital investors, private equity companies, investment bankers and other parties active in this complex marketplace. Please see the Distressed Real Estate Assets description for more information on this capability.

Real Estate Asset Program
Our Real Estate Asset Program (REAP) lawyers assist clients through the evaluation of their real estate and facility portfolios to identify ways to gain fiscal, management, and financial value. Our goal is to convert your real estate holdings from a liability to a performing asset.  Please see the Real Estate Asset Program description for more information on this practice.

Development and Land Use
We advise major developers and financial institutions involved in every type of development project, including: resort hotels, shopping centers, office complexes, residential subdivisions, manufacturing facilities, marinas, golf courses, historical renovations and major sports complexes, among others. Our lawyers recommend the best entity structure to help developers achieve their financial, tax and operating objectives, then handle all aspects of the land acquisition. We also prepare the leases, management agreements, development agreements, financing documents and any other documents necessary to bring the development to life.  Please see the Development and Land Use description for more information on this practice.

 

Finance
We can facilitate the financing of any project, whether using conventional lending or more unconventional sources including syndications, synthetic leasing, tax deferred exchanges, tenant-in-common trusts, securitization and real estate investment trusts (REITs). Our lawyers advise owners, syndicators, underwriters and investors on financing strategies, and are nationally recognized for preparing and critiquing disclosure materials and risk factors involved in private placements.  Please see the Real Estate Finance description for more information on this practice.

Transactions
We assist clients in selecting and acquiring land for location or relocation of all types of projects including plants, manufacturing facilities, office complexes, sports facilities, resort properties and headquarter buildings.  We handle all aspects of an acquisition, including negotiation of construction and permanent financing arrangements, acquisition agreements, building and architectural agreements, leases and management agreements and resolution of title deficiencies and analysis of zoning, planning and land-use issues.  Please see the Real Estate Transactions description for more information on this practice.

About Our Real Estate Team

Baker Hostetler's real estate team has a history of getting projects developed and deals done. Our firm has the multidisciplinary strengths to solve all the complex contractual, environmental and tax problems that can arise in single-use or multi-use developments. We regularly work on multimillion dollar projects, and our team includes lawyers recognized by their peers as being at the top of their game.