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Find Lawyers in New Jersey, United States for Real Estate Law
Practice Area Overview
Real estate law refers to the body of laws that govern the buying, selling and leasing of property.
These laws cover a wide range of legal issues related to real estate transactions, including financing transactions, environmental law and title searches. Real estate laws and regulations vary from state to state, with some requiring a real estate license to buy or sell property. Attorneys in real estate law can help with issues that a real estate agent can’t.
Hiring a real estate lawyer or real estate law attorney can be essential for navigating the legal complexities of a home purchase or sale. Law firms specializing in real estate law can assist with legal issues related to real estate transactions, such as reviewing contracts and conducting title searches.
Real estate lawyers or attorneys are also typically involved in representing clients before the real estate commission or title company. Law school courses often cover real estate law, as it is an essential aspect of many legal practices. A full-service real estate law firm should have expertise in these areas:
Sales and Acquisitions
The representation of buyers and sellers in the acquisition and disposition of the various kinds of real estate including office buildings, retail centers, hotels, industrial properties, residential properties and manufactured housing communities.
Real estate attorneys can be equally essential whether the transaction is for residential or commercial property.
Title
The examination of title to real estate, evaluation of title exceptions and negotiation of title insurance policies.
Land Use and Environmental
Land use entitlements, due diligence investigations, Brownfield developments and compliance with Environmental Laws and federal and state Endangered Species Acts.
Development
The negotiation and preparation of development and construction agreements and the other documents required to develop and construct office buildings, shopping centers, mixed-use projects, free-standing units and industrial sites.
Leasing
The negotiation and preparation of office, retail and industrial leases and long-term ground leases. A real estate lawyer may assist with:
- Drafting and reviewing lease agreements.
- Negotiating lease terms.
- Ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.
- Dispute resolution.
- Lease modifications and renewals.
- Handling lease terminations and evictions.
- Advising on subleasing and assignment.
Finance
The representation of lenders and borrowers in real estate secured loan originations, loan sales and purchases and other debt arrangements, including:
- Permanent financings.
- Construction loans.
- Bridge loans.
- Conduit loans.
- Mezzanine loans.
- Shared appreciation loans.
- Portfolios of non-performing loans.
Joint Ventures
A very large proportion of real estate transactions involve joint ventures between capital sources and developers. Therefore, a real estate firm must be in a position to structure and negotiate partnership agreements, limited liability company operating agreements, shareholder agreements and other forms of joint venture arrangements and advise on the tax aspects of the transactions.
Restructuring and Workouts
Not all real estate transactions are successful. Real estate lawyers, therefore, must be in a position to advise lenders, borrowers, partners, landlords, tenants and developers when a transaction goes bad.
This type of real estate law may involve transactional, bankruptcy, tax and litigation work. Restructuring and workouts often include:
- Loan modifications.
- Foreclosures.
- Deeds in lieu of foreclosure.
- Discounted loan payoffs.
- Loan forbearances.
- REO sales.
- Joint venture modifications.
- Buy/sells.
- Forced sales.
- Lease and development modifications.
- Bankruptcies.
- Receivership actions.
- Guarantee actions.
Litigation
Litigation in the real estate area involves the representations of real estate owners, buyers, sellers, lessors, brokers, lenders and developers in, among other things:
- Contract disputes.
- Mechanics lien and construction disputes.
- Eminent domain proceedings.
- Title disputes.
- Loan service.
- Foreclosure issues.
- Bankruptcy.
Select a city from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
Cities
Ivette P. Alvarado is a Member of the Sills Cummis & Gross Real Estate Department. She focuses her practice on multiple disciplines within commercial real estate law, mainly in New Jersey and New York. Beyond negotiating deals and drafting pertinent documents to memorialize terms, Ms. Alvarado takes a hands-on approach to serving her clients by advising them of potential risks, assisting them in problem solving and coordinating with their other professionals to successfully close deals. M...
Area of Emphasis: Redevelopment: Redevelopment plans, zoning ordinances and designation of renewal areas; Property acquisition including development of appraisals in anticipation of condemnation, negotiation of acquisitions, and condemnation; Contracts between public entity responsible for implementation of redevelopment and private redevelopers (including responses to requests for proposal); Loan and grant applications and agreements in connection with governmental assistance for redevelopme...
Robert Beckelman is a shareholder at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. concentrating his practice in redevelopment, land use and zoning, affordable housing and related litigation. Mr. Beckelman represents real estate developers and property owners in connection with land use and zoning matters and disputes as well as municipalities as special redevelopment, housing or litigation counsel. On the transactional side of his practice, Mr. Beckelman negotiates and drafts contracts, developer and...
With nearly four decades of experience on all sides of the transaction table, Mitch Berkey brings a business-oriented approach to his leadership of CSG Law’s Real Estate, Development & Land Use Group. As chair of one of the largest real estate legal groups in the region, Mitch capitalizes on his combined business and legal acumen to navigate all aspects of real estate ventures and transactions, including acquisitions, sales, financing, development, leasing, management, loan workouts...
Russell Bershad is the Co-Chair of the Gibbons Real Property & Environmental Department, a member of the firm's Executive Committee, and leads the transactional real estate practice, which is ranked in Tier 1 nationally by US News & World Report/Best Lawyers. Mr. Bershad is one of eleven "Band 1" real estate attorneys in New Jersey recognized by Chambers USA Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business , and was recently listed by News Funnel as one of the top five real estate atto...
Mr. Bills represents owners, developers, tenants and financial institutions in real estate transactions. His knowledge in real estate-based lending qualifies him to represent both financial institutions and property owners. He has substantial experience in the negotiation and preparation of commercial leases. Mr. Bills protects the interests of owners and developers of real estate, including the negotiation of sales and purchases, identification and resolution of title problems, the obtaining...
Lindsay Cambron’s primary area of practice is environmental law. She advises clients on regulatory matters and compliance at local, state, and federal levels and has extensive litigation experience, representing clients in cost recovery actions, toxic tort claims, and appeals of agency decisions. In particular, Lindsay counsels environmental and real estate clients on the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), the Industrial Site Recovery Act (IS...
Anthony R. Coscia's practice focuses on corporate, commercial, and real estate matters, with a concentration on the financial elements of these transactions. He represents financial institutions, investors and major corporations on whose behalf he has handled a broad variety of matters, including: corporate and real estate finance transactions, asset restructure and recovery, regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, and general litigation. In addition, Mr. Coscia regularly advises inf...
Andrew K. Craig litigates complex mass tort insurance disputes across the country and counsels clients with respect to commercial real estate transactions having an environmental aspect. Mr. Craig has represented insurers for almost twenty years with a focus on complex coverage litigation, primarily involving environmental claims; asbestos and silica claims, and related bankruptcy matters; and toxic tort and products liability coverage matters. Mr. Craig has a track record of successfully rep...
Mr. Denitzio's practice focuses on the sale, acquisition, leasing and mortgage financing of commercial and industrial real estate holdings. He also represents clients in commercial property tax appeals, mortgage foreclosures and workouts, tax sale certificate foreclosures and condemnation valuation hearings.
Patrick concentrates his practice on financing transactions, including commercial real estate financing (acquisition, construction and permanent mortgage financing), and corporate financing. Additionally, he has experience in working out distressed loans, and the documentation of restructuring arrangements and loan modifications. Patrick's clients are banks, financial institutions and other real estate lenders. He also represents developers, owners and investors in connection with their finan...
Mr. Fersko is the Chair of the firm's Real Estate Department. His practice reflects his extensive experience as a commercial real estate and general business lawyer. His legal services emphasize industrial and commercial real estate activities, with a particular focus on industrial leasing, project financing, sustainable development and alternative energy initiatives, urban redevelopment, and the impact of environmental laws on commercial real estate transactions, including the acquisition an...
Steven Fleissig is a real estate shareholder in Greenberg Traurig’s New Jersey office. Steven focuses his practice on a variety of real estate and finance related issues. He advises real estate owners on purchase, sale, leasing and financing matters. Steven is also experienced in representing lending institutions in real estate and asset-based financing transactions, restructurings and workouts. Steven has lectured on multiple borrower lending transactions, mortgage foreclosure strategi...
David Freylikhman is a real estate and corporate attorney experienced in complex real estate, finance and commercial business transactions both domestically and abroad. David represents property owners and operators, funds, sponsors and developers with respect to purchases, sales, assemblages, and the structuring of joint ventures and preferred equity investments in connection with the acquisition of property nationally and internationally. David’s deep real estate experience covers all...
Francis J. Giantomasi is a member of the firm's Real Estate, Development & Land Use Group. He has over four decades of experience in all aspects of real estate acquisitions, sales, development, complex commercial transactions and Chancery litigation, and has successfully argued before the New Jersey Appellate Division and the New Jersey Supreme Court. Frank is recognized as a leader in planning, zoning, and development law including tax abatement law for the City of Newark and urban areas...
Mr. Goldsmith's practice focuses on redevelopment, downtown and urban revitalization, transit oriented development, project financing and incentives, sustainable building initiatives and public-private partnerships. His experience encompasses counseling clients on the specialized issues in redevelopment related to parking demand, design and construction. Mr. Goldsmith also has broad experience in complex commercial litigation, construction litigation and appellate work.
Gordon Golum is a shareholder in the Administrative Law and Real Estate practice groups at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A., focusing on administrative law, governmental affairs, school law, and commercial leases. He represents both landlords and tenants in commercial lease transactions and disputes. Prior to joining Wilentz in 1974, Mr. Golum was a Deputy Attorney General of the State of New Jersey (1970-1974), serving as section chief of the Education and Public Employment Section, Divi...
Meryl A.G. Gonchar is Co-Chair of the Sills Cummis & Gross Land Use Practice Group. Her practice encompasses all aspects of land use, redevelopment, zoning and related litigation. She represents property owners and developers in appearances before planning and zoning boards throughout the state, in connection with obtaining land use approvals for residential, retail, office, industrial, hospitality and mixed-use projects. She represents clients in the negotiation of redevelopment agreemen...
David S. Gordon is a shareholder on the Real Estate and Land Use/Environmental teams at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. He represents developers, owners, users and other clients in all aspects of complex real estate transactions, with an emphasis on land acquisition and disposition, leasing, development approvals, redevelopment, construction contracts and the structuring of business entities. With regard to his financing practice, Mr. Gordon focuses on construction, interim and permanent...
Jeff serves as Of Counsel within Szaferman Lakind’s Business Law Group. Jeff concentrates his legal practice in land use matters, redevelopment, eminent domain, tax appeals, lender representation, commercial real estate transactions and outdoor advertising law. Jeff’s 40 years practicing law includes a private practice as a sole practitioner and more recently a Partner resident in major law firms in the greater Princeton, N.J. region. Starting his career as a N.J. Deputy Attorney ...
When there is a complex real estate deal to be done, whether it is a purchase or sale, tax appeal, or other legal matter, prominent real estate developers and investors call on Alan Hammer. For nearly 50 years, Alan has concentrated his practice in the areas of investment real estate transactions and tax appeals, representing the purchasers and sellers of office buildings, shopping centers, industrial facilities, apartment complexes, and vacant land. Alan is also personally active in the acqu...
Robert R. Hempstead is Chair of the Real Estate Finance Practice Group. Mr. Hempstead focuses on the area of commercial real estate finance, including loan workouts and distressed loan purchases, with a strong background in the origination of commercial mortgage loans which are to be securitized in the capital markets. His practice covers a broad spectrum of deal structures and features, such as multi-asset portfolios, multiple classes of debt, mezzanine and other subordinate debt features, i...
Jeffrey Itzkowitz has over 30 years of experience in all aspects of transactional real estate. His practice is primarily focused on commercial and corporate real estate transactions including leasing, sales, acquisitions, and all types of financing. His portfolio of matters includes development and construction projects, including the development of residential apartment houses, condominiums, townhomes, and single-family communities; conversions of existing properties to condominium and coope...
Lawrence F. Jacobs is chair of the Environmental team at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. Mr. Jacobs advises clients in all phases of regulatory compliance with environmental laws, brownfields redevelopment and land use permitting and extensive experience negotiating with federal, state and local authorities on permit applications and enforcement proceedings.
Lisa John-Basta is Chair of the firm’s Redevelopment, Land Use & Zoning Group. Lisa has close to 20 years of experience representing both municipalities and private developers throughout the local and outside agency land use and redevelopment entitlement process. Lisa regularly appears before governing bodies, planning boards and zoning boards of adjustment across the State on behalf of developers in connection with applications for site plan, subdivision, variances and zoning inter...
Cecilia I. Lassiter, Chair of the Sills Cummis & Gross State and Local Incentives Practice, focuses on state and local public incentives and real estate matters, with a particular emphasis on redevelopment, zoning and land use. Ms. Lassiter has extensive experience in redevelopment matters, including the designation of areas in need of redevelopment or areas in need of rehabilitation, and the negotiation and preparation of complex redevelopment agreements, purchase and sale agreements, ea...
Todd E. Lehder is co-chair of the Real Estate team at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. Mr. Lehder is ranked by Chambers USA for Real Estate in New Jersey and is a fellow with the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. Mr. Lehder represents professional developers, real estate investors, lenders, and property management companies, as well as borrowers, landlords, and tenants in a variety of office, industrial, retail, and residential projects in New Jersey. He handles complex commercial ...
Michael R. Leighton, a Member of the Sills Cummis & Gross Real Estate Department, concentrates his practice on real estate finance including loan workouts and distressed loan purchases. His practice includes counseling real estate developers, hedge funds, real estate investment trusts, lenders, insurance companies, securities dealers, investment advisors and syndicators. He has regularly represented national and publicly held companies in the purchase of real estate across the country, as...
Mark S. Levenson is Chair of the Real Estate Department and Chair of the Real Estate Transactions Practice Group. He also chairs the Firm’s Israel Business Practice Group. Mr. Levenson is a long-standing member of the Firm’s Management Committee. Mr. Levenson handles a broad range of transactions for domestic and international clients, including traditional lending and finance, loan workouts and restructuring, cannabis financing, acquisitions, development projects, joint venture a...
Ms. Li practices in real estate, concentrating in condominium and planned real estate development law. Her experience includes residential condominiums, and subdivided lot communities administered by associations, where she structures the interests of high-rises, single-family detached units, townhomes, stacked flats and duplexes. She is experienced in the conversion of rental properties to the condominium form of ownership and the statutes and regulations governing the removal of tenants in ...
Charles B. Liebling concentrates on redevelopment and redevelopment financing, land use law, and general real estate transactions. Mr. Liebling represents both for-profit and non-profit developers as well as governmental entities. Redevelopment and Land Use As part of his redevelopment practice, Mr. Liebling is involved in the establishment of public-private partnerships and the utilization of governmental incentive programs. He focuses on the negotiation of complex redevelopment agreements a...
John Lloyd has 30 years of experience in all aspects of real property taxation including counseling, litigation and legislation. John represents taxpayers, municipalities, and related interest groups on real property taxation matters. He has thirty-two reported decisions, three of which were argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court. John has handled matters for all types of real property including regional shopping malls, four-star hotels, corporate headquarters, office buildings, multi-fam...
Vincent P. Maltese is Of Counsel in the Real Estate group at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. Focusing his practice in all areas of commercial real estate transactions, Mr. Maltese primarily counsels commercial and residential lenders and real estate developers in the many different facets of real estate acquisition, sale, financing, leasing, development and conversions. Adding to the depth of his practice, he served as contributing author of Commercial Real Estate Transactions in New Jer...
Philip Markowitz has more than 20 years of experience representing the transactional commercial real estate needs and interests of his clients – helping them efficiently navigate an array of complex development, investment and leasing matters. His national client roster spans a broad range of stakeholders within the commercial real estate sector, including developers, landlords, tenants, institutional owners, investors, borrowers, purchasers and sellers, and other corporate users of rea...
For more than 35 years, Kevin has concentrated his practice in banking and commercial law and has represented major banks and financial institutions primarily in New Jersey and New York, but also in many other jurisdictions including Pennsylvania, The District of Columbia and Connecticut. He has particular emphasis on the representation of lenders in complex loan transactions and has significant experience in all aspects of lending -- from the issuance of commitment letters to the exercise of...
Jeffrey Meltzer has a broad range of commercial real estate experience and focuses his practice on the acquisition, disposition, financing and leasing of commercial properties throughout the United States, including shopping centers, office/industrial buildings, apartment complexes, manufacturing facilities and vacant land for development, in both single-asset and portfolio transactions. He represents institutional lenders and borrowers in commercial mortgage loan transactions (both conventio...
Mr. Mlenak concentrates his practice in the areas of redevelopment, land use, zoning, and real estate development. His clients include property owners and developers engaged in mixed use, residential, industrial, commercial, office, retail and affordable housing development projects. Mr. Mlenak provides guidance from the initial project concept through to construction, including land use planning and approvals, permits and variances and appearances before municipal, county and state planning ...
Jeffrey Hugh Newman is a Member of the Firm, a member of the Firm’s Management and Executive Committees and Chair of the Real Estate Department. Mr. Newman has been practicing in the area of real estate, real estate litigation, litigation strategy and positioning and real estate finance for forty years bringing to his practice a background in corporate and business law, coupled with a Master’s Degree in Taxation. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Newman worked as a financial analyst at...
Mr. Policastro is a transactional, business attorney, who focuses his practice in development, redevelopment, environmental compliance cases, corporate transactional matters, land use, zoning and business counseling. Admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York, he has represented numerous national developers, manufacturers, cogeneration facilities and utilities, automobile dealerships, lenders, borrowers and municipal boards in myriad land use contexts, including commercial and residentia...
Allen Popowitz is a recognized leader in the real estate industry. Known for his business savvy and practical approach to each and every transaction, he focuses on what’s important in each deal and consistently achieves his clients’ goals. Allen advises his clients on all aspects of investment real estate and lending, including, but not limited to, sales, purchases, financing, leasing, and Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges. He represents residential and com...
Jennifer Porter is Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Redevelopment, Land Use & Zoning Group. Her ability to practice zoning and land use development law in four states (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut) establishes her as a key player in helping clients expand into the regional real estate market. Jennifer represents clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to developers, owners and lessees of commercial, retail, industrial and residential properties in all asp...
Thomas H. Prol practices business and litigation strategy with a focus on environmental, land use, and redevelopment law at Sills Cummis & Gross P.C. He is admitted in New Jersey and New York and before numerous federal courts. Mr. Prol is a member of the American Bar Association Board of Governors and House of Delegates, a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a Life Fellow of the National Conference of Bar Presidents, and a trustee of the Monmouth Bar Association. On June 14, 2023, Gov...
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