Greg's Representative Engagements

Acquisitions and Dispositions

Represented private partnership in the sale of Palo Alto office building to REIT for over $130 million and the negotiation of joint venture agreement pursuant to which one of the principals of the partnership maintained an investment in the building and continued to manage it.  At the time, the sale price represented the highest per square foot price ever achieved for an office building in the Bay Area.

Represented Sony in the buyout of its partner in the Metreon shopping and entertainment center, and the sale of the asset to a joint venture between Westfield and Forest City.

Represented Embarcadero Capital Partners in the acquisition, financing and disposition of over 40 office and R&D properties in the Western and Northeastern United States, including the recent sale of 100 Hamilton in Palo Alto, CA to RREEF for a price of over $900 per square foot.

Represented Levi Strauss & Co. in the disposition of eight manufacturing and distribution facilities in California, Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia and Tennessee.

Represented East Bay developer in the sale a portfolio of office buildings in Berkeley and Oakland to Scanlan Kemper Bard.

Represented Balboa Funds (now Ridge Capital) in the acquisition of office, industrial and development projects in and around Sacramento, California and Reno, Nevada, including Southport Business Park, a 670 acre master planned development in West Sacramento.

Represented energy company in the acquisition, leasing, subdivision and sale of land in East Altamont, CA.

Joint Ventures

Represented Kinship Capital, the real estate investment arm of the Searle family, in a joint venture with SIMEON Commercial Properties to acquire buildings at 810 W. Maude Ave., 870 W. Maude Ave. and 470 Potrero Ave. in Sunnyvale, CA.

Represented Kinship Capital in a joint venture with The John Buck Company and Element Properties, in a land investment to redevelop the Sutherlands lumberyard site in Boulder, Colo. (S’PARK), in a $100 million mixed-use project.

Represented Embarcadero Capital Partners in a joint venture with True North Capital Partners for the acquisition and improvement of 601 McCarthy Boulevard in Milpitas, CA.

Represented Kinship Capital in a joint venture with Pearlmark Real Estate Partners and Insight Realty Company in connection with the acquisition of 5301 Patrick Henry Drive in Santa Clara, a property of approximately 7 acres with a vacant 127,000 square foot office and R&D facility.

Represented Embarcadero Capital Partners in a joint venture with Westbrook Partners for the acquisition and repositioning of 701 Aviation

Represented Southern California residential developer in negotiation of development agreement and joint venture agreements with financial partner for developments in Anaheim, Northridge and Santa Clarita, CA.

Represented Kinship Capital, in a joint venture with SIMEON Commercial Properties for a land investment designated for a mixed-use residential and retail building at the northwest corner of Post Street and North San Pedro Street in San Jose, CA.

Represented hotel developer in negotiation of joint venture agreement with institutional real estate fund for development of boutique hotel in the Napa Valley.

Represented lead investor in negotiation of joint venture for development of mixed use project in Maricopa, Arizona.

Assisted Bridge Housing in negotiations with its joint venture partner in connection with its development adjacent to the MacArthur BART Station.

Hospitality

Represented a private hotel investment company in the acquisition of the Hotel Mark Twain, a boutique hotel in the Union Square area of San Francisco.

Represented The Swig Company in the negotiation of a long-term management agreement with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts at the Fairmont Chicago Hotel, and the subsequent sale of the asset to international hotel investment company.

Represented Auberge Resorts in connection with the negotiation of management and related agreements for three luxury resorts: Encantado, outside Santa Fe, New Mexico; Calistoga Ranch, a resort and fractional ownership project in Napa Valley, CA; and The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

Represented Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group in the sale of six of the company’s San Francisco hotels, including the historic Sir Francis Drake.

Represented a private ownership group in the negotiation of management and related agreements with Mandarin Oriental for a mixed use luxury development in St. Kitts.

Financing

Represented co-tenant owner in negotiation of original $45 million loan (and subsequent $75 million refinance) from Wachovia secured by shopping center in Salinas, CA.

Represented residential developer in initial negotiation of $87 million participating loan with Wells Fargo for development in Salinas, CA, and subsequent modification of loan.

Represented family partnership in negotiation of $10.5 million line of credit with Merrill Lynch secured by retail properties in seven states.

Represented South Bay opportunity fund in the financing and refinancing of over 30 office and R&D properties in the Western and Northeastern United States.

Leasing

Represented the owner of 345 California, one of San Francisco’s premier office buildings, in all of its office and retail leasing activity, including leases to Marsh, Inc. of over 106,000 rentable square feet, and to TPG Global LLC of over 120,000 rentable square feet.

Represented the owner of Silicon Valley R&D building in full building lease to Apple, Inc.

Represented Fahr, LLC (umbrella organization for Tom Steyer’s companies) in 13,000 square foot lease in downtown S.F. office building.

Negotiated lease for Paragon Restaurant in Portland’s Pearl District on behalf of Moana Restaurant Group.

Assisted accounting firm Burr Pilger Mayer in negotiation of 20,000 square foot lease in Walnut Creek, CA.

Assisted law firm Kaufman & Logan with 10,000 square foot lease in San Francisco Financial District high-rise.

Represented production company in negotiation of lease and option to purchase for production facility in San Francisco, CA.

Workouts and Restructuring

Assisted Central Valley homebuilder and its principals in working out series of loans and personal guaranties in excess of $75 million with Wells Fargo and Comerica banks.

Represented Central Coast residential developer in negotiations with Comerica Bank concerning workout of loans and personal guaranties in excess of $60 million.

Assisted opportunity fund in negotiation of extensions and restructuring of a portfolio of loans from Bank of America secured by office properties in California and Washington.

Firm Highlights

Publication

New Proposed Regulations Defining Donor Advised Fund Terms

Welcome to EO Radio Show - Your Nonprofit Legal Resource . Episode 63 explores new proposed regulations important to the administration of Donor Advised Funds (DAFs). The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department...

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Event

19th Annual Renewable Energy Law Institute

Dirk Mueller is speaking at the University of Texas School of Law 19 th Annual Renewable Energy Law Institute on "Mineral Issues Impact on Real Estate Documents, Siting and Planning: Texas vs. California." Session Overview :   Understanding...

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Publication

An Introduction to DAFs and Overview of the Newly Proposed DAF Regulations

Welcome to EO Radio Show - Your Nonprofit Legal Resource. I’m Cynthia Rowland, and episode 62 describes new proposed regulations important to the administration of donor advised funds. The Internal Revenue Service and the...

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News

State Bar of California Board of Trustees Approves Plan to Pilot Portfolio Bar Exam

Sarah Good, a member of the State Bar of California Board of Trustees, spoke to KQED Newscast about the Board of Trustees's proposal to pilot a Portfolio Bar Exam.

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Event

The New Frontier AI Legal Issues for In-House Counsel

Sushila Chanana is a panelist for the session, "The New Frontier AI Legal Issues for In-House Counsel,"   at the Bar Association of San Francisco's In-House Counsel Conference 2024. To register for the event, please click ...

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News

Proposal for Bar Exam Alternative Goes to California Supreme Court

Sarah Good, a member of the State Bar of California Board of Trustees, was quoted in The Recorder article, "Proposal for Bar Exam Alternative Goes to California Supreme Court." Read the article here (subscription...

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News

Farella Braun + Martel Earns 2024 Best Law Firms® Rankings

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Event

2024 Environmental & Energy, Mass Torts, and Products Liability Litigation Committees' Joint Regional CLE Program

Sarah Bell will moderate the panel "PFAS: Everything Everywhere All at Once"  at the American Bar Association's 2024 Environmental & Energy, Mass Torts, and Products Liability Litigation Committees' Joint Regional CLE Program. Session Overview: PFAS...

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Publication

BIPA Liability: Existing CGL Coverage May Provide a Lifeline for Policyholders

Developments in the law have increased the potential liability that companies could face under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), but fortunately for policyholders, Illinois case law has also solidified coverage for BIPA...

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Publication

A Summary of New Laws Coming for California Employers in 2024

In 2023, California has adopted several new employment laws either introducing new employee protections or codifying existing practices into state law. With these changes, employers will need to examine and adjust some of their...

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