Practices

Sedgwick’s real estate and finance attorneys guide clients through the life cycle of complex real estate transactions, from creation of the ownership and development entity through land acquisition, land use approvals, financing, construction, post-construction issues (including defect, warranty and mold issues), sales and commercial leasing, property management, and disposition.

Sedgwick’s real estate and finance attorneys guide clients through the life cycle of complex real estate transactions, from creation of the ownership and development entity through land acquisition, land use approvals, financing, construction, post-construction issues (including defect, warranty and mold issues), sales and commercial leasing, property management, and disposition.

Our attorneys work on projects ranging from large shopping centers, luxury hotels and resorts, sports arena complexes, office buildings, industrial/research campuses and gated residential communities/golf courses to small retail outlets, commercial parks and residential projects. Our approach is narrowly tailored to match our client’s project, objectives and goals.

Our attorneys’ customized approach has attracted a wide variety of clients, including developers, institutional and private lenders, manufacturers, retailers, trade associations, cities, counties, local and state public agencies and public interest groups.
Sedgwick’s real estate and finance practice is part of an interdisciplinary team that also encompasses members of the firm’s environmental, land use, bankruptcy, business litigation, employment and corporate practices.  Our attorneys frequently call upon members of the firm’s environmental practice when site remediation, groundwater contamination, regulatory compliance or environmental risk management issues arise.

Entity Selection

Our transactional attorneys work closely with our clients to select the appropriate form of business entity for any particular project with due regard to liability, taxation, financing, control and related issues.

Acquisitions

We represent sellers and purchasers in the planning, negotiating, documenting (including letters of intent, confidentiality agreements, environmental testing and purchase and sale agreements), due diligence and closing of real estate transactions, including real estate exchanges. We have extensive expertise in ground leasing.

Land Use, Entitlement and Development

Our attorneys handle all aspects of land development and entitlement, including zoning, general plan amendments, specific plans, conditional use permits, impact fees, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), regulatory permitting (wetlands, endangered species, coastal issues), leasing, CC&Rs and reciprocal easement agreements. Sedgwick’s expertise also comes to bear when assisting clients with matters involving local land use ordinances and resolutions, subdivision requirements, water rights, secured instruments, environmental due diligence (including hazardous materials), Brownfields, air quality, annexation and change of sphere of influence, pre-annexation and development agreements, and infrastructure fees.

Financing

We advise clients in connection with the placement, negotiation and closing of debt and equity financing for real estate projects. Our experience includes traditional sources of financing such as land acquisition, construction and permanent loans from banks and insurance companies, as well as direct equity investments, syndication of equity interests, partnership and joint venture investments, sale and leaseback transactions, and securitized borrowings. We have extensive experience representing lenders and borrowers in originating new loans, restructuring existing loans and negotiating loan workouts.

Leasing and Property Management

Our attorneys negotiate and draft commercial leases for all types of properties, including office buildings, shopping centers, retail facilities, hotels, industrial buildings, warehouse and distribution facilities, restaurants, medical office facilities and fraternal organizations.  We provide advice to shopping center owners/managers on a variety of day-to-day operational issues.

Real Estate Litigation

Sedgwick attorneys have extensive experience litigating legal issues arising in the acquisition, ownership, development, management, leasing, sale and disposition of real estate, developed and undeveloped, including lease issues, loan agreements, personal and other guarantees, surety bonds, franchise agreements, construction disputes, brokerage and commission disputes, landlord/tenant disputes, title issues, real estate contract challenges, foreclosure actions, nuisance actions, eminent domain and inverse condemnation, letters of credit, and other security.

Sedgwick attorneys are experienced in all aspects of bankruptcy procedures, including negotiating workouts for financially troubled parties. We commonly prepare, analyze, and litigate mechanics’ lien, delay, disruption and other impact claims, and other construction issues. In addition, Sedgwick assists its clients in bringing administrative challenges before local, state and federal agencies as well as state and federal court actions challenging land use determinations. Sedgwick litigates all substantive areas of land use law with the same creativity and cost effectiveness that our attorneys bring to the firm’s regulatory and transactional practices. Sedgwick attorneys appear before cities and counties throughout the state seeking approval of our clients’ projects. Sedgwick attorneys regularly appear before a wide variety of local, state and federal agencies.

Hospitality Industry

Sedgwick has particular expertise assisting hospitality industry clients with the evaluation of project information, negotiation and documentation of business relationships, negotiating management and franchise agreements, and structuring performance criteria and guarantees.   Our attorneys structure and prepare integrated hotel, condominium and fractional interest declarations for resort projects.  We have extensive expertise in operational and management matters such as liquor and other licensing, golf course, tennis, and recreational facility issues, construction and development projects, financing and refinancing, franchises and licenses, joint ventures, partnerships and other comparable business arrangements, technical service agreements, and labor.

Sedgwick’s real estate and finance attorneys guide clients through the life cycle of complex real estate transactions, from creation of the ownership and development entity through land acquisition, land use approvals, financing, construction, post-construction issues (including defect, warranty and mold issues), sales and commercial leasing, property management, and disposition.

Our attorneys work on projects ranging from large shopping centers, luxury hotels and resorts, sports arena complexes, office buildings, industrial/research campuses and gated residential communities/golf courses to small retail outlets, commercial parks and residential projects. Our approach is narrowly tailored to match our client’s project, objectives and goals.

Our attorneys’ customized approach has attracted a wide variety of clients, including developers, institutional and private lenders, manufacturers, retailers, trade associations, cities, counties, local and state public agencies and public interest groups.
Sedgwick’s real estate and finance practice is part of an interdisciplinary team that also encompasses members of the firm’s environmental, land use, bankruptcy, business litigation, employment and corporate practices.  Our attorneys frequently call upon members of the firm’s environmental practice when site remediation, groundwater contamination, regulatory compliance or environmental risk management issues arise.

Entity Selection

Our transactional attorneys work closely with our clients to select the appropriate form of business entity for any particular project with due regard to liability, taxation, financing, control and related issues.

Acquisitions

We represent sellers and purchasers in the planning, negotiating, documenting (including letters of intent, confidentiality agreements, environmental testing and purchase and sale agreements), due diligence and closing of real estate transactions, including real estate exchanges. We have extensive expertise in ground leasing.

Land Use, Entitlement and Development

Our attorneys handle all aspects of land development and entitlement, including zoning, general plan amendments, specific plans, conditional use permits, impact fees, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), regulatory permitting (wetlands, endangered species, coastal issues), leasing, CC&Rs and reciprocal easement agreements. Sedgwick’s expertise also comes to bear when assisting clients with matters involving local land use ordinances and resolutions, subdivision requirements, water rights, secured instruments, environmental due diligence (including hazardous materials), Brownfields, air quality, annexation and change of sphere of influence, pre-annexation and development agreements, and infrastructure fees.

Financing

We advise clients in connection with the placement, negotiation and closing of debt and equity financing for real estate projects. Our experience includes traditional sources of financing such as land acquisition, construction and permanent loans from banks and insurance companies, as well as direct equity investments, syndication of equity interests, partnership and joint venture investments, sale and leaseback transactions, and securitized borrowings. We have extensive experience representing lenders and borrowers in originating new loans, restructuring existing loans and negotiating loan workouts.

Leasing and Property Management

Our attorneys negotiate and draft commercial leases for all types of properties, including office buildings, shopping centers, retail facilities, hotels, industrial buildings, warehouse and distribution facilities, restaurants, medical office facilities and fraternal organizations.  We provide advice to shopping center owners/managers on a variety of day-to-day operational issues.

Real Estate Litigation

Sedgwick attorneys have extensive experience litigating legal issues arising in the acquisition, ownership, development, management, leasing, sale and disposition of real estate, developed and undeveloped, including lease issues, loan agreements, personal and other guarantees, surety bonds, franchise agreements, construction disputes, brokerage and commission disputes, landlord/tenant disputes, title issues, real estate contract challenges, foreclosure actions, nuisance actions, eminent domain and inverse condemnation, letters of credit, and other security.

Sedgwick attorneys are experienced in all aspects of bankruptcy procedures, including negotiating workouts for financially troubled parties. We commonly prepare, analyze, and litigate mechanics’ lien, delay, disruption and other impact claims, and other construction issues. In addition, Sedgwick assists its clients in bringing administrative challenges before local, state and federal agencies as well as state and federal court actions challenging land use determinations. Sedgwick litigates all substantive areas of land use law with the same creativity and cost effectiveness that our attorneys bring to the firm’s regulatory and transactional practices. Sedgwick attorneys appear before cities and counties throughout the state seeking approval of our clients’ projects. Sedgwick attorneys regularly appear before a wide variety of local, state and federal agencies.

Hospitality Industry

Sedgwick has particular expertise assisting hospitality industry clients with the evaluation of project information, negotiation and documentation of business relationships, negotiating management and franchise agreements, and structuring performance criteria and guarantees.   Our attorneys structure and prepare integrated hotel, condominium and fractional interest declarations for resort projects.  We have extensive expertise in operational and management matters such as liquor and other licensing, golf course, tennis, and recreational facility issues, construction and development projects, financing and refinancing, franchises and licenses, joint ventures, partnerships and other comparable business arrangements, technical service agreements, and labor.