NEW YORK (PRWEB) January 09, 2023
Greenberg Traurig’s award-winning Global Real Estate Practice had another strong year in 2022 despite the headwinds of an uncertain global economy. Continuing the momentum of a record 2021, the practice successfully advised a wide range of clients in market-defining transactions, from representing CBRE Investment Management in its $4.9 billion acquisition of a global portfolio of logistics properties to assisting New York City’s largest office landlord with a $1.7 billion recapitalization of 5 Times Square in Manhattan.
“Even as the global economy shows signs of an economic slowdown, Greenberg Traurig attorneys are playing a key role in helping our real estate clients efficiently and effectively navigate legal challenges and opportunities to stay ahead of the market and achieve their business objectives,” said Richard J. Giusto, co-chair of the firm’s Global Real Estate Practice. “The firm’s unmatched global resources, coupled with our collaborative culture, enables us to provide best-in-class service to clients regardless of location, complexity of transaction, or asset class.”
The team saw robust client demand across the full spectrum of real estate transactions and matters, including fund formations, asset management, property development, litigation, and restructurings. To meet this client demand and add key skillsets to the practice, the team bolstered its legal bench and expanded into several new markets, including Charlotte, N.C., Long Island, N.Y., and Portland, Ore. Since 2021, the team has grown to 700+ attorneys worldwide, adding more than 40 shareholders and of counsels in key markets across the globe and retaining a significant number of attorneys compared to competitor firms.
“As a full-service practice, we provide clients holistic counsel that goes beyond the project lifecycle and encompasses all issues related to the flow and deployment of capital into real estate worldwide,” said Christian Schede, co-chair of the Global Real Estate Practice and founding chairman of the firm’s office in Germany. “With market conditions evolving at a rapid pace, the firm has a truly global real estate offering that is well-positioned to serve clients in a wide array of international and cross-border transactions from our offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.”
In 2022, GT’s real estate team intentionally grew on every continent where Greenberg Traurig is located, advising on more international and cross-border transactions than ever before, including assisting Europa Capital’s pan-European core fund in further closings valued at 2 billion euros and representing Union Investment in its $175 million refinancing of the Torre Mayor skyscraper in Mexico City.
“I am particularly proud that while many firms suffered from high attrition during the pandemic, we managed to come through it stronger than ever, with the right skillsets to serve clients in a rapidly changing environment,” said Michael J. Baum, co-chair of the firm’s Global Real Estate Practice. “The strength of our team allows us to serve an increasingly diverse client roster, from institutional asset owners and managers to developers, private equity firms, REITs, and funds, as well as entrepreneurial investors.”
In 2022, the team handled notable transactions across the globe for Allianz, Blackstone, Bridge Investment, Brookfield, CBRE, Cerberus, Invesco, Kayne Anderson, Kimco, Mast Capital, Related, Schottenstein, SL Green, Tishman Speyer, Union Investment, Valor, and Walton Street Capital, among others.
“Through various credit cycles and market challenges, clients continue to trust Greenberg Traurig with their most complex and unique real estate transactions and matters,” said Stephen L. Rabinowitz, co-chair of the firm’s Global Real Estate Practice. “Regardless of the challenge at hand, we have the deep industry knowledge and experience necessary to provide forward-thinking legal representation with a keen focus on clients’ business objectives.”
Among the major transactions handled by Greenberg Traurig’s Global Real Estate Practice in 2022, the team represented:
- Allianz Real Estate and Edge Technologies in their launch of a 1.3-billion-euro program to develop a series of smart and sustainable office buildings in Germany’s four largest cities (Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Frankfurt).
- Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust as Nevada and Gaming counsel in a $5.65 billion sale-leaseback transaction involving the MGM-operated Cosmopolitan luxury hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
- Bridge Investment Group in launching Bridge Opportunity Zone Fund V, a closed-end qualified opportunity zone fund that sold out at $1 billion.
- CBRE Investment Management in its acquisition of 57 state-of-the-art logistics centers in the U.S. and Europe for $4.9 billion, helping it expand its global logistics footprint amid increased demand for warehouse space.
- EQT Exeter in its sale of a portfolio of 132 logistics properties in western and central Europe for 3 billion euros – one of the largest industrial real estate transactions in European history. Greenberg Traurig handled the Polish and Italian aspects of the deal.
- Europa Diversified Income Fund (EDIF), Europa Capital’s pan-European core fund, in further closings valued at 2 billion euros, demonstrating investors’ appetite for perpetual life vehicles.
- Global Student Accommodation (GSA) in its acquisition of a 12-property student housing portfolio across 10 states and 12 cities. GT also represented GSA in the simultaneous formation of a multi-billion-dollar joint venture with a fund managed by Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing to invest in student housing nationwide.
- Greenlaw Partners in its $520 million sale of eight e-commerce distribution sites in California and Utah to Mirae – one of the largest industrial deals in the western U.S. in 2022.
- Greystar Real Estate Partners in the sale of a 30-property, U.S. multifamily housing portfolio to Ivanhoe Cambridge for $3.6 billion.
- Hines Industries in a joint venture agreement with a global institutional investor for the development of best-in-class logistics buildings and industrial parks in major population centers across Mexico. With an initial capitalization of $300 million, the venture has the capacity to invest up to $900 million for the acquisition of greenfield sites in Mexico as well as the development of next-generation industrial and logistics assets.
- IGIS Asset Management-led consortium of South Korean institutional investors in a complex cross-border acquisition and financing of a global data center occupied by a leading international accounting firm in the U.S. for $260 million – one of the largest single-asset transactions of its kind involving Asia-based investors in the U.S. Greenberg Traurig advised in all aspects of the transaction, including optimal tax and legal structuring, negotiating and closing the acquisition and financing, and advising on strategic agreements related to data center operations and management.
- Necessity Retail REIT in its $1.3 billion acquisition of 81 open-air shopping centers across the U.S. to strengthen its focus on neighborhood-oriented, “necessity-based” retail assets.
- SL Green, New York City’s largest office landlord, in its partnership with RXR Realty to recapitalize 5 Times Square in the heart of midtown Manhattan. With $1.7 billion in new financing, the iconic office building is now better positioned to bolster its long-term competitiveness and attract new tenants after the recent departure of original anchor EY.
- Union Investment in connection with a $175 million refinancing of Mexico City’s Torre Mayor skyscraper, considered one of the most earthquake-resistant skyscrapers in the world, with a height of 228 meters and 55 floors. The Torre Mayor is owned by a Mexican trust in which Union Investment holds 30 percent for the account of the open-ended real estate fund.
- Valor Real Estate Partners in disposing of a pan-European last-mile logistics group holding for approximately 1 billion euros. The firm also assisted Valor in establishing a new value-add logistics strategy with equity commitments from a Canadian institution in excess of 2 billion euros.
About Greenberg Traurig's Real Estate Practice: The Greenberg Traurig Real Estate Practice is a cornerstone of the firm and a recognized leader in the industry. The firm’s real estate attorneys deliver diversified and comprehensive counsel for property acquisition and investment, development, management and leasing, financing, restructuring, and disposition of all asset classes of real estate. The team draws upon the knowledge and experience of more than 700 real estate lawyers from around the world, serving clients from key markets in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The group’s clientele includes a broad range of property developers, lenders, investment managers, private equity funds, REITs, and private owners. The firm’s real estate team advises clients on a variety of matters across a broad spectrum of commercial, recreational, and residential real estate, including structured equity and debt and the hybrids.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2500 attorneys in 43 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021 and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, and NLJ 250. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e® Energy program certifies that the firm’s U.S. offices are 100% powered by renewable energy. The firm is often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com.