Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP continues to be a leader in the real estate space, drawing on its deep bench of national offices in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa and abroad in London and New York, to advise a broad client base of domestic and international institutional and private entities, developers, banks, pension funds, fund managers, insurance companies, REITs, retail and commercial property owners and occupiers, hotel owners and government agencies, on a diverse spectrum of real estate matters. The practice, which displays particular strength in the retail and financial services spaces, is led in Toronto by Thomas von Hahn, an expert in the acquisition and disposition of real property and mortgage portfolios, and John Hutmacher, who utilizes extensive experience advising clients on acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, sales and leaseback transactions. Other key figures include Silvana D’Alimonte, who specializes in complex financings involving investors, fund managers and asset managers; Daniel Kofman, who brings expertise acting as real estate lead on multi-billion-dollar acquisitions in the financial services sector; and Garth Anderson in Calgary, who brings over 25 years in the real estate arena assisting life insurance companies, REITs and utility companies. Key support is provided by senior associate Jean-Simon Lamarre in Montreal. Unless noted, all lawyers mentioned work in the Toronto office.

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Key clients

  • Balfour Pacific Capital
  • Hackman Capital Partners
  • Northview Residential REIT
  • Primaris REIT
  • BentallGreenOak
  • Mackenzie Financial Corporation

Work highlights

  • Acted for Primaris REIT, on two shopping centre acquisitions in Ontario (Conestoga Mall, Waterloo) and Nova Scotia (Halifax Shopping Centre, Halifax), valued at over C$600m.
  • Acted on an upwards of C$741m acquisition by Northview REIT of over 3,300 multi-family suites and 119,000 commercial square feet in exchange for Northview Residential REIT units, exchangeable units and redeemable units and the assumption of in-place financing.
  • Acted for Oxford Properties and Canada Pension Plan, as joint 50/50 owners, on the sale of 401 West Georgia and 402 Dunsmuir, Vancouver.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

John Hutmacher, Thomas von Hahn

Other key lawyers

Silvana D’Alimonte, Daniel Kofman, Garth Anderson, Daniel Ferreira, Joseph Grignano, Neil Katz, Greg Umbach, Jay Geers, Patrick Gordon, Jean-Simon Lamarre, Rachel Lehman