The powerhouse practice at McCarthy Tétrault remains a market leader, pairing a nationwide presence and offices abroad in London and New York with the experience of its team to advise private and publicly-traded investors, major lenders, pension funds, REITs, developers and governmental bodies, on a comprehensive array of real estate matters. With a client base that features such key market players as the National Bank of Canada and the Bank of Nova Scotia, the group’s full service covers development, acquisitions and dispositions, access agreements, project financing and leasing, in addition to securitization, property management and public-private joint ventures. The practice is led by industry authority John Currie in Toronto, who brings expertise to such transactions as large and mid-scale secured financings, construction contracts and asset management and development agreements. Counsel Abraham Costin specializes in acquisitions, insolvency and realization work related to real property. Other key figures include Jamie Orzech, who employs experience in acting for clients in ground lease and sale leaseback transactions, and Keith Burrell KC in Vancouver, who assists developers of large residential and mixed-use projects engaged in presale activity. Sarit Pandya, who advises clients on syndicated bank facilities, construction financings and mortgage lending, was promoted to partner in January 2023. All lawyers, unless noted, work in the Toronto office.
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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.
Practice covers a full range of transactions, including leasing, acquisitions, development and financing. Acts for both large and small developers, pension funds and financial institutions. Practice also includes insolvency and realisation work related to real property.
Commercial real estate practice covers all aspects of real estate transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions, large and mid-scale secured construction and term financing, securitizations, construction contracts, asset management and development agreements, joint ventures, operating contracts, leasing and licensing. Recent transactions include acting for lenders in respect of large-scale bond and other forms of financings relating to office, retail and industrial complexes, condominium and hotel developments, entertainment and gaming facilities, timberland operations and multi-asset pool senior and mezzanine lending.
Rising Stars
Leading individuals
Partner in the Real Property and Planning Group in Montréal. Practice focuses on real estate acquisitions, real estate financings, property development, commercial leasing, and joint venture transactions. Regularly represents financial institutions and public and private companies in the multi-residential, retail and hotel industries, and for development work. Acting on major transactions for purchasers, lenders and developers of residential and mixed-use projects, including on projects involving vertical subdivisions and co-ownership.
Partner in the firm’s Toronto office. Practice focuses on private equity structuring, pension fund structuring, limited partnerships, joint ventures, and commercial real estate, including acquisitions, sale and leaseback transactions, financings, and property development. A significant portion of his practice is devoted to serving the pension fund industry and private equity real estate sector. Has been engaged by a range of private equity funds, pension funds, and pension fund managers in private equity fund structures, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, and asset management advice. In the last 15 years, has acted for real estate fund promoters in structuring, marketing, and closing multiple open and closed-ended funds across varying asset classes, which have attracted investment from investors of all sizes and types, and then in deploying funds raised in real estate projects.
Practice focuses on commercial real estate including acquisitions and dispositions of all asset classes; commercial leasing including, new project first occupancies, ground lease and sale lease back transactions; borrower and lender side financing transactions, including securitization/ bond financings; real estate development projects including condominium and subdivision development. Extensive experience in the structure and implementation of real estate joint ventures, co-ownerships and other multi-ownership structures. Represents pension funds, REITs, developers, government agencies, financial institutions, public and private real estate managers, and life insurance companies.
Next Generation Partners
Partner and leader of our Real Property and Planning Group in Vancouver. He advises clients in a number of different industries on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, development, structuring, leasing and financing.
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
John Currie