In many of the major real estate and development projects that are regularly underway in our region, transactional and land use matters and concerns go hand in hand. It is natural, then, for real estate transactional and development attorneys to work very closely together. At Gibbons, the close collaboration is embodied in a joint practice, the Real Property Group. Today, the Gibbons Real Property Group is a large and busy department combining highly experienced attorneys in every facet of real estate development and transactions. The result: the Gibbons Real Property Group has been included on the U.S. News Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms list every year since 2013.
Gibbons Real Property Group lawyers think strategically and proactively. We see the terrain, know the issues, and solve problems. We are committed to complete client satisfaction, building long-term relationships with our clients and helping them achieve their business objectives.
Areas of Focus
Public/Private Infrastructure Projects
Gibbons attorneys have played significant roles in major public and private infrastructure development projects that are critical to their respective regions, substantially affect their regional economies, and require familiarity with all aspects of a major development. Our representation encompasses a wide array of project-driven strategies and tasks, including advice and counsel on construction, property acquisition, development, environmental, and related critical negotiations for right-of-way acquisition; design and construction coordination agreements with utilities and third party governmental agencies and entities; insurance issues; and, most recently, property interest agreements and related instruments with various state and municipal agencies and utilities. We also handle complex litigation that often arises in the course of these matters.
Real Estate Land Use and Development
On the development side, Gibbons has a noteworthy level of local and regional land use experience, with the firm leading development projects in almost 450 municipalities in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. Gibbons is recognized for its significant experience in zoning, planning, and permitting matters, with particular emphasis on commercial, office, retail, and industrial uses. We consistently work with some of the region’s most highly respected and best-known architects, professional planners, landscape architects, traffic engineers, engineering firms, and environmental consultants.
Transactional Real Estate
Buying, selling, leasing, and financing properties are the core activities of the transactional real estate team within the Real Property Group. The Transactional Team represents sellers, buyers, and developers of office buildings, industrial facilities, resort properties, hotels, shopping centers, and land and handles condominium developments and conversions. We also conduct due diligence investigations in connection with property acquisitions. The Team handles leases ranging from ground leases for development projects to office, industrial, and retail leases, on behalf of both landlords and tenants. Attorneys on the Team are also experienced in every kind of real estate financing transaction, from simple, “plain vanilla” mortgage loans to the most complex, multi-property, multi-jurisdiction financings and tax-driven transactions, including sales/leasebacks and unconventional financings. Our transactional attorneys are equally adept in handling real estate workouts and distressed assets, both debt and equity, representing lenders, borrowers, and purchasers.