TOP REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT LAWYERS 2025
BRUCE FISCHER GREENEBRG TRAURIG, LLP IRVINE B ruce Fischer didn’t choose real estate law — it chose him. As chair of Greenberg Traurig LLP’s West Coast real estate practice and co- managing shareholder of the firm’s Orange County office, he has orchestrated some of the most complex development deals on the West Coast, with project values exceeding $5 billion combined. “I wasn’t really drawn to this area. Rather, I was pulled into it like a magnet pulls and attracts metal objects — where I have been the metal object and the magnets has been my clients,” Fischer said of his path into real estate development law. Fischer’s practice centers on what he calls “acting as the quarterback (including running with the ball) for the development of mixed use projects that are developed with a combination of private and public funds.” This approach has positioned him at the center of transformative urban development projects that reshape entire communities. Two projects exemplify Fischer’s work on transactions that require both legal precision and strategic vision. He represents Related California in their acquisition of a 41-acre Orange County development site through a master ground lease. The project calls for 3,750 apartments, 170 senior housing units, a 200-room hotel and 350,000 square feet of retail space, with an estimated construction cost exceeding $3 billion. The complexity of that deal required Fischer to navigate relationships with multiple property- owning families, each with different perspectives on the site’s development potential. The negotiations spanned nearly three years before culminating in a 99-year master ground lease. The challenge was compounded by existing retail tenants occupying structures on the property. Fischer also represents Sterling Bay on a 400-acre Louisville, Colorado development projected to cost more than $2 billion. The project will include 2.4 million square feet of life science, research and development and industrial space. The scale necessitated extensive infrastructure work, much of it funded through bonds issued by a Metro District. Both projects required Fischer to overcome significant obstacles related to land use approvals and financing structures. “The key in meeting all these challenges and getting past all these obstacles was focusing on each of them, one at a time, and finding solutions that resulted in a win-win
ROBERT P. FRIEDMAN CARLTON FIELDS, LLP LOS ANGELES R obert Friedman has built his career around the tangible nature of real estate, specializing in commercial development, property transactions, acquisitions, leasing, financing, public-private partnerships and joint ventures. His practice spans all types of real estate, though he maintains a focus on retail shopping centers. “Shopping centers require a nuanced approach — balancing tenant mix, operational continuity and the developer’s goal of creating an environment that benefits both individual tenants and the project as a whole,” Friedman said. The complexity of these projects demands both foresight from developers and ongoing legal guidance to ensure long-term success, he added. Friedman describes himself as a “soup to nuts” real estate lawyer, providing continuity from acquisition through long-term ownership or disposition by sale. He finds satisfaction in seeing projects develop from initial concept through completion and beyond. “Clients appreciate that real property is tangible and enduring, and I find it deeply satisfying to see a project built from the ground up and remain involved in its evolution over time,” Friedman said. His approach to legal practice was shaped by lessons learned early in his career. While working at a boutique real estate firm, a senior partner demonstrated the importance of client service by dictating brief summaries after completing deals and announcing fees. “His point was simple but powerful: law is a service business, and it’s our job to accommodate the client, not the other way around,” Friedman said. Experience taught him that each transaction presents unique challenges. “No two legal matters are ever truly the same, even if they appear similar on the surface,” he said. Each deal is influenced by client personality and goals, economic conditions, deal structure and property-specific details, Friedman added. In 2024, he successfully closed acquisitions on three California retail shopping centers for repurposing and redevelopment. The first transaction involved a newly closed investment fund requiring work with securities counsel to secure lender approvals. Part of the equity came from two co-owners completing 1031 exchanges, necessitating a tenants-in-common agreement and lender approval.
DANIEL G. HAGEDORN REED SMITH LLP COSTA MESA D aniel Hagedorn has built his career at the intersection of commercial real estate and social impact, handling transactions worth hundreds of millions while dedicating significant time to addressing homelessness in Orange County. As a partner in Reed Smith LLP’s global real estate group, Hagedorn represents institutional and non- institutional investors, funds, owners, developers and operators across the commercial real estate spectrum. His practice centers on structuring joint ventures and private equity deals, with recent transactions including multiple eight and nine-figure investments. Hagedorn recently led Reed Smith’s work with Nuveen Real Estate platform funds to invest more than $250 million in MyPlace, a self-storage platform. The partnership aims to grow Nuveen Real Estate’s assets under management to approximately $1 billion over the next few years through strategic acquisitions, financings and joint ventures. Hagedorn also guided GFH Partners’ seventh US Industrial and Logistics Fund, valued at more than $200 million, including debt. The Shari’a-compliant fund spans eight states with a portfolio of 21 income-yielding properties focused on industrial and transportation logistics sectors. “I was drawn to real estate and development because it offers a unique combination of tangible outcomes, complex problem-solving and long- term impact,” Hagedorn said. “Unlike many areas of law, real estate allows you to see the direct results of your work — whether it’s a new building, a revitalized neighborhood, or a successful investment.” Beyond commercial transactions, Hagedorn has invested considerable pro bono time in housing policy. He led the creation and launch of United Way of Orange County’s WelcomeHomeOC program, which provides rental assistance vouchers and landlord incentives to help homeless individuals secure private market housing. The program, which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has called exemplary, has housed more than 1,100 people experiencing homelessness since its 2019 inception. Hagedorn helped establish the legal framework from scratch and later negotiated contracts with Orange County and several cities for UWOC to process more than $75 million in federal emergency rental assistance during the pandemic. SEE PAGE 25
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PAGE 10 | DAILY JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT | JUNE 18, 2025
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