TOP REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPMENT LAWYERS 2025
TONY N. NATSIS ALLEN MATKINS LECK GAMBLE MALLORY & NATSIS LLP CENTURY CITY T ony Natsis has built his legal practice around the world of commercial real estate, handling transactions that often require months of negotiation and creative problem-solving. His work spans development, leasing, purchase and sale agreements, joint ventures and portfolio investment sales transactions. Recent confidential deals showcase the complexity of Natsis’s practice. The acquisition of an office building: purchasing a promissory note from the lender, securing purchase money financing from an affiliate of that same lender, executing a deed in lieu transaction with the borrower and establishing a joint venture with an equity partner. “The purchase ... required the purchase of the promissory note from the lender, the finalization of purchase money financing from an affiliate of the lender, a deed in lieu transaction with the borrower, and a joint venture with our equity partner,” Natsis explained when describing the transaction’s structure. Another deal involved a local utility signing a lease in Downtown Los Angeles, which demanded negotiation of lease documentation, an escrow arrangement, guarantees from the landlord for tenant improvement allowances and brokerage commissions and a subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreement from the lender. Perhaps the most substantial transaction was a billion-dollar office building portfolio recapitalization. The deal required a contribution agreement, a joint venture agreement, refinancing of 11 separate existing debts on the portfolio and multiple asset management, property management and leasing agreements. “All three of the transactions set forth above required daily interaction with the client, opposing counsel, and the opposing business team, as obstacles and wrinkles were worked out in order make those transactions close,” Natsis said. His approach emphasizes consistent communication and flexibility. “In order to overcome such obstacles, we had to apply creative solutions, almost on a weekly basis, and by focusing on the transactions on a daily and weekly basis, they closed,” Natsis said. Despite current market conditions, he said he sees
JEROLD NEUMAN DLA PIPER LOS ANGELES J erold Neuman chairs DLA Piper’s California real estate and land use practice, where he has spent decades navigating the complex intersection of politics, community engagement and development. His path to specializing in land use and governmental advocacy began with an unlikely combination of interests that would later define his career approach. “From high school through law school, I had three passions: politics, theater and the built environment,” Neuman said. His entry into land use law came through Doug Ring, then the newly hired head of real estate at Shea & Gould, who introduced him to a discipline that would allow him to merge these disparate interests into a cohesive practice. Ring, whom Neuman credits as a pioneer of land use as a separate discipline from general real estate, showed him how his background in political strategy and theater direction could be applied to orchestrating development projects. “My skills as a political strategist combined with my training as a theater director would allow me an opportunity to orchestrate teams in order to create significant projects that help build and define communities,” Neuman explained. Neuman’s approach to overcoming obstacles in land use matters reflects this theatrical background. He describes real estate project creation as similar to theater, requiring coordination among multiple disciplines including developers, architects, environmental consultants and marketing personnel. “The creation of a project is the marriage and coordination of many visions and the art of communicating that vision to the community, governmental staff and politicians,” he said. Neuman’s methods for addressing challenges have ranged from legislative solutions to community engagement strategies. He has written and passed new laws to override existing obstacles, used obscure legal provisions to reinterpret applicable rules and redesigned client visions to align with community sensibilities. His toolkit also includes creating public investments to overcome financial impediments and establishing political imperatives that support proposed projects. Beyond his legal mentors, Neuman credits his parents with shaping his professional philosophy. His father instilled an understanding of real estate as a vital asset and the importance of building motivated teams, while his mother embedded in
BRIAN O’NEILL PATTERSON & O’NEILL, PC SAN FRANCISCO & LOS ANGELES B rian O’Neill has built his legal practice around California’s housing crisis, specializing in cutting-edge housing law and litigation at a time when new state housing laws emerge annually. His firm recently secured one of the first victories involving the controversial “Builder’s Remedy” provision of the Housing Accountability Act against the city of Los Angeles, resulting in a trial court order for an appeal bond exceeding $7 million. The Builder’s Remedy provision requires certain housing projects to receive approval even when they conflict with local zoning and general plans. O’Neill’s success with this legal tool has extended beyond the courtroom. His client’s project in Mountain View was recently approved by the city, which the firm believes represents the first Builder’s Remedy project approved in the Bay Area. “Perhaps most satisfying part was being able to utilize that success and our firm’s reputation to get our client’s projects approved without having to resort to litigation,” O’Neill said. He describes his work as helping to shape the meaning of new housing laws in an area with limited case precedent. He was drawn to housing law because of California’s ongoing housing crisis and finds satisfaction in using new legislation creatively. O’Neill faces predictable opposition to housing projects. “Almost any time a new housing project is proposed, there is going to be pushback, particularly from neighbors,” he said. “Even local governments that support housing can get cold feet when it comes time to vote to approve a controversial project.” His strategy involves leveraging legislative tools including potential fines, penalties, and attorney fee provisions to secure project approvals. The firm also works with pro-housing advocacy groups to encourage project supporters to attend public hearings, countering the tendency for only opponents to participate. “It is crucial to show cities and counties that the approval of housing is not only legally required, but also politically popular,” O’Neill said. The attorney observes a shift in the relationship between developers and local governments. Historically, housing developers have been reluctant to challenge local government demands due to the extensive discretion cities and counties held over projects. SEE PAGE 23
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DAILY JOURNAL SUPPLEMENT | JUNE 18, 2025 | PAGE 17
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