Case Studies

Developed a contract for the master developer of a large residential community with a city to meet  the community’s affordable housing requirements.

Negotiated and documented the acquisition of multiple self-storage facilities in Southern California. 

Negotiated and drafted a reciprocal easement agreement with the owner of an adjacent  commercial development for the owner of a multi-family development near Anaheim Stadium.

Developed a master form of home purchase agreement for a national homebuilder to use for  buyers of its homes in California.

Negotiated and drafted a ground lease and purchase and sale agreement for the owner of large manufacturing company to acquire a significant Newport Beach commercial building to be used as  its new corporate headquarters.

Negotiated for several borrowers’ loan documents for loans exceeding $100 million made by major financial institutions.

Assisted several real estate developers in the formation of limited liability companies for the  development of residential communities. 

Represented several physicians in the formation of their professional medical corporations, real estate brokers in the formation of brokerage corporations, and a general contractor in the  conversion of his company from a corporation into a limited liability company.

Represented several property owners clearing up significant title problems on their properties allowing them to successfully clear title so that the properties were marketable.

Assisted real estate developer client in aggregating hundreds of small ancient subdivision parcels into a major modern subdivision.  Challenges addressed on behalf of the client included analyses  of existing record and prescriptive easement rights, adjoining landowner rights, and utilization of probate actions and property tax auction purchases to clear title to numerous parcels.

Prepared template general contractor and design professional agreements for publicly-held homebuilder.

Drafted owner-contractor agreements multi-state design-build design and contractor firm.​

Obtained a defense verdict following a five week jury trial in favor of real property seller of a commercial senior housing community following an online auction where buyer sought $3.49 million in damages plus imposition of punitive damages for alleged fraud, conspiracy, breach of contract and unfair business practices against seller and the online auctioneer.  

Represented a real property portfolio manager in litigation in numerous cases to enforce the terms of a loan guaranty after the borrower defaulted resulting in multi-million dollar settlements.

Prevailed on behalf of a real property buyer in litigation against the seller of a $14 million home that refused to return a $600,000 deposit after the cancellation of a sale.  This resulted in a published opinion from the 4th District Court of Appeals.

Represented a family owned manufacturing corporation in litigation initiated by the Orange County Water District for alleged ground water contamination resulting in positive settlement for our client.

Represented the plaintiff, a business partner, in a dispute concerning the value of the partner’s interest in the company, resulting in a six-figure settlement.

Represented a real property owner in litigation arising out of the breach of a lease and extensive damages to the premises. The result included the restoration of the premises to the property owner and a judgment against the breaching parties.

Structured asset sale to intentionally defective grantor trust for estate tax minimization, saving clients in excess of $2,000,000 in estate taxes.

Advised multiple clients in structuring family real estate transfers to ensure effective maintenance of  parents' existing very low Proposition 13 property tax basis, including leveraged purchase of family residence by one of several siblings.

Represented co-trustees in administration of large taxable estates involving multiple real estate assets and family-owned business interests.

Created family holding company structure for ownership of commercial real estate assets and integrated charitable trust with estate plan and holding company.