Departments: Corporate: Real Estate

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Walter McCabe, Practice Group Head
Harvard Law School, 1986
800-951-4888 x7231
walter.mccabe@ropesgray.com

How big is our practice group?
21 lawyers (6 partners, 3 counsel and 12 associates).

Nick Madden (University of Virginia School of Law '03) is currently working on a private equity acquisition of childcare facilities in 13 states. He is also assisting a client in the formation of a joint venture to produce and distribute fuel at a leased site in South America. Nick recently assisted a client with a sale-leaseback of a concrete plant in Nevada, and assisted another client with its leasing of warehouse space in Pennsylvania. He has also worked on some of the larger projects undertaken recently by the Real Estate Group, including the transfer and mortgaging of 343 restaurant properties in 36 states for a private equity acquisition loan.

Jack Creedon (Boston College Law School '04) is currently assisting a large pharmaceutical client with negotiating a long-term lease with a national real estate investment trust for research and development laboratory space in Cambridge, MA. Jack recently assisted a client with the acquisition of a $100 million manufacturing company with several manufacturing facilities in Wisconsin and Indiana. His work on this project involved analyzing the potential impacts of a proposed eminent domain taking affecting one of the company's manufacturing facilities, drafting mortgages and resolving title issues.

Brad Maxwell (Cornell Law School '04) is currently assisting an energy company in its ongoing environmental remediation efforts in Everett, Massachusetts, and is advising a real estate development company in its purchase, financing, permitting and redevelopment of commercial properties in Waltham, Massachusetts. Recently, Brad negotiated two leases for office space in Connecticut for a technology company, and advised a Massachusetts municipality in connection with a major redevelopment project in the city's downtown area.

Matt Terry (Boston College Law School '03) recently assisted a commercial landlord with environmental, permitting and condemnation issues in connection with the sale of a 20 acre development parcel in Woburn, Massachusetts. Matt is also working with an assisted-living developer on the creation of an elderly housing community in Belmont, Massachusetts, including drafting the model purchase agreement and supporting documents.

Erika Alders (Harvard Law School '05) is currently assisting a Massachusetts municipal agency with the permitting of an approximately 4.5 million square foot mixed-use development consisting of residential, retail, restaurant, hotel, office, and public space and assisting an international client in negotiations for the purchase of an industrial facility in Pennsylvania. Recently, Erika has negotiated a lease for office space for a hospital, drafted provisions in stock purchase agreements related to real estate and environmental issues in connection with private equity transactions, and assisted institutional investors and third party developers in the purchase of several properties.

What do we do?
We assist our clients in acquiring, developing, and leasing large office buildings or other facilities, from site acquisition and permitting through financing. We represent institutional investors in real estate (such as pension funds, endowment funds and real estate hedge funds) in entering into joint venture agreements with third party developers and managers for the purchase and development of various types of real estate projects throughout the United States. We also work closely with the firm’s Private Equity and Debt Financing practice groups on the real estate aspects of major M&A/LBO transactions.

What have we done lately?

Served as lead borrower’s counsel for a $790 million securitized mortgage/mezzanine financing, involving 343 bar/restaurant locations in 36 states, in connection with the going-private acquisition of Outback Steakhouse and related restaurant chains.
Currently represent the pension fund for a Fortune 100 company with respect to all of its direct investments in real estate. These investments have included the acquisition and development of high-quality malls throughout the United States, including a 200,000 square-foot open-air luxury mall in the El Paseo retail district of Palm Desert, California.
Represented a major Boston teaching hospital in connection with the development of a 350,000 sq. ft. in-patient facility that included a below-ground connection to its existing hospital, 350 car garage, and its campus master plan as well as in the development of other ambulatory care and neighborhood health centers.
Represented a real estate investment trust in connection with its acquisition of the Boston Westin Waterfront. This transaction involved phased purchases and renegotiations of two separate ground leases and a sublease for hotel and retail use with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and the restructuring of a payment in lieu agreement with the City regarding real estate tax payments.

When do we meet?
Lunch meeting every two weeks.