Whether it’s a plant or a pipeline, a new headquarters or a space lease, all companies own or use some form of real estate in their business operations. From ground-up development to sophisticated financing to complex tax matters, our attorneys handle all aspects of real estate projects, transactions, and disputes to support companies in their core business.
Lawyers in our Corporate Real Estate practice work with companies across industries in managing corporate real estate assets. We have deep experience in real estate-related transactions, including the tax aspects of acquisitions, divestitures, development, investment, financing, and leasing. We have guided corporations of all sizes on siting, funding, building, and opening a variety of facilities—from corporate campuses, headquarters, and office buildings to manufacturing, retail, and R&D centers—in locales throughout the country.
We advise corporate management and in-house legal teams at leading corporations nationwide with a strategic approach to maximize asset value, minimize taxes and other costs, capitalize on opportunities, and handle property-related challenges so they can focus on their principal commercial activity.
Integrated Services
Our Corporate Real Estate practice is exceptionally diversified and our services fully integrated nationally to provide seamless counsel, whether a company is acquiring property, planning and implementing development, entering into a complex lease, challenging a property assessment, or divesting of assets that no longer fit its mission.
Deep knowledge of our clients’ businesses and industries—including manufacturing, retail, telecommunications, technology, life sciences, financial services, hospitality, insurance, and energy—powers our attorneys’ ability to deliver tailored, forward-thinking counsel and effective solutions. Backed by our outstanding legal talent across 50 practice areas and our network of 18 offices, our Corporate Real Estate Team is positioned to handle practically any legal issue that arises.
We help companies plan, build, and occupy headquarters, campuses, and other facilities. We have played a leading role in signature projects for corporations in a variety of industries, from manufacturing and financial services to life sciences and professional sports.
We have deep, practical experience in handling every phase of a development and construction project—from due diligence and assemblage of land parcels to complex leasing and ownership structures, including mixed-use and condominium structuring. Our lawyers guide clients through land use and other regulatory approvals and handle negotiations and agreements with governmental agencies and community groups. We are known for drafting and negotiating exceptionally practical and effective design and construction-related agreements that account for risk and liability, insurance, and procurement issues.
Our attorneys listen carefully to our clients’ goals and requirements—the key to successfully managing transactions, from due diligence to closing to post-closing matters. We have successfully structured and negotiated a broad array of complex, high-profile real estate transactions, often leveraging local and regional incentives. We advise corporations in acquisitions and other real estate-related transactions resulting from M&A deals, corporate footprint adjustments, divestitures, and other dispositions. We represent buyers, sellers, and investors in transactions across the country, involving practically every property type, including multi-state portfolios of multi-tenant properties. We are experienced in navigating local idiosyncrasies that can affect a transaction.
Leasing
We are national leaders in leasing matters. We represent some of the largest U.S. corporations in leasing space for headquarters, research centers, and other major facilities. Our Leasing Team is active in a wide variety of transactions—including build-to-suit leases, sale-leasebacks, ground leases, and financing leases. We have handled leases for virtually every type of property.
Litigators on our Corporate Real Estate Team represent clients in the full range of real estate-related disputes, including enforcement actions, eminent domain, ad valorem real estate tax appeals, construction controversies, defect and warranty claims, accessibility issues, and labor and employment disputes.
Real Estate and Construction Litigation
Our real estate and construction litigators work collaboratively with our real estate transactional lawyers and clients to design dispute-avoidance strategies before a deal is finalized. Should a dispute arise, we develop strategies to contain and resolve it before it requires litigation. If litigation becomes necessary, we litigate efficiently, aggressively, and proactively to advocate for our clients’ interests in trials, arbitrations, and administrative hearings. Our experience encompasses disputes involving, in addition to those listed above: financing, title, receiverships and foreclosures, commercial leases and other contracts, zoning and land use, environmental issues, accessibility, timeshares, corporate partnerships/memberships, and procurement, including protests.
Eminent Domain
We handle complex, high-value condemnation cases and have achieved outstanding results for clients in takings litigation. We represent owners of manufacturing facilities, commercial and residential sites, office buildings, telecommunications facilities, power stations, and outdoor advertising platforms in the spectrum of takings, including transit facility expansion, public-private redevelopment projects, and open-space acquisitions. Our lawyers work with respected appraisers and experts to develop winning valuation strategies and provide strong advocacy in pleadings, hearings, and trials.
Litigation | Real Estate and Construction Litigation | Eminent Domain
Our Corporate Real Estate tax attorneys advise companies on federal, state, and local tax issues that arise in the acquisition, construction, ownership, leasing, financing, and divestiture of real estate. Our team handles condemnation matters, ad valorem tax appeals, and the spectrum of regulatory matters in jurisdictions nationwide. We advise on tax credits and transfer taxes and defend clients during tax audits and controversies. We advise clients on real estate tax exemption applications and payments in lieu of taxes by charitable foundations.
Real Estate Tax Appeals
A successful ad valorem tax appeal requires seasoned counsel with a strong command land valuation law, as well as assessment and appraisal standards and practices. Ballard Spahr’s real estate valuation litigation practice is a national leader, drawing on the strengths of the firm’s nationally acclaimed real estate and litigation practices. Working with respected appraisers and land planners, our attorneys apply deep knowledge in real estate and skillful litigation strategy to help clients lessen their tax burden in jurisdictions throughout the country.
State and Local Tax
Our State and Local Tax (SALT) Team guides businesses in jurisdictions across the country through the evolving landscape of state and local tax laws to achieve creative, efficient, and effective resolutions to the spectrum of tax issues and matters that arise in the real estate context. The SALT Team provides strategic tax planning and forceful advocacy in controversies and disputes.
Tax - Real Estate | Tax | Real Estate Tax Appeals | State and Local Tax