With one of the largest real estate practice groups in the GTA, Aird & Berlis has the breadth and depth of experience to handle any real estate deal.
Our Real Estate Group assists clients with the purchase, sale and development of real property, leasing transactions and all types of real estate financing. We have extensive experience representing clients involved in the development, construction and management of office buildings, hotels, residential and commercial condominiums, residential rental projects, retirement homes and shopping centres. Our experience extends to infrastructure planning, financing and procurement.
We have acted on behalf of both public entities and private developers in structuring and implementing transactions involving public-private partnerships (P3) for infrastructure and we understand the policy, political and institutional issues involved.
Serving our real estate clients requires a multidisciplinary approach. Our real estate lawyers draw on the expertise of other firm professionals to give our clients the range of advice needed to successfully complete their real estate joint ventures and syndications, financings, reorganizations, financial workouts and environmental assessments.
Our Real Estate Group is a recognized leader in Canada. Developers of commercial, institutional, residential and industrial real estate, Canadian and international real property investors and providers of financing, construction services and property management have all benefited from our counsel.
We specialize in a number of areas of real estate law, including:
Development
Our group has had extensive experience in land development, from rural land to urban redevelopment and intensification. With the extensive involvement of our Municipal & Land Use Planning Group, we work with our clients in developing residential subdivisions, commercial developments and redevelopments, industrial subdivisions and condominium developments, both in an urban and a suburban context. We understand the development and planning approvals processes and we can help our clients navigate through it.
Construction
Our group acts for contractors, architects, land developers and builders, which allows us to see construction from all sides. We have extensive experience in CCDC and RAIC contracts. We are also involved in construction lien litigation. We ensure that construction issues as they arise are handled quickly and effectively.
Acquisitions
We have been involved in acquisitions from coast to coast, of all asset classes, including office, retail, industrial, multifamily, raw land, institutional, government and specialty assets such as hotels, refineries and manufacturing plants. We have done single assets and large portfolios. In each case, we bring a sophisticated and in-depth understanding of conveyancing and real estate due diligence matters, and can assure our clients that the property title as acquired meets their objectives and expectations.
Financings
We act for many major lenders and borrowers throughout Canada. We have been involved in everything from simple first mortgage financings to sophisticated mezzanine deals, bonds and commercial backed mortgage security issues. Our lawyers have extensive experience in mortgage enforcement and restructuring, and remedies such as power of sale, foreclosure and actions on the covenant. We are able to offer our clients the strategic advice necessary to ensure a smooth financing transaction.
Dispositions
We have assisted clients in the disposition of real estate assets by various means, including sale through a broker and by auction. In each case, we take care that the disposition is handled expeditiously, with the client’s objectives in mind, while attempting to eliminate any residual risk or liability. We are focused on getting our clients the disposition proceeds as quickly and as cleanly as possible.