Michael Leake is a seasoned real estate lawyer who leads deals for clients nationwide. The co-leader of the Real Estate, Energy, Land Use and Environmental practice group, he is highly skilled in assembling teams of lawyers with the precise skillsets needed for complex transactions.
Real estate investment funds, REITs, pension funds, private equity funds, insurance companies, developers and other institutional investors and landlords rely on Michael for complex transactions including:
- Acquisitions and dispositions of all commercial sectors
- Leasing for retail, industrial and office sites
- Financing
- Entity formation and structuring
- Joint ventures
- Multi-family and hotel property management agreements
Michael brings a calm, practical approach to even difficult negotiations, focusing on accomplishing his clients’ business and legal objectives and getting deals done.
Representing multifamily, retail, industrial and office property owners with a broad range of legal matters, including acquisitions and dispositions is at the center of Michael’s practice. He also advises on the structuring, documentation and negotiation of ground leases (including sale-leasebacks), and office, retail and industrial use leases, and related occupancy and build-out agreements in suburban commercial park developments and downtown commercial district buildings. Michael counsels commercial developers on purchases and sales, post-acquisition site development and cost-sharing agreements.
While working on multi-state multi-property deals with complex tax components such as tax deferred exchanges sale-leasebacks and other arrangements, Michael also manages small teams to close single asset transactions efficiently.
In his free time Michael serves as pro bono general counsel for both the USS Midway Museum and the U.S. Navy SEAL Museum.