Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP‘s real estate team leverages its industry experience to advise clients on every aspect of their real estate transactions. The practice demonstrates a considerable breadth of services including advising on acquisitions and dispositions, lease agreements, equity investments, and joint venture negotiations. Notably, the firm has extensive experience in complex mortgage and mezzanine finance work, regularly advising debt funds, banks, and life insurance companies on real estate matters involving a variety of asset classes. The West Coast team is led by chair Misty Sanford in the Los Angeles office, who brings broad transactional experience with an emphasis on loan workouts, real estate financings, and complex mixed-use developments. In New York, co-chairs David Drewes and Carly Glover Saviano focus on all types of real estate transactions and represent a range of clients.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Dave Drewes is very level-headed and has a wealth of experience.’

  • 'Focused on constructive solutions, deep expertise, collaborative.'

Key clients

  • Adept Development
  • AGC Equity Partners
  • Aspen Skiing Company
  • Breakthrough Properties
  • The Broad Museum
  • Brookfield
  • Cain International
  • Capital Senior Living Corporation
  • Caruso Affiliated Holding
  • Centerbridge Partners

Work highlights

Represented HBC, the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, on its $2.65bn acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group, the parent company of Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.
Represented Standard Real Estate Investments in the acquisition of an apartment complex located in Aurora, Illinois, for a purchase price in excess of $94m.
Represented Harbor Group International in connection with its joint venture investment with Milhaus.

Lawyers

Practice head

David Drewes; Carly Glover Saviano; Misty Sanford