Real estate
GWT is widely regarded as one of the pre-eminent boutique real estate firms in the South Bay. We represent a wide range of clients, including commercial, industrial, and residential real estate developers, architects, contractors, brokers, resort and timeshare operators, owners and investors in office, residential and retail space, tenants in office and retail properties, homeowners associations, and individuals with various disputes concerning their residential real property, including tree and view preservation issues, mold concerns, and property tax appeals.
Given the depth of experience that our real estate lawyers possess, the range and breadth of our industry contacts, and our understanding of the varied marketplaces in which our clients conduct business, we are able to bring a uniquely informed, results-oriented approach to our clients’ real estate transactions. With our numerous subspecialty practice groups, we have the expertise to enable our clients to obtain optimal transactional results in a wide variety of disputes.
GWT’s real estate litigation and transactional groups have substantial cross-over. Our litigators’ transactional orientation provides a strong basis for resolving actions in an advantageous, cost-effective manner. Our real estate and construction lawyers are also well-versed in mediation and arbitration, have significant credibility with the established panel of mediators and arbitrators in Los Angeles and Orange County, and are often able to see a case through to a successful conclusion prior to trial.
Real Estate Transactions
GWT’s real estate lawyers provide clients with comprehensive services encompassing the full range of commercial and residential real estate and development issues. The group helps clients with all aspects of financing, acquisition, development, and disposition of industrial, commercial, and residential real estate. GWT also has a long-standing commercial leasing practice, and has handled countless retail and office leases, including numerous leasing transactions for local medical practices. When necessary, we are also able to help clients with restructurings and workouts.
Practicing Attorneys: Mr. Greenberg, Mr. Whitcombe, Mr. Takeuchi, and Mr. Gibson
Real Estate Litigation
GWT’s real estate litigators capably prosecute and defend litigation in state and federal courts and before arbitration panels involving, among other matters, disputes arising from agreements for purchase and sale, financing, disputes among partners, shareholders or members of an entity or venture, contract and mechanic’s lien disputes, construction defect matters, ADA and timeshare claims, environmental matters, land use, view and mold claims, and commercial landlord-tenant disputes. We enjoy an even more specialized reputation as counsel for shopping center owners, tenants and associations in all aspects of their real estate operations, including CAM and lease disputes.
Practicing Attorneys: Mr. Greenberg, Mr. Whitcombe, Mr. Worthge, Ms. Lamberg and Mr. Weinberger
Construction Law & Litigation
Mark Worthge chairs GWT’s construction defect practice. Our Construction Group is well-versed in all legal aspects of the design and construction process, including construction and design agreements, commercial and residential projects (both single and multi-family), and all types of construction claims and dispute resolution. Our Construction Group has extensive experience handling complex construction litigation. These matters have involved construction defects, soil subsidence, design professional malpractice, contractor / sub-contractor disputes, mechanics’ liens, stop notices, indemnity and insurance claims, and other actions involving construction-related issues. Our construction litigators are extremely knowledgeable about the various alternative dispute resolution tools, and are aggressive in recommending and pursuing such alternatives when they are in the best interests of the client. Our firm has significant credibility with the local panel of mediators and arbitrators, and is often able to obtain a very advantageous result prior to trial.
Practicing Attorneys: Mr. Worthge, Mr. Greenberg, Mr. Whitcombe and Mr. Weinberger
Shopping Center & Retail
GWT’s lawyers have a niche practice representing shopping center owners, tenants and associations in all aspects of their real estate operations, including CAM and lease disputes. By way of example, we have successfully assisted a major national retail tenant with disputes concerning option interpretation, property tax and CAM issues, and lease exclusivity provisions concerning “integrated full-line department stores.” Retailers also rely on our ability and expertise to negotiate and draft high quality shopping center agreements, including leases, purchase and sale agreements, CC&Rs, reciprocal easement agreements, and development agreements.
Practicing Attorneys: Mr. Greenberg, Mr. Whitcombe, and Ms. Lamberg
Hotels, Resorts & Timeshare
For over fifteen years we have represented major Southern California timeshare developers, operators, and marketers concerning all aspects of their business, including compliance with requirements of the Department of Real Estate. We have a deep understanding of the timeshare and resort industry, and have provided related representation in real estate, construction, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and employment-related disputes.
Practicing Attorneys: Mr. Whitcombe, Mr. Worthge, Ms. Lamberg and Mr. Weinberger
Architectural Preservation
GWT offers its real estate clients a rare expertise in the expanding sub-specialty of land use law that focuses on the preservation of historic and cultural architectural resources. Michael Gibson, who leads the Architectural Preservation Group, holds a master’s degree in architectural history and preservation management from the USC School of Architecture, and meets federal regulatory requirements for recognition as a professional architectural historian. Mr. Gibson advises private and governmental clients regarding such matters as complying with federal, state, and local preservation laws and regulations; adopting and amending preservation ordinances; establishing federal, state, and local landmark designations; qualifying for federal, state, and local tax incentives; establishing preservation easements; and forming and maintaining nonprofit organizations for preservation-related purposes.
Practicing Attorney: Mr. Gibson
Land Use, Tree & View Issues
In part because of our location convenient to the hill and bluff-side areas of Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, and Palos Verdes Estates, we have developed an expertise in cases interpreting and enforcing local ordinances and covenants, conditions and restrictions, including those relating to boundary disputes, removal or reduction of trees and foliage, and view preservation. We have successfully represented local homeowners associations in a number of cases in which homeowners sought both damages and injunctions to prevent those associations from cutting trees to create or preserve views. We have also, on many occasions, represented individual homeowners both in cases in which those owners sought to create or preserve views, and in defense of cases which sought to limit or prohibit tree-cutting. Our lawyers have both breadth of experience and a proven track record in these cases, as well as a wide range of other land use and zoning matters.
Practicing Attorneys: Mr. Greenberg, Mr. Gibson, and Ms. Lamberg
Homeowners Associations
GWT’s real estate lawyers have counseled homeowners associations on all aspects of compliance with the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, including voting and election issues, enforcement and modification of CC&Rs, by-laws and other operating rules, and compliance with ADR and IDR requirements. Among other engagements, we have worked with our association clients to successfully defend breach of fiduciary duty claims, oppose injunctions brought to delimit or compel association actions, and handle election and recall efforts under the 2006 amendments to the Act.
Practicing Attorneys: Mr. Greenberg, Mr. Gibson, Ms. Lamberg and Mr. Worthge
Creditors’ Rights and Insolvency Planning
GFW’s lawyers are well known as aggressive and effective advocates for clients attempting to collect business and personal debts, including judgments. The firm has extensive experience representing creditors in connection with receiverships, assignments for benefit of creditors, and all aspects of Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, including filing of claims, relief from automatic stay, and prosecution and defense of adversary proceedings.
By virtue of the experience gained in its representation of creditors, GWT is exceptionally well qualified to render advice to insolvent debtors who are contemplating bankruptcy or other legal mechanisms for accomplishing the effective reorganization or orderly liquidation of a business. Alternative courses of action are identified and carefully weighed, with the goal of achieving the best result for the client.
