Real Estate

Full Service Real Estate Practice

Sophisticated real estate practice emphasizing complex transactions and real estate finance, land use and environmental permitting, litigation and “green” real estate development.

Bench Strength

Real estate, land use and environmental and LEED accredited lawyers, together with comprehensive support team, having expertise in finance, corporate, securities, tax, specialty finance, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights.  Lawyers throughout practice areas consistently receive national recognition for excellence.

Sophisticated Developer Practice

Represent owners and developers in full range of projects, including:

Commercial & industrial developments
Healthcare facilities
Hotels
Industrial parks
Long-term care & sr. living
Mixed use development		Multifamily residential
Office properties
Recreational facilities
Retirement communities
Shopping centers
Universities & colleges

National Reach

Real estate transactions across United States.

Complex Transactions 

Represent real estate clients in complex transactions, including:

Air rights development Management/operations 
Architect agreements Office, retail & industrial leasing 
Construction contracts Portfolio transactions 
Fiber optic/wireless communications Real estate finance 
Mixed use developments Rights of way 
Long-term ground leasing Sale/leaseback 

Zoning & Permitting Expertise

Expertise in obtaining federal, state and local permits and approvals for commercial, industrial, residential, renewable energy and green development projects.

Land Use & Environmental Experts 

Represent clients in regulatory matters, including: 

Agricultural/forest/open space Hazardous wastes 
City of Boston/BRA/large project review Highway access permitting 
Brownfields/superfund sites Historic district review 
Climate change regulations Land use planning & control 
Coastal zone management Site plan review 
Eminent domain Subdivision control 
Environmental impact review Wetlands & tidelands/waterways 
EPA regulations/compliance  

Real Estate Litigation 

Highly experienced in federal and state courts in land use, environmental and transactional disputes and in land court in land and development restrictions.

Real Estate Workout Expertise 

Significant practice representing real estate clients in bankruptcy, workout and restructuring matters involving the unwinding of complex intercreditor relationships and negotiating SWAP prepayments or windups.


Experts in Real Estate Transaction Structuring 

Significant experience in transaction structuring, including:

  • 1031 exchanges
  • Complex real estate acquisition and development joint ventures
  • Private equity real estate funds
  • Tax-exempt entity investments (UBTI-sensitive and “fractions rule” compliant transactions
  • Tax planning and structuring for foreign investors in US real estate (ECI and FIRPTA)
  • Tenancy in common interest transfers (TICs)

Sustainability & Green Building 

Multidisciplinary team of real estate, environmental, land use, tax, energy, clean-tech and corporate attorneys provides full range of sustainability support across industry sectors, and counsels clients on the ways in which existing and emerging international, federal and state climate change regulations impact their businesses. 

Assist clients in greenhouse gas and sustainability due diligence in corporate and real estate transactions.  Provide legal counsel and strategy with respect to permitting and financing of renewable energy projects.  LEED-accredited attorney guides clients through the development of “green” buildings and compliance with state and local requirements for sustainable real estate development. 

Leading US Law Firm 

One of nation’s leading law firms for over a century.  Lawyers in real estate group consistently receive national recognition in Best Lawyers in America and Massachusetts Superlawyers. 

blue chip clients

Represent blue chip real estate clients, including:

Anglo Irish Bank 

Appleton Realty

Bain Capital

Boylston Properties

Bristol Properties

Cape Cod Healthcare

CapStar Hotels

Centremark Properties

Chestnut Hill Realty

Chiofaro Company

City of Somerville

Condyne

Danis Properties

Equity Residential Properties

Fidelity

Fortress Investment Group

Hanover Insurance Group

Harvard

International Hotel Investments

Mass Convention Center Authority

MassHousing

Mass Port Authority

MDOT

Normandy Real Estate 

Opus Investments

South Shore Hospital

Starwood Capital

TD Bank

Teradyne

Thermo Electron

Weston Associates

Choate represents one of the largest REITs

Choate represented Equity Residential Properties, one of the largest apartment REITs in the country, in the permitting and development of 310 additional apartment units in Boston’s Charles River Park complex.  The development was described by one major national analyst as “one of the most interesting projects we have toured in recent memory” and features a signature new building on Boston’s Storrow Drive, across from the Charles River.

Choate represented turnpike authority in $800 million condo project

Choate recently represented the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority in a long term air rights/ground lease to a developer whose $800 million residential condominium project will commence construction later this year.

Choate represents Centremark in Joint Venture

Choate recently represented Centremark in the joint venture acquisition of the Ritz-Carlton parking garage and the Beach Street garage from Urban Growth Properties.  The acquisition is part of the developer’s strategy to create value through maximizing alternative uses.