Best Lawyers in Canada for Real Estate Law

Laura Smith is a member of Fasken’s Real Estate Law and Banking & Finance practice groups in Vancouver, focusing on acquisitions and dispositions, commercial leasing, real estate development and lending. Laura has a range of experience in real property matters and has acted for clients in a range of commercial real estate transactions. Laura also acts for lenders and borrowers in secured financing transactions, including syndicated loan transactions.

John Jung is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. John, who practices law in Calgary, Alberta, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David Thompson is a highly distinguished leasing lawyer. Since 1989, his practice has focused on commercial leasing and development law, negotiating large and complex retail, commercial, mixed-use, ground and industrial leasing transactions across Canada, for some of the most significant clients in the field. David regularly acts for landlords, tenants, lenders and property managers. As a partner at WeirFoulds, he has acted for some of Canada’s most well-known national chains in food se...

Andrew Burt is a banking & finance lawyer in Fasken’s Calgary office advising a wide range of borrowers and lenders in debt financing transactions including acquisition financing, project financing, asset-based lending, first and second lien credit facilities and bridge loans. Andrew advises clients in a variety of industries including oil and gas, insurance and real estate. Andrew has experience advising clients in the areas of corporate finance, M&A, private equity and venture...

Paulina Kam is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Paulina, who practices law in Vancouver, British Columbia, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Paulina is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Cathy is a commercial solicitor whose practice emphasizes commercial real estate, business law, and financing. After earning her B.A. with Distinction (1993) and her LL.B. with Distinction (1996 - bronze medalist) at the University of Alberta, she was admitted to the Alberta bar in 1997. Away from the office, Cathy is a director of the Edmonton Chapter of NAIOP, a member of the Edmonton chapter of the Commercial Real Estate Women Network, a director of the Elzinga Family Foundation and a memb...

The pace of change of the commercial real estate sector in Vancouver has increased rapidly over the past decade, requiring business leaders to move swiftly and strategically when buying, selling and developing property. Matthew’s strength lies in his thoughtfulness, agility and efficiency when our clients come to him for transaction advice and business-oriented legal solutions. Having transitioned from the role of general counsel at one of Canada’s pre-eminent builder-developers, ...

Robert J. Bothwell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Robert J., who practices law in Edmonton, Alberta, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Sébastien Gingras has extensive experience as a legal and tax advisor. Throughout his career, his tax practice has led him to be involved in various transactions and operations where his involvement has extended well beyond the field of taxation. He advises investment funds, corporations, partnerships, public bodies, pension plans, commercial trusts, mutual funds and other businesses in their transactions and dealings, including investments, mergers and acquisitions, reorganizations an...

David Epstein is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. David, who practices law in Toronto, Ontario, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Christel practices real estate litigation, with a particular focus on contract and commercial lease disputes, civil litigation, expropriation, land use planning law and professional negligence. Christel represents both municipalities and private landowners. Christel's practice encompasses a broad scope of real estate litigation work, including assisting in title investigation, ground lease negotiations and litigation drafting pleadings and engaging in settlement discussions. Over the last sev...

Patrice Picard has been practising at BCF since 2000. Co-lead of the real estate sector of the firm, his experience and knowledge enable him to support our clients with success in a variety of real-estate transactions. He regularly advises on the elaboration of joint ventures and ownership structures for multi-use complexes. Patrice has also developed a thorough expertise in deployment of telecommunications networks. As such, he regularly represents telecommunications companies. In addition t...

Lisa Mackie is the leader of Alexander Holburn's Strata Property Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Insurance and Real Estate Practices. Her primary areas of practice are Strata Property Law and Residential Tenancy Law. At Alexander Holburn, Lisa was the 2019/ 2020 chair of the Women’s Forum , a group dedicated to promoting business development and networking opportunities among our female lawyers, paralegals and female clients. Prior to joining Alexander Holburn, Lisa work...

David is a partner in the McKercher LLP Regina office with a practice which focuses on corporate and commercial law, including small business. David has experience in almost all areas of corporate and commercial law but a significant area of his practice involves representing developers and home builders in Regina and Saskatoon. Throughout his career, David has had experience in almost all areas of the law, including civil litigation, criminal law, and estates. David was born and raised in Ka...

Jean is a Shareholder practicing primarily in the area of Indigenous Law, with a special emphasis on First Nations economic development. She is ranked as a leading Canadian Indigenous Law lawyer by LEXPERT and has extensive experience in advising on land issues and development projects in respect of reserve land. She has assisted both First Nations and developers in structuring partnerships and other business arrangements to pursue commercial and residential developments on reserve land, and ...

Shaun Partridge, KC is a partner based in our Calgary office. Shaun practices in our Real Estate and Corporate Commercial practice groups and has a practice that encompasses a broad range of sophisticated real estate and corporate–commercial transactions including corporate reorganizations and restructuring, real estate acquisition and disposition, development and financing. Shaun represents investors, developers and end-users with the acquisition, financing, development and disposition...