Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2009 
Real Estate Law
Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Jay L. Paxton is a Shareholder in Buchalter Nemer's Real Estate Practice Group in San Francisco and a former member of the Firm's Board of Directors. Mr. Paxton specializes in real estate transactions, leasing and land use planning. Mr. Paxton represents both sellers and acquirers in the negotiation and documentation of real estate sale transactions, including portfolios of properties. His experience includes representation of numerous Fortune 500 companies in acquisitions, sales, sale/leasebacks, build-to-suit developments, ground leases, financings and property acquisitions and dispositions throughout the United States. His extensive experience representing both landowners and users in leasing includes directing all legal aspects of ongoing leasing matters for the owners of seven high-rise office buildings in San Francisco and several suburban office projects. He also represents major users in lease negotiations for office and retail space and is well-experienced in helping landlords and tenants in restructuring troubled leases. In addition to his transactional practice, Mr. Paxton has extensive experience in obtaining land use approvals and entitlements for major retailers, developers and landowners.
Overview
- English
- University of California Berkeley, J.D., graduated 1973
- University of California Berkeley, BA
- California, The State Bar of California
- American Bar Association (Real Property Section) - Member
- Bar Association of San Francisco - Member
- Bay Area Council - Director
- Golden Gate Chapter of Lambda Alpha International - Director
- Marin County Bar Association - Member
- National Corporate Real Estate Council - Member
- Policy Advisory Board of the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at UC Berkeley - Member
- San Francisco Council of the Urban Land Institute - Member
- The American College of Real Estate Lawyers - Fellow
- the State Bar of California - Member
- University of California Berkeley Foundation - Trustee
- English
- California, The State Bar of California
- American Bar Association (Real Property Section) - Member
- Bar Association of San Francisco - Member
- Bay Area Council - Director
- Golden Gate Chapter of Lambda Alpha International - Director
- Marin County Bar Association - Member
- National Corporate Real Estate Council - Member
- Policy Advisory Board of the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at UC Berkeley - Member
- San Francisco Council of the Urban Land Institute - Member
- The American College of Real Estate Lawyers - Fellow
- the State Bar of California - Member
- University of California Berkeley Foundation - Trustee
- University of California Berkeley, J.D., graduated 1973
- University of California Berkeley, BA
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Real Estate Law
Awards:
- Northern California's Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyer, Business Edition
- Best Lawyer in America™ in Real Estate Law
- AV Preeminent rated by Martindale Hubbell
News & Media
Case History
Transactions
- Lead Lawyer in a Complex Sale/Lease Back Transaction
Lead lawyer in a complex sale/leaseback transaction for the expansion of a large corporate headquarters campus in Northern California and, quite recently, was one of the three lead lawyers in an assemblage of eleven office buildings for a new corporate campus in Silicon Valley for one of the leading technology companies in the world. He also represented Carnegie Mellon University in establishing its West Coast campus at the NASA Ames Research Park.
- Represented the Landlord in the Largest Office Lease in the Histoy of San Francisco
Represented the landlord in the largest office lease in the history of San Francisco and in the real estate aspects of the securitization and sale of the income stream from that lease into the bond markets, a transaction which was the first of its kind in the United States.
- Secured All Approvals for the Convercion of a Former Landfill
Secured all approvals for the conversion of a former landfill at the shore of the Bay to a regional retail center, with Home Depot as the anchor tenant. That project was the most controversial land use matter to have received permits in the City where it was located.
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