Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP

93 Best Lawyers awards

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Real Estate Law

Biography

Keith Allen-Niesen is a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office and co-chair of the infrastructure practice. He has a broad range of transactional experience and oversees major business litigation, business transactions, land use and development matters. Keith has extensive experience in the acquisition, development and sale of hotels, resorts, golf courses, restaurants, office buildings, residential subdivisions, shopping centers and industrial sites, including transactions involving contaminated real property. In addition, he represents landlords on both leasing and management issues for office buildings, mixed-use developments and shopping centers. Keith is also well-versed in the areas of public/private development, land use and loan workouts involving real estate collateral.

Keith is the former director of the firm’s Southern California Business & Transactions unit as well as a former national hiring partner, chair of the Real Estate & Land Use practice and member of the Compensation Committee. He is repeatedly recognized as one of the top real estate attorneys in Southern California.

Keith is also the founder and senior managing director of Manatt Real Estate Advisors, the firm’s recently launched real estate brokerage affiliate. Manatt Real Estate Advisors provides a diverse suite of services, including sell-side and buy-side representation, leasing representation, and asset analysis and valuation.

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP

93 Best Lawyers awards

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP logo

Overview

  • University of California Davis, J.D., graduated 1990

  • California, State Bar of California

  • American College of Real Estate Lawyers - Fellow
  • Brentwood Community Council - Member
  • City of Los Angeles Industrial Development Authority - Former Vice Chairman
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association, Real Estate Section - Member
  • Northwestern University Leadership Circle - Member
  • USC - Adjunct Professor, teaching Real Estate Law
  • USC Gould School of Law Institute for Corporate Counsel - Advisory Board
  • USC Lusk Center for Real Estate - Executive Committee
  • California, State Bar of California
  • American College of Real Estate Lawyers - Fellow
  • Brentwood Community Council - Member
  • City of Los Angeles Industrial Development Authority - Former Vice Chairman
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association, Real Estate Section - Member
  • Northwestern University Leadership Circle - Member
  • USC - Adjunct Professor, teaching Real Estate Law
  • USC Gould School of Law Institute for Corporate Counsel - Advisory Board
  • USC Lusk Center for Real Estate - Executive Committee
  • University of California Davis, J.D., graduated 1990

Client Testimonials

Keith Allen-Niesen provides a masterful blend of legal expertise, client management skills, and old-fashioned common sense. It is always a pleasure to work with Keith.

Awards & Focus

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Real Estate Law
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • CleanTech Law
  • Sports Law
Awards:
  • Fellow, American College of Real Estate Lawyers, 2014
  • Recognized as one of the top real estate attorneys in Southern California by Real Estate Southern California, 2006-2013
  • Los Angeles Business Journal, selected as one of the Top Real Estate Lawyers in Los Angeles, 2013
  • America's Best Lawyers, Forbes, 2004
  • Southern California Super Lawyers, 2005-2017
  • AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

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