Best Lawyers in California, United States for Real Estate Law
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Alex P. Jacobs joined Pircher in 2003 and is the youngest member of the firm’s Executive Committee, overseeing the practice at the highest level and implementing firm-wide initiatives. In this role, he was integral to the recruitment and hire of partners from Sidley Austin LLP to support the formation of Pircher’s institutional lending group. He’s maintained a roster of top-tier clients over the years which has included Equinix, Inc., Starwood Capital Group, The Yucaipa Comp...
Thomas M. Sherwood’s clients include lenders, property owners, developers and users who are parties to transactions involving real property. He represents institutional lenders in negotiating and documenting construction and permanent financings and the modification of these facilities. He has also represented developers in all aspects of the development process including acquiring property, obtaining land-use entitlements, negotiating and preparing agreements with municipalities, secur...
Douglas P. Snyder is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Douglas P., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Douglas P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Henry D. Finkelstein is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Henry D., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Henry D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
J. David Hitchcock is a Shareholder in the Los Angeles office of Buchalter, a member of the Firm’s Real Estate Practice Group, and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Cannabis & Hemp Industry Law Group. Mr. Hitchcock’s practice focuses on real estate acquisitions and dispositions, loan originations, loan workouts and restructurings, loan sales, secured real estate finance, joint ventures, and general real estate matters. He has extensive experience representing clients in all areas o...
Russell Austin has extensive experience in real estate and business law. He has planned, negotiated, and documented a complete array of real property transactions and supporting documentation, including purchase and sale transactions, exchanges, syndications, partnership and LLC formations, and a wide variety of financing transactions for owners/developers, institutional and private lenders, conservation organizations and other non-profit organizations, and public agencies, including conserva...
Since graduating from UCLA Law School in 1973 (Order of the Coif), James Goldman has represented clients in trials and appeals in state and federal courts, regulatory proceedings (involving the Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Home Loan Bank Board, California and Arizona State Boards of Accountancy, Federal Trade Commission, California Department of Corporations, NYSE, NASD, and FINRA), arbitrations, and mediations. His practice has focused on complex commercial litigation involvin...
Craig B. Etlin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Craig B., who practices law in San Francisco, California, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Craig B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Howard W. Chu is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Howard W., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Howard W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Clients closing real estate finance deals rely on Christine Fitzgerald to not only identify risk and potential issues in a transaction but, more importantly, to offer solutions tailored to the business needs of her clients and to create a viable path forward for the deal despite any challenges. Christy is chair of the firm's West Coast Real Estate practice, recognized as a top practice by U.S. News – Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms," which reports that clients note Katten is a "firm of cho...
Prior to joining Cozen O’Connor, Paul co-founded Gilchrist & Rutter in 1983 and practiced law until 2006, at which time he joined a publicly held REIT client as an executive vice president. After working as an executive vice president and then as co-chief operating officer and general counsel in two publicly held real estate companies from 2006-2014, and the merger of his company into another publicly held REIT, Paul returned to his law practice in January 2014. He combines his lega...
Ira J. Waldman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Ira J., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2001. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ira J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
John Marshall is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. John, who practices law in Encino, California, has been recognized since 2027. 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.
John H. Irons joined Pircher in 1990 and leads the firm’s Executive Committee as its longest serving member. Irons has served on the Committee since 2013, handling all aspects of firm administration and maintaining strong professional relationships with other legal professionals outside of the firm. With 30 years of sophisticated real estate practice under his belt, he has been involved in several multi-billion-dollar deals as lead counsel and many more complex acquisitions, disposition...
Chauncey M. Swalwell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Chauncey M., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Chauncey M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Robert C. Briseño is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Robert C., who practices law in Newport Beach, California, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.