The Leasing Team at “Omar Zahid Law” has enormous depth and breadth of experience, and, as a result, develops sophisticated solutions to client issues. We handle large portfolios containing both complex and simple leases with equal efficiency, as well as all product types, including office, industrial, flex, retail, and mixed-use. We represent both landlords and tenants and have been involved in leasing several million square feet of space annually throughout Ontario, ranging from small retail and office tenants to large space consolidations to complex tenant equity participations.
The Leasing Team brings a pragmatic business perspective to the lease negotiation process. Working together with our Real Estate Finance Team enables us to fully understand the lender’s role in the lease approval process and the competing interests of landlords, tenants, and lenders in leasing transactions. We pride ourselves on our ability to negotiate tri-party deals between these interested parties.
Our leasing practice is multifaceted, with an emphasis in the following areas:
Retail Leasing
We have extensive experience with respect to all facets of retail leasing, from both landlord and tenant perspectives, with particular emphasis on urban retail, shopping centers, enclosed malls, entertainment projects, and “big box” and in-line national tenants.
Landlord Representation
We provide full-service leasing representation to various types of owners and agents – broker/managers, private owners, banks, insurance companies, pension funds/pension fund advisors, private investment funds, and overseas investors – for the entire office, multiuse, and retail complexes. In addition to the negotiation of individual leases, we help coordinate the leasing objectives with your overall design, development, and management plans for the building, including the negotiation of commission, listing agreements and management agreements, work letters and development agreements, construction and architect contracts and other agreements with lenders, ground lessors, and other landlords concerning collateral leasing concerns.
Tenant Representation
We represent law firms, accounting firms, trade associations, private and public corporations, and other businesses in leases of all sizes. We have represented tenants in single transactions as well as portfolio-wide representation. Our leasing lawyers are considered an integral part of our clients’ space management team. We take pride in our knowledge of the economic environment and the markets in which our clients’ transactions take place in order to maximize lease protections for them.
Professional Services Organizations
“Omar Zahid Law” has earned the reputation as the “lawyer’s lawyer” in leasing, having successfully negotiated leases on behalf of several of the most prestigious law firms, as well as accounting, consulting, and other professional services firms. The professional firm tenant is a unique client: it has special space needs, such as expansion requirements and other space planning flexibility, but also has partner recourse concerns. We have developed acuity in handling professional firm leases on behalf of both landlords and tenants.
Equity Participation Leases
In conjunction with our Tax Team, we have assisted both landlords and major tenants in structuring tenant equity participation. We understand the risks to tenants in such a structure and are careful to ensure that clients understand the risks and that the transaction is structured to minimize the risks.
Asset Management for Lenders
As an adjunct to the firm’s restructuring and workout practice, we work with banks, insurance companies, and asset managers to analyze existing leases, lease space, and develop an overall leasing management plan for both real estate-owned and portfolio-held buildings.