Professional Summary
Grant Puleo's practice includes a wide variety of real estate, finance and business transactions. He has extensive experience in a broad array of commercial and multi-family residential real estate transactions, including acquisitions, development, syndication, dispositions, and specialized leasing and financing of all product types throughout California and the United States. Mr. Puleo represents lenders, borrowers, preferred equity investors, operators, developers and trustees and other fiduciaries in the administration of real estate assets, as well as users in the acquisition, financing, development, ownership, leasing and disposition of commercial, retail, industrial, office, condominium, multi-family residential, single family development, restaurant, hotel, office, biotech, campus, research and development and manufacturing facilities and properties.
Mr. Puleo's finance experience includes both borrower and lender representation in the initiation and workout of complicated debt and equity transactions, including acquisition and construction financing, mezzanine financing and synthetic leasing transactions. Mr. Puleo also represents clients in business matters involving the purchase and sale of business assets and the formation and restructuring of business entities.
Previously a trial attorney, Mr. Puleo provides general litigation advice to clients and negotiates on behalf of both owners and users to resolve real estate-related litigation, such as unlawful detainer, lis pendens and condemnation. Mr. Puleo also provides his clients with risk management and litigation avoidance counseling.
Prior to joining Procopio, Mr. Puleo was an associate with the law firms of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker and Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison.
Education, Distinctions & Community Involvement
Mr. Puleo received a B.A. in Political Science from San Diego State University in 1990 and his J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law with great distinction (Order of the Coif) in 1995. He is an AV rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell.
Mr. Puleo has presented and written on various real estate, finance and litigation topics. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at California Western School of Law and a frequent panelist and moderator at various seminars and workshops. He has spoken at BioParks, CALBIOSummit, Building Owners' & Tenants' Summit on Biotech, Medical Pharmaceutical Lab Facilities, and Sterling Education Services' Commercial Leases - Drafting, Enforcing, and Litigating Program. From 1996 to 1999, he lectured to thousands of healthcare professionals throughout the western United States on various aspects of professional liability, risk management, insurance coverage, litigation avoidance and other legal issues.
Mr. Puleo is a member of BIOCOM's Facilities and Finance Committee and the American Bar Association Advisory Panel and serves as pro bono legal counsel for Monarch Schools and VOICE, LLC.
News, Publications & Events
Recent Articles/Publications
· Co-author with Michael E. Lyons. "Mezzanine Loans to Developers and Owners of Real Estate Projects: 10 Ways to Improve the Quality of the Equity Pledge," The Real Estate Finance Journal, Spring 2007.
· "So, You Want to Advertise and Sell Your Mexican Residential Real Estate Project in the United States - Now What?" October 1, 2007.
· Co-author with Lorne R. Polger. "Negotiate or Litigate: Landlord's Dilemma When Faced With a Defaulting Tenant," January 15, 2004.
· "Biotechnology Leasing: Special Issues in Leasing Laboratory Space," September 1, 2003.
Recent Seminars and Speeches
· "Pledge Agreements for Partnership and LLC Equity Interests," Webinar/Teleconference, Nationwide, April 3, 2012.
· IMN's Bank & Financial Institution Special Asset Executive Conference on Real Estate Workouts, Los Angeles, CA, September 26-27, 2011.
· "Pledge Agreements for Partnership and LLC Equity Interests," Live Nationwide Phone/Web Seminar, June 30, 2011.
· "Hot Topics in Leasing," San Diego County Bar Association, San Diego, CA, August 2010.
· "Advising International Clients in Times of Opportunities," San Diego, CA, May 20, 2010.
· "Mezzanine Loans/CMBS/Multiparty Workouts," Bankers Forum on Distressed Properties & Real Estate Loans, New York, NY, April 19-20, 2010.
· "What Real Estate Lawyers & Their Clients Need to Know About the Credit Market Crisis: Understanding How it Can Impact Your Clients & Proactive Client Strategies to Gain Access to Capital," Reed Seminars, June 5, 2009.
· "Borrower & Real Estate Mezzanine Lender Workouts: Case Studies," 6th Annual Western Borrowers' & Investors' Forum on Real Estate Mezzanine Loans & Distressed Real Estate Debt, Los Angeles, CA, April 2, 2009.
· "Commercial and Real Estate Loan Documents: More Than Just Papers," Lorman Education Service Seminar, San Diego, CA, November 2008.
· "Intercreditor Issues in Commercial Real Estate Workouts," Commercial Real Estate Workouts, Turnarounds & REO, Irvine, CA, July 21-23, 2008.
· "The Intercreditor Agreement: How Have the Details Changed Since the Early 90's," 5th Annual Western Borrowers' & Investors' Forum on Real Estate Mezzanine Loans, Los Angeles, CA, April 14, 2008.
· "What Are Lenders Doing With Underperforming Properties Pre-Foreclosure?" Symposium on Distressed Residential Real Estate, Miami, FL, March 20, 2008.