Michael E. Rothpletz, Jr. is a partner of the firm and chair of the Real Estate Practice Group. He concentrates in real estate law, including purchase and sale transactions, leasing, financing, joint ventures, commercial condominiums, development and zoning matters and agricultural, and open space preservation projects.
Leasing. Michael represents both landlords and tenants in commercial, industrial and ground lease transactions. He is frequently involved in significant, complex lease negotiations, and also handles and oversees more routine leasing matters for several prominent landlords and corporate tenants. Representative significant engagements include the representation of a telecommunications client, as tenant, in the negotiation of leases for its 330,000 square foot Northeast regional headquarters, and representation of the landlord/developer in a 700,000 square foot office complex lease transaction, which included an option by the tenant to lease, and cause the landlord to construct, an additional 200,000 square foot building.
Purchases and Sales. Michael represents clients in a wide range of purchase and sale transactions. Representative engagements include sales and acquisitions of office, industrial, residential apartment, farm and brownfields properties. For example, Michael represented the purchaser in acquiring a 1.3 million square foot office complex which included fee, leasehold and condominium unit interests. He represented the purchaser in the acquisition, and partial leaseback, of a 1.5 million square foot corporate campus. He recently represented the purchaser of a 12 unit, 80 acre commercial and industrial condominium property.
Joint Ventures. Michael represents participants in joint venture agreements. Recent engagements include joint ventures involving portfolios of industrial properties.
Commercial Condominiums. Michael structures condominium regimes for commercial properties, including structures that allow for flexibility in selling, leasing and financing portions of the property without subdividing, and structures that allow the "Declarant" to subsequently create additional condominium units in order to further develop, sell and/or finance portions of the property.
Development Approvals/Zoning. Michael represents clients in connection with municipal, county and state development related permits and approvals, including site plan and subdivision approvals for industrial, office and residential projects, and wetlands, stream encroachment and other permitting. He has also represented clients in successfully opposing proposed zoning changes which would have significantly devalued the client's property.
Preservation Projects. Michael represents clients in connection with land preservation projects. Engagements have included representation of property owners in the sale of development rights through New Jersey's farmland preservation program and in the sale of development rights to private nonprofit organizations. He has also represented a nonprofit land trust, on a pro-bono basis, in the acquisition of conservation easements.
Other Matters. Michael represents clients in a variety of other real estate related matters, including zoning and development approval due diligence, real estate brokerage matters, local New Jersey counsel representation, and architectural, construction and other development related agreements. He also coordinates the services provided by non-real estate lawyers in his matters, including tax, corporate, environmental, bankruptcy and litigation lawyers.
In General. Michael is listed for real estate in The Best Lawyers in America and in Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business. He has a peer review rating of AV from Martindale-Hubbell. He is a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and is a member of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties and serves on that organization's Legislative Committee for New Jersey.
Michael is a frequent lecturer on real estate law matters, and is the co-author of the chapter entitled "Conveyance of Commercial Real Estate" contained in Commercial Real Estate Transactions in New Jersey, New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education (2003 and 2nd Ed., 2006).
Michael is admitted to practice in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1987. Michael graduated in 1993, with high honors, from Rutgers, The State University School of Law - Newark, where he was an articles editor of the Rutgers Law Review.
Personal. Michael resides in Tewksbury Township, New Jersey with his wife, Darby and their sons, Peter and William.