Cadwalader's real estate lawyers advise on complex real estate lease and sublease transactions on behalf of both landlords and tenants. This counsel extends beyond negotiating and drafting lease documents to helping clients manage current and future risk in all manner of commercial office, retail, warehouse, industrial, and manufacturing leases. We also are adept in dealing with issues presented in build-to-suit, turnkey, tenant improvement allowance, and multilayered leases and subleases, and in leasehold mortgage and sale-leaseback transactions.

Experience

Space Leases on behalf of Landlords:

• Corporate facilities divisions of two major financial institutions in lease negotiations and property management contracts for corporate real estate.
• A shopping center developer/landlord in the acquisition and development of strip mall developments, including the preparation of standard lease forms and ancillary agreements.
• A landlord in the negotiation of an office lease of space (in Manhattan) in excess of 350,000 square feet and a lease amendment regarding the complex surrender of approximately 700,000 square feet. Lease transaction included BIR benefits and IDA tenant improvement allowance provisions.
• A landlord in connection with an approximately 160,000 square foot build-to-suit office lease in Suffolk County, New York.
• A sublandlord in multiple sublease transactions of office space aggregating 100,000 square feet at Tower 49, in midtown Manhattan.
• The New York Mercantile Exchange in connection with its leasing of space at its headquarters and trading facility, in lower Manhattan, including ground floor retail leases.
• A landlord in connection with multiple leases of office complex in Stamford, Connecticut.
• A landlord in connection with multiple leases aggregating the entire 210,000 square feet of a suburban office building.
• A landlord in various lease transactions at 77 Water Street, New York, New York.
• A landlord in various lease transactions at 9 West 57th Street, New York, New York.
• A landlord in the leasing of various retail facilities along Madison Avenue in New York, New York.
• A landlord in the leasing of various retail leases along Third Avenue in New York, New York.

Space Leases on behalf of Tenants:

• An insurance company as tenant and subtenant in leases of substantially all the space (approximately 400,000 square feet) in a major downtown Manhattan office building.
• IBJ Whitehall Financial Group as tenant in a lease of 120,000 square feet at One State Street, New York, New York. The transaction included complex energy, sales tax and property tax benefits.
• Credit Suisse First Boston, as tenant of a 106,750 square foot office lease in New York, New York (with options for additional space aggregating 61,000 square feet).
• Reliance Insurance Company as tenant of approximately 300,000 square feet at 77 Water Street, New York (including the subsequent negotiation of a surrender agreement for such space).
• A Chinese investment bank in connection with its U.S. headquarters lease.
• Credit Suisse, as tenant, subtenant and sublandlord, on various leasing and subleasing transactions throughout the United States in connection with its overall facilities portfolio management.
• AIG Financial Products as tenant in a lease of 60,000 square feet for its headquarters in Wilton, Connecticut (as a build-to-suit).
• A tenant in connection with an approximately 50,000 square foot office lease in Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York.
• A tenant in connection with an approximately 50,000 square foot office lease at 10880 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles.
• Reliance Group Holdings as tenant over a 10-year period in connection with its headquarters leases at Park Avenue Plaza, New York, New York.
• The Robin Hood Foundation as tenant in connection with its headquarters lease at 111 Broadway, New York, New York.
• Capital Lease Funding as tenant in connection with its headquarters lease at 110 Maiden lane, New York, New York.
• Helen Keller International as tenant in connection with a full floor headquarters lease in New York, New York.
• A tenant in connection with an approximately 25,000 square foot retail lease at 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York.
• A private partnership as tenant in the master lease from a transportation authority of an approximately five-acre development site in the Washington, DC area.
• Amalgamated Bank in its first lease of a retail branch in Washington, DC.
• A tenant in connection with a 15,000 square foot office lease in Greenwich, Connecticut.
• A tenant in connection with an approximately 15,000 square foot office lease at 632 Broadway, New York, New York.
• A tenant in connection with a net lease of 180 John Street, New York, New York.
• A tenant in connection with an approximately 10,000 square foot office lease in Greenwich, Connecticut.
• A retail tenant in various CBD and shopping center leases nationwide.

Ground Leases:

• The Battery Park City Authority as landlord in connection with the ground lease of numerous apartment complexes and the Holocaust Museum at Battery Park City, in lower Manhattan.
• The New York City Economic Development Corporation as landlord in connection with the ground lease of the Metrotech complex in Brooklyn, New York.
• The New York Mercantile Exchange in connection with its ground lease of property (for its headquarters and trading facility) at Battery Park City, in lower Manhattan.

We believe that our continued strength lies in ensuring that we attract, retain, and nurture the very best talent from all backgrounds, and we expect the future complexion of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP will, with each passing year, more closely reflect the global community that we serve. 

Cadwalader has worked diligently to promote an inclusive work environment and, over the years, has developed many initiatives to fit our unique goals and challenges on issues of diversity and inclusion.  With the creation of the Cadwalader Center for Diversity & Inclusion (CCDI), a central resource for the firm’s diversity programs, initiatives and policies, we aim to improve upon our successes and follow through on our promise to weave diversity and inclusion principles into the fabric of our culture. 

The mission of the CCDI is to enhance gender, racial/ethnic, and LGBT diversity and inclusion within the firm to create an unrivalled environment that attracts, retains and promotes the best and brightest talent available to serve our clients. Governed by the Global Diversity Committee, chaired by Patrick T. Quinn, Managing Partner, the CCDI is a vehicle to support the work we currently perform, to reinforce our dedication to that work, to recognize outstanding effort and to communicate - to each other and to the clients we serve - our longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Recent Programs & Events

The Cadwalader Center for Diversity and Inclusion hosts programs and events throughout the year that are designed to increase cultural competence, celebrate history and heritage and educate attorneys on how to work effectively on diverse teams.

From Megan’s Law to Bernie Madoff: A Conversation with Judge Chin

- July 23, 2015

The Cadwalader Asian Pacific American Attorney Resource Group hosted a conversation with the Honorable Denny Chin, United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit.  During the interactive conversation, Judge Chin discussed his experiences as a federal judge and his path to the bench. Attendees had the opportunity to network and speak with Judge Chin during the cocktail reception that followed.

The Fight for Marriage Equality in the Supreme Court

- June 9, 2015

The Cadwalader LGBT Network and the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) hosted a Pride Month event, The Fight for Marriage Equality in the Supreme Court, featuring Mary Bonauto, GLAD’s Civil Rights Project Director and Janson Wu, GLAD’s Executive Director. During the presentation Mary discussed her experience arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court for marriage equality and Janson discussed the future of the LGBT rights movement.

Justice Denied: Wards Cove Packing Co. v. Atonio

- May 12, 2015

Members of the Asian American Bar Association of New York, including Cadwalader attorneys and the Honorable Denny Chin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit presented a case reenactment of Wards Cove Packing Co. v. Atonio, a landmark employment discrimination case. The presentation told the story of the Wards Cove workers through narration, reenactment of court proceedings, and historic photographs. To view the performance, click here.

The Partner Track

- May 5, 2015

The Cadwalader Asian Pacific American Attorney Resource Group and the Women’s Leadership Initiative co-hosted a panel discussion with Cadwalader Partners, Ingrid Bagby, Kathy Chin and Athena Eastwood, focusing on their career experiences and paths to partnership. The panel was moderated by Helen Wan, author of The Partner Track, a fictional story about a young Asian-American corporate associate up for partner at her New York law firm.

“From Selma to Ferguson to Today: Why Civil Rights Matter,” featuring Professor Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law School

- April 29, 2015

The Cadwalader Black and Latino Association hosted a conversation with Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law School Jesse Climenko Professor of Law, and Founding and Executive Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice.  The conversation was followed by a cocktail reception where attorneys had the opportunity to network  and speak with Professor Ogletree.

The Art of Building Business Relationships and Executive Presence

- March 25, 2015

The Women’s Leadership Initiative and Diane Darling, Founder of the Darling Institute, hosted a workshop on building business relationships and executive presence.  This interactive presentation explored how professionals at all stages of their career can integrate networking and relationship-building into their everyday lives. 

WLI London Client Event: “Walking the Nile” by Levison Wood

– March 12, 2015

The Women’s Leadership Initiative hosted a special evening at our London office with Levison Wood, explorer, writer, and photographer. Formerly an officer in the British Parachute Regiment, Wood has led pioneering journeys into undiscovered regions, travelling to more than 80 countries. His nine-month walk along the length of the Nile, from source to sea, is chronicled in a recent Channel 4 documentary. During the presentation Wood described the amazing people, breathtaking places and shocking sights he encountered on his ground-breaking expedition.