Real Estate | China

Morrison & Foerster's Greater China practice offers a leading real estate team with members based in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. We represent lenders, borrowers, funds and other investors in a wide range of finance, joint venture, acquisition and development transactions.

We Provide Comprehensive China Real Estate-Related Services

As an international law firm, we offer clients advisory and transactional services in connection with all aspects of real estate matters in China including the acquisition, development, construction, financing, ownership, leasing and operation of real estate assets and companies.

About Us

• One of the oldest and largest full service international law firms (founded in 1883) with over 1,000 lawyers in 16 offices worldwide
• One of the largest presence in Asia among U.S. law firms
• One of the very few international law firms in China with a dedicated real estate practice with on-the-ground presence in China
• Active real estate team combining deep local knowledge with international best practice deal execution and proactive client service
• Strong China platform with more than 70 lawyers on the ground in China across 3 offices (Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai)
• Recently served as sole international legal counsel to BOCOG for 2008 Summer Olympics

Acclaimed Practice

Morrison & Foerster is recognized for its leading real estate practice and team throughout Asia in Japan, China and Hong Kong. Recent awards for our Asia real estate practice include:

• Legal 500 Asia Pacific ranks our firm in tier 1 for real estate in Tokyo and tier 2 for real estate in China. We are also the only firm in tier 1 for Technology and Telecoms in Hong Kong and five other practice areas in China and Hong Kong.
• Chambers Asia ranks three of our real estate partners as leading lawyers in the region and our firm in band 2 for mergers and acquisitions and private equity-buyouts in China.
• Chambers Global ranks our firm No. 1 in private equity and funds for China.

Scope of Practice

Our attorneys are qualified to practice in China, Hong Kong, UK and the U.S., and have represented Asian and U.S. clients in the following areas:

• Finance: Virtually every aspect of sophisticated, China-based and cross-border real estate finance, including structured finance and securitization transactions, syndicated lending, mezzanine and preferred equity financings, hotel financings, development and construction financings, property and performing and non-performing loan portfolio acquisition financings and secured and unsecured opportunity fund and REIT financings.
• Joint Ventures: Creative joint venture transactions involving hotels, office buildings, shopping centers, residential developments, R&D facilities, industrial parks and other assets, as well as representing clients in a wide variety of co-investment arrangements establishing strategic alliances for real estate investment and development activities.
• Acquisitions and Disposals: Purchase and sale of all types of real estate related assets (including in the bankruptcy context) such as hotels, office buildings, shopping centers and other properties, performing and non-performing loans, equity investments and portfolios of real estate assets and loans.
• Real Estate-Related Securities Offerings: Formation of, and offerings/placements of interests in, REITs, opportunity funds and other pooled investment vehicles.
• Hotel and Resort Transactions: All facets of hotel and resort acquisition, development, financing, management and disposition, representing investors, owners, lenders and management companies.
• Leasing: Sale-leasebacks, leveraged facility leases, credit leases and off-balance sheet financings.
• Workouts/Bankruptcy: Workouts, receivership and foreclosure proceedings and bankruptcy proceedings, representing lenders, borrowers, owners, equity partners and other investors.
• Lease and Sublease Negotiations: Representing landlords and tenants, involving millions of square feet of office, retail and other commercial space in Japan, Hong Kong and China, and across the U.S., as well as representing clients in wide range of asset management and property management transactions.