Articles from Allen Matkins

The Winter 2026 Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast California Commercial Real Estate Survey released today reveals California’s commercial real estate market is entering 2026 with measured optimism, as expectations for new development turn cautiously positive. The findings signal an inflection point in the market after several quarters of sustained caution driven by rising construction costs and interest rate uncertainty.

With tariff uncertainty reshaping global trade, the Summer 2025 Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast California Commercial Real Estate Survey reveals ripple effects cascading throughout California’s commercial real estate (CRE) landscape. According to the latest survey results, more than a third (36%) of developers are delaying or canceling CRE projects, citing increased construction costs and global trade tensions as key concerns.

The Winter 2025 Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast California Commercial Real Estate Survey released today indicates a significant shift in the industrial development landscape, with data centers and digital infrastructure now leading the charge, outpacing e-commerce as the primary driver of new industrial projects. According to the latest survey, 38% of respondents cite data centers and digital infrastructure as the foremost catalyst for development, a marked increase from 17% in the previous survey.

The Summer 2024 Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast California Commercial Real Estate Survey released today reveals that a majority of California’s commercial real estate industry participants (71%) anticipate distress levels to rise in the coming months, with 53% predicting that new development will decrease over the next three years. As interest rates remain the primary concern for the industry, these findings signal ongoing challenges for stakeholders across the commercial real estate spectrum, as well as emerging opportunities.

Allen Matkins announced today that a leading real estate transactional team is joining the firm across California, further bolstering the firm's joint venture, private equity and finance capabilities. The group includes Partners Dean Pappas, Jennifer Sung, Shaunt Kodaverdian, Senior Counsel Julia Lee, and Associate Brenn Coyle.

Allen Matkins announced today that Jason Robinson has joined the firm as senior counsel in the New York office, where he will practice in the firm’s Real Estate Group. Jason was previously Deputy General Counsel at Bravo Capital and also spent time at several AmLaw firms in New York focusing on real estate transactions.

A California judge has awarded $6 million in compensatory and punitive damages to father-son investor duo Charles and Michael Schwab in two high-profile libel suits after the man accused of smearing them through various media platforms failed to appear for multiple court hearings.

The Winter 2024 Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast California Commercial Real Estate Survey (“The Winter 2024 Forecast” or “the Forecast”) released today reveals that nearly a quarter (21%) of California real estate owners and operators plan to redevelop existing office space over the next three years for alternative purposes across multifamily, industrial and retail. The findings underscore the industry’s growing lack of conviction in the sector as high interest rates, declining valuations and ongoing remote work continue to impact office buildings across the nation.

Allen Matkins announced today that Jennifer R. Jeffers has joined the firm as senior counsel in its Land Use, Environmental, and Natural Resources Group and will be based in the firm's San Francisco office.

Allen Matkins announced today that Stuart I. Block has joined the firm as a partner in its Land Use, Environmental, and Natural Resources Group, in the firm's San Francisco office. Stuart will serve as co-leader of the firm’s Contaminated Sites Practice.

Allen Matkins, the premier West Coast law firm focused on the commercial real estate industry, announced today that it is expanding to the East Coast with the opening of a New York office. Renowned in the real estate world, Allen Matkins is a full-service firm with more than 225 lawyers in six offices, including 140 real estate transactional lawyers, making it one of the largest and most diversified real estate groups in the country. The firm has worked with global industry powerhouses responsible for contributing to the development, innovation, and reshaping of the major U.S. real estate markets, having played a key role in the most high-profile real estate projects across the country. The move will allow Allen Matkins to better support its global client base by leveraging its key strengths in the crossroads of real estate and capital markets.

Allen Matkins announced today the addition of corporate and real estate partner Peter R. Fischer to its Century City office. Peter’s practice focuses on mid-market M&A matters, stock and asset transactions, fund formation, syndication, joint ventures, and private placements. Peter represents a broad range of companies, funds, investors, and entrepreneurs. Peter also counsels his clients on crisis management, pre-litigation workouts, and investor, partnership, and shareholder disputes.

Allen Matkins, a full-service real estate and business law firm, announced today the addition of partner Elizabeth N. Thompson to its San Diego office, as a member of the firm’s nationally renowned Real Estate department and Joint Venture & Equity Investments practice group. She advises a broad range of clients on the negotiation and structuring of complex joint ventures in connection with the acquisition, disposition, and development of all asset types.

Allen Matkins, a full-service real estate and business law firm, announced today the addition of partner Matthew G. Bouslog to its Orange County office as a member of the firm's Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy practice group. Matt brings with him a unique blend of transactional and litigation experience in the distressed real estate and commercial assets space.

Allen Matkins, a California-based, full-service real estate and business law firm, announced today the hiring of Larry Kleinberg as its new Chief Operating Officer. Larry will lead the firm’s core business functions, including finance, human resources, information technology, marketing and administrative operations and will be based primarily in the firm's Los Angeles and Irvine offices. He brings a broad experience base, including 20 years in the legal industry, with a proven track record of driving business and operational successes.

Allen Matkins, a California-based full service real estate and business law firm, announced today that Jonathan Consani, Alexander Doherty, Amanda Donson, Seth Garrett, Jared Kassan, Morgan Medlin, and Shannon Snell have been elected to the firm partnership, effective July 1, 2022. These new partners come from all five of the firm’s offices and represent various practice groups, including the real estate, litigation, and Tax and Joint Ventures departments.

Allen Matkins, a California-based, full-service real estate and business law firm, announced today the addition of environmental litigation partner Shawn T. Cobb to its San Diego office. Shawn, a trial lawyer who joined Allen Matkins from Latham & Watkins LLC, represents clients in environmental and land use matters, including government environmental investigations and enforcement actions, environmental citizen suits, contaminated site claims, development agreement and construction agreement disputes, and product liability matters. Shawn’s clients come from a broad range of industries including real estate, clean energy, aerospace and defense, manufacturing, and financial services.

Allen Matkins, a California-based, full-service business and real estate law firm, announced today the addition of litigation partner Kevin D. Lloyd to its Los Angeles office. Kevin’s practice encompasses a broad range of commercial litigation and criminal defense matters, representing clients in matters involving federal and state securities laws, the duties of corporate officers and directors, intellectual property disputes, commercial disputes, contract disputes, labor and employment disputes, civil forfeiture actions, SEC enforcement actions, and criminal insider trading. He has significant trial and arbitration experience, including first chairing and leading large teams for multiple jury trials.

Allen Matkins, a California-based full service real estate and business law firm, announced today that partner Spencer B. Kallick was named Operating Partner of the firm’s Century City office. Spencer, the youngest attorney at the firm to ever hold this position, is a prominent land use and real estate attorney who has built a robust practice representing high-profile clients.

Allen Matkins, a California-based, full-service real estate and business law firm, announced today the return of partner Michael (Mike) Kostecka to its Los Angeles office. Mike was an associate at Allen Matkins from 2006-2012 and senior counsel from 2012-2014. His practice encompasses a broad range of real estate and construction transactions, including advising landlord and tenant clients in structuring, negotiating, and drafting commercial real estate and ground leases of all types of real estate assets; purchase and sale agreements; advising commercial property owners, architects, engineers, and contractors in the negotiation and drafting of design, engineering, consulting, and construction of significant commercial real estate projects; and managing all aspects of joint venture and preferred equity investment transactions for real estate investment firm clients.

Allen Matkins, a California-based full service real estate and business law firm, announced today that Jessica Chu, Steven M. Farenbaugh, Rachel M. Sanders, Maxwell B. Shapiro, and Derek G. Weisbender have been elected to the firm partnership, effective July 1, 2021. Jessica is a tax and joint venture attorney, Steve is a real estate transactional attorney, Rachel is a litigation attorney, and Max is a real estate transactional attorney, all residing in the firm’s Los Angeles office; Derek is a construction and real estate attorney in the firm’s Orange County office.