New York
T:
+1 212 848 8238
F:
+1 646 848 8238
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Chris
M.
Smith
Partner
Education
Columbia University School of Law, J.D., 1976
Rutgers University, B.S., 1973
Practice
Chris Smith has acted for clients ranging from individuals to international corporate developers, has handled developments, financings, investment funds, acquisitions and dispositions on a national and international level, and has dealt with every major type of real estate product, ranging from residential developments to office buildings, shopping centers and hotels. His practice also includes the representation of individuals and institutional clients in leasing, renovation and condominium development of commercial office space and mixed-use products, as well as real estate workouts, foreclosures and bankruptcies. Mr. Smith joined the firm in 1976, became a partner in 1984, served as practice leader of the Real Estate Practice Group from 1994 until 2004 and presently serves in the same capacity.
Experience
- Fosterlane Management Corporation in connection with the restructuring of its $15 billion portfolio of U.S. properties and the subsequent disposition thereof
- Empire State Development Corporation in the leasing and redevelopment of Times Square, the sale leaseback of the Bank of America headquarters on 6th Avenue and the development of Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Citibank, N.A. in connection with the reorganization of the international investment structure of its offshore real estate funds
- Morgan Stanley in connection with the purchase of 1585 Broadway as its world headquarters
- Viacom in connection with the lease of its headquarters at 1515 Broadway, the largest Manhattan commercial lease transaction in 2008
- AIG Global Real Estate in its sale to GE Commercial Finance Real Estate of a portfolio of 112 industrial properties in Mexico
- Battery Park City Authority in connection with the leasing to Goldman Sachs & Co., Inc. of Site 26 in Battery Park City for the construction of a two million square foot world headquarters
- Trizec Properties in the lease of 379,000 square feet to Fried, Frank, Harris, Schriver & Jacobson
- Nestle Holdings Inc. in connection with the sale of its former U.S. headquarters in Westchester, N.Y.
- Affiliates of Eaton Vance Management in the acquisition of approximately $3 billion of residential real estate joint venture interests
- Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC in connection with the lease of 1.5 million square feet at 11 Madison Avenue for its world headquarters and the subsequent leasing of 1.4 million square feet at One Madison Avenue and 315 Park Avenue South
- Sterling Equities in the sale of 575 Fifth Avenue for the highest per square foot price for an office building in 2006
- A leading international investment advisory firm in its 450,000 square foot build to suit and lease transaction for its new headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts
- HSBC in the approximately $500 million sale of affordable housing units to a joint venture of The Bank of New York Mellon and HSBC
- AIG Global Real Estate in the acquisition by a joint venture of Morgan Properties and AIGGRE of a portfolio of 86 multi-family properties from the Kushner Companies for approximately $2 billion
Selected Professional & Business Activities
- Member, Association of the Bar of the City of New York and New York State Bar Association
- Member, Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate
- Member, Real Estate Board of New York
- Member, American College of Real Estate Lawyers
- Member, Urban Land Institute
- Member, International Council of Shopping Centers
- Trustee, The Town School
- Member, The Lincoln Center Real Estate and Construction Council
- Member, National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts
- Speaker, Practising Law Institute
- Speaker, Real Estate Round Table, Columbia University
- Listed in The International Who’s Who of Real Estate Lawyers 2007-2011, Chambers Global ― The World’s Leading Lawyers 2007-2010, Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Real Estate Lawyers, 2006-2010 New York Super Lawyers ― Top 100, Practical Law Company’s 2009 Which Lawyer?, 2011-2012 The Best Lawyers in America.
Bar Admissions/Qualifications
New York
Courts
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
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