Known for his high level of personal commitment to his clients, Robert has the skill, knowledge and creativity necessary to solve problems and identify opportunities for them.
As a member of the firm’s Real Estate practice, Robert counsels developers, real estate equity and opportunity funds, real estate investment trusts, investors, owners and tenants in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions. His practice is national in scope and encompasses a broad range of transactions, with particular emphasis on acquisitions, dispositions, development and retail leasing. His professional focus also includes the management, financing and construction of commercial, retail, industrial and multi-unit residential properties.
Robert is also Co-Chair of the firm’s Cannabis Law Group and counsels clients regarding regulatory compliance, risk management, governmental affairs, licensing and the leasing and acquisition of real property in connection with cannabis related uses. He employs a grass-roots approach that is pivotal in breaking the stigma associated with cannabis and its derivatives. He is a frequent presenter on the health and economic benefits, lectures courses on cannabis law and is a member of several trade organizations including New Jersey CannaBusiness Association and CannaGather. In addition, Robert is a regular contributor to national publications on this topic such as MarketWatch, Bloomberg Law, and Marijuana Business Daily. Robert was recently recognized as a “Cannabis Law Trailblazer” by The National Law Journal as well as a “New Leader of the Bar” honoree by New Jersey Law Journal for his work in this sector.
Representative matters include:
- Representing cannabis entrepreneurs in connection with applications for vertically integrated medicinal cannabis licenses in the State of New Jersey.
- Representing New York and New Jersey based real estate investment and property services firm in connection with the acquisition of a 10.4 acre site formerly occupied by a Bon Ton Department Store at Westgate Mall in Bethlehem, PA for $30,000,000.
- Representing publicly traded REIT in connection with the concurrent leasing of 17 sites across 10 states to a national value based gym totaling approximately 220,000 square feet.
- Representing landlords and tenants in connection with the leasing of real estate for cannabis related businesses.
- Representing redeveloper and urban renewal entity in connection with the acquisition of a 2.73-acre former manufacturing facility site in Jersey City, NJ for $17,000,000 for the purposes of developing a mixed use multi-unit residential and retail development.
- Representing a prominent New Jersey commercial real estate owner and developer in the sale of four supermarket and pharmacy anchored shopping centers for $124,550,000 to a REIT in an "off market" transaction deemed “the largest strip center portfolio trade in Northern New Jersey over the last decade” by Northeast Real Estate Business Magazine. The representation included the creation and administration of an on-line due diligence document database containing over 500 files for bidders’ review, establishing bidding procedures for prospective purchasers, evaluating the bids received with the client, closing on the sale, and negotiating post-closing environmental obligations and related financial assurances;
- Representing a post-bankruptcy entity in the disposition of over 343 acres of land throughout the United States in connection with an asset sale in the amount of $146,749,000. The representation included establishing bidding procedures for prospective purchasers, evaluating the bids received with the client, closing on the sale, and negotiating post-closing environmental obligations;
- Representing the owner of the Rosedale Center, a multi-level mall in Roseville, Minnesota containing over 1,000,000 square feet of floor area with approximately 171 stores and 18 restaurants, in the negotiation of numerous leases and amendments with national and regional tenants;
- Representing private REIT concerning offering in connection with the acquisition of commercial property located in Chattanooga, TN;
- Representing prominent national developers in connection with obtaining funding from the New Jersey Economic Development Agency Incentive Program for the development of three mixed use high-rise towers in Jersey City, NJ;
- Representing client in connection with the potential buyout of an existing vertically integrated medicinal cannabis license in the State of New Jersey.
- Representing prominent New Jersey developer concerning the development of a mixed-use residential commercial property located in Harrison, NJ;
- Representing Walgreens Co. and McDonald’s USA, LLC before planning and zoning boards throughout Hudson and Essex County, NJ; and
- Representing startups in the areas of information technology, real estate and the sale of consumer goods and services.
