Jeffrey Lem is a partner in the Commercial Real Estate and Financial Restructuring & Insolvency practices. He has expertise in a broad range of sophisticated commercial real estate matters. He has participated in the acquisition, disposition, leasing, development and financing of numerous major real estate projects and portfolios. Jeffrey acted for, and was a trustee of, public mortgage investment trusts, and has experience in all aspects of real estate-based lending, restructuring and remedies.

Representative Work

• Acted in the sale, by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), of certain surplus vacant lands at the Toronto Broadcast Centre to Ontrea Inc. and The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited.
• Acted for InnVest REIT, in partnership with Cadbridge Investors LP, in a takeover bid for all of the outstanding units of Legacy Hotels Real Estate Investment Trust. The deal is valued at approximately $2.5 billion.
• Acted for Patheon Inc., a leading independent provider of pharmaceutical manufacturing and development services, in all of its most recent facilities and refinancings, as well as in the disposition of surplus manufacturing facilities.
• Acted for CGI, one of the largest real estate investment fund managers in Europe, in its first ever investment in Canada, being its acquisition of a 50% interest in six limited partnerships that own six major Canadian regional shopping centres and one office tower, with a combined leaseable area of more than 4,000,000 square feet.
• Acted for Starwood Capital Group in its shared acquisition with CDP Capital and PSP Investments in the ownership of the Westin Hotels in Canada and related financing for $400 million.

Recognition

• Awarded the Ontario Bar Association's Award for Excellence in Real Estate (2009).
• Cited in Chambers Global's Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers for Business and Leaders in their Field in Real Estate.
• Recognized as a Certified Specialist in Real Estate Law by The Law Society of Upper Canada.
• Regularly recommended by the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory as a property development and property leasing practitioner.
• Recognized by The Best Lawyers in Canada in the area of Real Estate Law.
• Received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating, AV®.

Articles and Publications

Jeffrey has been an editor of the Real Property Reports, Canada's only national real property case law reporter series, for over fifteen years. He is also the Legal Editor of Building Magazine and the Real Estate Law columnist for Law Times.

Jeffrey has written for various other journals, newspapers and magazines, including the Digest of Municipal and Planning Law, California International Law Journal, Ontario Lawyers Weekly, LawPro, The Abstract Page (Ontario Bar Association) and The Abstract (American College of Mortgage Attorneys).

Teaching Engagements

Jeffrey has been an instructor in the Real Property section of the Bar Admission Course and is currently the Director of the LL.M. Program in Real Property Law at Osgoode Hall Law School.

Speaking Engagements

Jeffrey speaks regularly on various topics for continuing legal education organizations, including The Law Society of Upper Canada, Osgoode Hall Law School, the Ontario Bar Association, Federated Press and the American College of Mortgage Attorneys.