Greg Howard is a partner in the Commercial Real Estate, Corporate/Commercial and Cross-Border & International Transactions practices. His practice focuses primarily on commercial real estate acquisitions, development, financing and leasing. He also has broad experience in complicated real estate workouts and restructurings, arbitrations and advisory assignments as well as corporate/commercial matters.

Since 1980, Greg has represented leading companies and investment vehicles, developers, financial institutions and public authorities in connection with major real estate projects, joint ventures, financings, leasing transactions and restructuring of indebtedness. He has been involved in projects outside of Canada, as well as internationally.

Representative Work

• Represented Canada Lands Company CLC Limited on its acquisition of Pensionfund Realty Limited's leasehold interest in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Complex, specifically the InterContinental Toronto Centre Hotel and the office tower at 277 Front Street West in Toronto, Ontario.
• Represented OPSEU Pension Trust in connection with its acquisition of seven regional shopping centres in southwestern Ontario, together with approximately 350 acres of development lands in the Greater Toronto Area, from affiliates of Forecast Inc.
• Advised Ivanhoe Cambridge Inc., one of Canada's pre-eminent property owners and developers, on its acquisition of the interests of The Mills Corporation in three shopping centres located in Vaughan Mills, Ontario, Glasgow, Scotland and Madrid, Spain for approximately US$988 million.
• Advised Wal-Mart Canada Realty Inc. and First Professional Realty Inc. when Calloway Real Estate Investment Trust completed the acquisition of retail space in 35 shopping centres from First Pro Shopping Centres (8 of which were co-owned with Wal-Mart Canada Realty Inc.) for approximately $1.12 billion in one of the largest transactions to date by a Canadian REIT.
• Represented Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited, which managed the real estate portfolio of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP), on the OTPP's acquisition of interest in Multiplan Empreendimentos Imobiliaros S/A in a transaction valued at $500 million.

Recognition

• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in Canada in the area of Real Estate Law.
• Cited in the PLC Which lawyer? Yearbook as a highly recommended practitioner in corporate real estate.
• Listed in Law Business Research's The Who's Who of Business Lawyers and Who's Who Legal: Canada as a leading real estate practitioner.
• Recognized annually in the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory, the Lexpert®/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada, Chambers Global's The World's Leading Lawyers, Leaders in their Field and Euromoney's The Best of the Best.
• Chambers Global's The World's Leading Lawyers for Business reported sources as saying he "is strategic in his approach and consistently grasps the issues without a moment's notice".

Articles and Publications

Greg has frequently written on commercial real estate related topics.

Teaching Engagements

Greg was a lecturer at the Bar Admission Course of Ontario for several years.

Speaking Engagements

As a result of his expertise, Greg is frequently asked to speak on commercial real estate topics, including real estate acquisitions, real estate financings, joint ventures and leasing.

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