Practice Areas
General Counsel Services
Prior to starting his own practice, Mr. Bonder served as General Counsel and Secretary to three public real estate companies, First Potomac Realty Trust, an office and business park REIT, Apartment Investment and Management Company, a multifamily REIT, and NHP Incorporated, an apartment management company, and to one private owner of apartment properties, National Corporation of Housing Partnerships.
Accordingly, the Firm acts as outside General Counsel to private and public commercial and multifamily real estate owners, developers, property and asset management companies, and leasing companies. Examples of the services we provide are listed under Corporate, Real Estate, and Public Company Services.
Corporate
Mr. Bonder represents private and public commercial and multifamily real estate owners, developers, property and asset management companies, and leasing companies. He has allocated work between in-house and outside counsel for 30 years and understands what tasks are best left to an attorney who prioritizes knowing your company’s business well and how the cost of outside counsel often causes unwanted surprises or holds you back from attending to that long-delayed project.
Examples of the services we provide at the corporate level are:
- negotiate and draft joint venture agreements and fund documents,
- form new entities and prepare annual filings,
- draft board resolutions and minutes,
- review and draft contracts with corporate vendors,
- review and draft company policies, including sexual harassment, non-discrimination and other HR policies,
- assist the CFO in negotiating and closing corporate bank lines and funds,
- oversee litigation and insurance claims,
- prepare document and email retention and destruction policies, and enterprise risk management procedures,
- select D&O,liability, employment, and property insurance policies,
- supervise other outside counsel, negotiate fee arrangements, and review invoices.
Real Estate
Mr. Bonder represents private and public commercial and multifamily real estate owners, developers, property and asset management companies, and leasing companies. After 30 years as an in-house attorney he knows from an insider’s perspective how real estate companies and their properties operate, the day-to-day and periodic legal issues that need to be addressed proactively in the real estate business, and the questions, large and small, frequently faced and asked by employees.
Examples of the services we provide at the property level are:
- answer questions from officers and employees on any subject,
- negotiate and draft property and asset management agreements,
- negotiate and draft broker commission agreements,
- review property marketing materials and broker incentive programs for compliance with state law,
- review and draft license agreements,
- review contracts with property vendors, e.g. snow removal and repair companies,
- review leases,
- track timely receipt of tenant and vendor proof of insurance,
- review and draft LLC and partnership agreements,
- negotiate and draft property acquisition and disposition agreements,
- negotiate and review property finance documents, and
- oversee litigation and insurance claims.
Public Company Services
Prior to starting his own practice, Mr. Bonder served as the General Counsel to the three public real estate companies, First Potomac Realty Trust, an office and business park REIT, Apartment Investment and Management Company, an apartment REIT, and NHP Incorporated, an apartment management company.
Examples of the additional services we provide public companies are:
- prepare annual director and officer questionnaires,
- prepare annual director self-assessments,
- review disclosures on corporate web site,
- coordinate audit response letters with other outside counsel;
- prepare equity compensation plans and oversee plan administration, and
- prepare Section 16 filings.