Jonathan Weiss

Partner and Co-Chair of the Corporate Real Estate Practice Group

Jonathan Weiss is a partner and Co-Chair of the Corporate Real Estate practice group at Greenspoon Marder LLP. Mr. Weiss has extensive experience in Corporate Real Estate with an emphasis on representing large global companies in leasing, subleasing, development, acquisition, disposition, and financing of office space throughout the U.S. and internationally. With over 30 years of experience handling sophisticated commercial real estate transactions, Mr. Weiss works closely with senior real estate executives and in-house counsel in structuring complex leasing transactions, as well as advising his clients on the day-to-day real estate challenges that companies with large and diverse real estate portfolios encounter. In addition, Mr. Weiss is regularly called upon to assist in the transfer of real estate assets in connection with corporate dispositions, acquisitions and mergers of companies with large leasing portfolios.

Among his clients, Mr. Weiss has for many years acted as ongoing general real estate counsel to one of the largest professional services firms, one of the largest wealth management firms and one of the largest media and market measurement companies in the U.S. He also represents a global insurance company and tech companies in their national real estate requirements. In these roles, Mr. Weiss has developed comprehensive approaches to real estate portfolio management, including implementing standard form leases, subleases, letters of intent, construction contracts and requests for proposals.

Over the course of his career, Mr. Weiss has represented insurance companies, private equity funds, hedge funds, restaurants, energy companies, manufacturers and national retailers in acquiring, developing, and leasing commercial, retail, and mixed-use real estate projects, negotiating purchase and sale agreements, brokerage agreements, architects’ agreements, and construction contracts. A significant portion of his practice focuses on negotiating and drafting New York City office and retail leases and subleases, primarily representing tenants.

Mr. Weiss was recognized by The American Lawyer as “Northeast Trailblazer” in the real estate legal industry in 2022, and has been a featured presenter on various real estate topics for the New York County Lawyers Association Continuing Legal Education program.

Mr. Weiss also serves on the Board of Trustees the Springfield Avenue Partnership, a special improvement district promoting business and cultural development in Maplewood, NJ.

Experience

Representative Experience

Representing and serving as ongoing counsel to one of the largest wealth management firms in the U.S. in the leasing and disposition of office space throughout the United States.
Representing and serving as ongoing counsel for one of the largest professional services firms in the U.S. in the leasing and disposition of office space in more than 30 states.
Representing and serving as ongoing counsel for one of the largest media and market measurement companies in the leasing and subleasing of office space in the U.S. and Canada.
Representing and serving as ongoing counsel for a Fortune 500 global insurance conglomerate in the leasing and disposition of office space in the U.S.
Represented a global insurance conglomerate in the sale-leaseback of an office park in Middletown, New Jersey.
Represent a cloud based software development firm in its leasing requirements throughout the U.S.
Represented a global insurance conglomerate in the restructuring of a global headquarters lease for approximately 325,000 square feet in Richmond, Virginia.
Represented a wealth management firm in the leasing of approximately 65,000 square feet of office space in Chicago, Illinois.
Represented a professional services firm in the leasing of approximately 250,000 square feet of office space in midtown Manhattan.
Represented a professional services firm in a build-to-suit lease in San Antonio, TX.
Represented a professional services firm in the leasing and construction of 135,000 square feet of office space in Columbia, South Carolina.
Represented a media and market measurement company in the leasing of approximately 200,000 square feet of office space in Chicago, Illinois.
Represented a media and market measurement company in the leasing of approximately 150,000 square feet of office space in lower Manhattan.
Represented a media and market measurement company in acquiring, developing, financing, and leasing of a 39-acre, 600,000-square-foot worldwide technology center in Oldsmar, Florida. Also represented the company with the sale of its former technology center in Dunedin, Florida.
Represented a media and market measurement company in the leasing of 80,000 square feet of office space in a major downtown office building in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Represented a major U.S. publisher of industry and trade journals in the leasing and disposition of office space in major cities across the country.
Represented one of the largest beverage importers in the leasing and expansion of its U.S. corporate headquarters in White Plains, New York and the leasing of its U.S. executive headquarters in the Chrysler Building in New York City.
Represented a state convention center authority in the leasing of over 500,000 square feet of office, retail, and industrial space.
Represented a state convention center authority in the sale of two office/industrial buildings.
Represented a national developer in acquiring properties to enable the development of an arena for an NBA basketball team.
Represented various hedge funds and private equity funds in the leasing and disposition of office space in New York City.
Represented a Manhattan real estate developer in the leasing of prime Manhattan and Queens, New York commercial retail space.
Represented a media and market measurement company in the subleasing of 155,000 square feet of office space in midtown Manhattan.
Represented the owners of a building with more than 500,000 square feet of prime Manhattan office and retail space, including leasing to a high-profile restaurant, retail, and office tenants.
Represented a celebrity stylist with the leasing of high-end salon locations in prime properties in Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Greenwich, New York, and Dallas.

Professional and Community Involvement

Springfield Avenue Partnership, a special improvement district promoting business and cultural development, Board of Trustees

Speaking Engagements

Moderator, “Investment Strategies Involving Cannabis Real Estate,” Institutional Cannabis Conference East, October 21, 2019
Featured, “Before a Lease Is Signed… Amenity Charges in Cam and Operating Expenses,” The Habitat Group and New York County Lawyer’s Association CLE Seminar, June 13, 2019
Lecturer, “Why Did We Agree To This? How to Avoid 9 Common Pitfalls When Negotiating a Commercial Lease,” New York County Lawyers Association, April 25, 2018
Lecturer, “Beyond the Basics: The Top Overlooked Lease Issues to Negotiate,” New York County Lawyers Association, November 2, 2017

Awards

Recognition

The American Lawyer, “Northeast Trailblazer,” 2022

Publications

Author, “Avoid Common Pitfalls When Drafting Operating Expense Clause,” Commercial Tenant’s Lease Insider, May 2018
Author, “Put Restrictions on Owner’s Right to Erect Scaffolding,” Commercial Tenant’s Lease Insider, July 2007
Author, “Get Right to Erect Scaffolding without Tenant Retaliation,” Commercial Lease Law Insider, July 2007
Author, “Get Right to Replace Guarantor if You Assign Lease,” Commercial Tenant’s Lease Insider, July 2005