Overview

Corporate, real estate and tax matters are the central focus of Robert Towsner's practice.  His work includes tax transactional and tax planning, REIT and UBTI tax planning and transactional structuring, entity restructurings, tax and non-tax aspects of partnerships and limited liability companies and structuring and documentation of complex tax-sensitive transactions.

Representative Experience

• Structuring, documentation and formation of $250 million and $600 million mezzanine loan funds (with domestic and foreign investors). 
• Formation of a multiple class, multi-asset “DownREIT”. 
• Joint venture between a private UpREIT and an investment banker for acquisition of a portfolio of properties in Cambridge, MA. 
• Representation of Dutch investors in various U.S. joint ventures and wholly-owned real estate.
• Structuring and documentation for the acquirer of the two phase acquisition of Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA. 
• Structuring, documentation and formation of $180 million real property fund (including contributions of properties by some of the investors). 
• Representation of hotel investor/manager in connection with formation of opportunity funds.   
• Representation of pension fund in multiple tranche joint venture for existing and to be developed office buildings. 
• Design and implementation of a complex tax-deferred exchange program for a public residential REIT.
• Formation of group trusts for investment adviser, and documentation of the investment management agreement, trust agreements, and other related documentation.
• Representation of German insurance company in investment in U.S. real estate fund. 
• Representation of private equity fund for tax and ERISA structuring and documentation and joint venture planning for acquisition of approximately $1.5 billion office building. 
• Representation of various entities in purchases and sales of private REITs. 
• Structuring and documentation of tax-deferred cash outs by various developers and investors. 
• Representation of U.S. fund in potential joint ventures in China. 
• Tax structuring and documentation for public REIT of development joint ventures.