Commercial Real Estate Attorney
Attorney Manny Chahal represents clients in commercial real estate transactions across the United States. Beyond Michigan deals, Manny has served as US special outside counsel to a large Canadian corporation, handling more than $500 million in purchases and sales of commercial properties across the USA for that single client — covering acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, financing, due diligence, and dispute resolution. Whether you are a developer, investor, REIT, lender, family office, or owner-operator, you get institutional-grade rigor from term sheet through closing.
Commercial Real Estate Services
End-to-end legal counsel across the lifecycle of commercial property — from term sheet to closing to dispute resolution.
Acquisitions & Dispositions
Purchase and sale agreements, letters of intent, escrow management, and asset-level vs. entity-level transfers for office, retail, industrial, multifamily, and mixed-use assets.
Commercial Leasing
Triple-net (NNN), full-service gross, modified gross, and ground leases. Tenant and landlord representation, build-out provisions, CAM reconciliation, exclusivity clauses, and SNDA agreements.
CRE Finance & Loan Documentation
Construction loans, permanent financing, mezzanine debt, CMBS, and bridge loans. Loan agreement negotiation, intercreditor agreements, guaranty reviews, and refinancing counsel.
Title & Due Diligence
Title commitment review, ALTA surveys, environmental Phase I/II, zoning verification, lien searches, estoppel certificates, and tenant-lease abstraction across portfolios.
Zoning, Land Use & Entitlements
Site plan approvals, special-use permits, variances, rezoning petitions, and PUD agreements before municipal planning commissions and zoning boards of appeal.
Joint Ventures & Operating Agreements
JV structuring, operating and partnership agreements, waterfall distributions, promote calculations, capital call mechanics, and exit provisions for sponsors and LP investors.
Real Estate Litigation
Breach of contract, specific performance, broker-commission disputes, partition actions, easement and boundary disputes, eminent domain, and zoning appeals.
Cross-Border CRE Transactions
US special-counsel role for Canadian corporations and family offices acquiring or disposing of US commercial real estate — coordinated diligence, financing, and closing across jurisdictions.
Real Estate Law — Key Statutes
Foundational authorities under Michigan and US commercial real estate practice.
The Transaction Process
Disciplined, milestone-driven workflow from LOI to post-closing matters.
Term Sheet & LOI
Negotiate core economic and legal terms, exclusivity, and timing before legal spend escalates.
Due Diligence
Title, survey, environmental, zoning, financials, leases, service contracts, litigation, and entitlements.
Definitive Agreement
Purchase and sale agreement, representations and warranties, indemnities, closing conditions, and escrow.
Closing & Funding
Title insurance, recordation, fund flow, prorations, closing statements, and post-closing transition.
Asset Classes Covered
Sector experience across the US commercial property landscape.
Office & Medical Office (MOB)
Class A, B, and C office buildings, suburban campuses, and medical office buildings with sale-leasebacks and tenant-improvement workouts.
Retail & Mixed-Use
Strip centers, anchored retail, NNN outparcels, restaurant ground leases, and mixed-use redevelopment projects.
Industrial & Logistics
Warehouse, distribution, last-mile logistics, flex space, and manufacturing facilities — with environmental and zoning overlay.
Multifamily & Build-to-Rent
Apartment communities, condominium conversions, BTR, student housing, and HUD/agency-financed projects.
Hospitality
Limited-service, full-service, and boutique hotels, including franchise-agreement coordination and management agreements.
Land & Development
Raw land acquisitions, option agreements, subdivision and platting, condo declarations, and entitlement-contingent contracts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a real estate attorney for a commercial closing?
Commercial transactions routinely involve sophisticated indemnification, environmental allocation, and lender requirements that warrant specialized counsel — not just a title agent. Cross-border deals involving Canadian buyers or lenders particularly benefit from coordinated US-side counsel.
What is the statute of limitations on a Michigan real estate contract dispute?
Six years for breach of a written real estate contract under MCL 600.5807. Fraud, silent fraud, and equitable claims can carry different limitations periods. Confirm with counsel before relying on any deadline.
How does Michigan’s redemption period affect foreclosure-acquired property?
Following a mortgage foreclosure by advertisement, the borrower typically retains a six-month statutory redemption period under MCL 600.3140 (one year for certain agricultural property). Title is not marketable until redemption expires.
Should leases be NNN, modified gross, or full-service?
The right structure depends on asset class, market norms, tenant credit, and tenant-improvement allocation. Triple-net is standard for stabilized retail and industrial; office often uses modified gross or full-service structures.
Do you handle deals outside Michigan?
Yes. Attorney Manny Chahal has handled commercial real estate transactions across the United States and routinely serves as US-side special counsel for Canadian and other foreign clients. Local-counsel coordination is arranged where state-specific representation is required.
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