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J. Goodwin Bland

Partner

jbland@morganlewis.com

New York Phone +1.212.309.6250 Fax +1.212.309.6001

101 Park Ave.//New York, NY 10178-0060//United States

J. Goodwin Bland has more than 30 years of experience in a variety of commercial and residential real estate transactions. He has a background in acquisitions, sales and donations relating to office buildings, apartment complexes, condominiums, cooperative housing, and other properties. He has experience with commercial leasing transactions, including office, retail, warehouse, ground, net and forestry leases, and he represents both landlords and tenants in various issues and disputes.

J. also has experience in public-private partnerships, architect and construction agreements, lending, loan restructuring, and bankruptcy transfers.

He represents a broad range of clients, including developers, multifamily residential owners, institutional investors, health care firms, financial services firms, banks, institutional lenders, technology companies, cooperative associations, retailers, universities, schools, hedge funds, private equity firms, owners, borrowers, and real estate brokerage and management firms, in New York City and on a national level. He is very active in representing a large number of Japanese clients and nonprofits in various real estate transactions, including their headquarters leasing.

He is the hiring partner of the New York office Hiring Committee, and until October 2019, he served as a co-chair of the firm’s global Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

selected representations

  • Represented a Japanese bank as tenant in the 15-year renewal of its lease of 40,000 square feet of space in Midtown Manhattan
  • Represented a nonprofit organization as tenant in the negotiation of a 60,000-square-foot, 20-year lease located in Midtown Manhattan, including both its headquarters and museum
  • Represented a private equity firm as tenant in the negotiation of a 30,000 square foot lease in Midtown Manhattan, including architectural and construction contracts
  • Represented a nonprofit organization as tenant in the negotiation of a 30,000 square foot lease in the Financial District of Manhattan, including architectural and construction contracts
  • Represented an international humanitarian aid organization in the purchase and financing of two full-floor, contiguous commercial condominiums aggregating 60,000 square feet in Manhattan's Financial District for a purchase price of $40 million, of which a portion was financed through a 10-year term loan; negotiated a short-term leaseback to the seller and a roof easement with the condominium, and architectural and construction contracts
  • Represented an affiliate of a nonprofit organization as tenant in several multiyear lease agreements for pet care facilities in several new residential structures in New York City, including canine day care and boarding
  • Represented a US-based biologics company as tenant in a 20,000 foot office lease in Marlborough, Mass. and in the purchase of a 70,000 square foot building in Hopkinton, Mass
  • Represented a Japanese cargo airline company as tenant in a 100,000 square foot warehouse lease at John F. Kennedy Airport
  • Represented a comprehensive medical, cosmetic, and surgical dermatology practice in 6 medical office leases throughout New York City
  • Represented a provider of independent living, assisted living and memory care in Virginia with construction contracts and dispute resolution
  • Represented a multifamily residential owner in the sale of a three-building Mitchell-Lama residential complex composed of 1,275 units in the Bronx for $100 million 
  • Represented a multifamily residential owner in the sale of a four-building residential complex composed of 1,650 affordable housing units in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx for $150 million 
  • Represented the world’s largest timberland manager for institutional investors as tenant in the restructuring of its sublease from a bankrupt sublandlord into a direct lease from 17 tenants-in-common of 25,000 acres of timberland in Alabama
  • Represented a leading provider of technology-enabled information and document services as tenant in its leases of 30,000 square feet and 20,000 square feet, and as subtenant in its sublease of 50,000 square feet, in three different buildings in Midtown Manhattan
  • Represented a medical office tenant in the simultaneous surrender of its existing 20,000 foot space in Midtown Manhattan — including obtaining a large surrender payment from the landlord who needed to demolish the client’s existing building to erect an office tower — and the execution of its new lease of 20,000 square feet in Midtown Manhattan, including negotiation of the architect and construction contracts for the new lease
  • Represented an Upper East Side apartment corporation in resolving a 10-year boundary dispute with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation by agreeing to transform a portion of the disputed property into a waterfront public park, while retaining a significant portion of the disputed property for the client who also had the right to control the design of and access to the park
  • Represented an international nonprofit in the negotiation of its lease and its 10-year lease renewal and expansion agreement for its New York City headquarters, bringing its total space to 40,000 square feet in Midtown Manhattan
  • Represented a New York City developer in its acquisition and financing of various properties including: a partially completed site in Noho, N.Y., for the construction of a nine-story luxury condominium building; parking lots in Tribeca, N.Y., for the construction of a nine-story luxury condominium building; and a former factory in Soho, N.Y., for the construction of a 10-story luxury condominium building
  • Represented a Swiss watchmaker in its first retail lease in the United States, consisting of 10,000 square feet of space on 57th Street in New York City, on a block known for luxury stores between Madison and 5th Avenues
  • Represented a national news magazine in its subleasing of 50,000 square feet in Manhattan’s Financial District, and prior to the completion of construction of its new space, its negotiation of a license agreement for 50,000 square feet of space at another location
  • Represented a national real estate company in the disposition of $1 billion of real estate holdings in New York City, Chicago and Miami
  • Represented a New York City developer in connection with (a) its acquisition of a 1,680-unit residential and retail development in Midtown Manhattan, and (b) its disposition of two New York City residential and retail buildings for $200 million
  • Represented a national developer in its acquisition and financing of multifamily housing projects on the East Coast
  • Representing a national nonprofit organization as tenant in connection with the leasing and construction of its national headquarters in Raleigh, N.C.
  • Represented a landlord of a 250,000-square-foot office and retail building in Midtown Manhattan in its leasing to various major tenants
  • Represented a national financial services firm as tenant in its leasing of 440,000 square feet of space in New York City
  • Represented a nonprofit corporation in a joint venture with the New York City School Construction Authority for the construction of public school libraries and science labs

Awards and Affiliations

Recognized, Real Estate Law, New York, The Best Lawyers in America (2020)

Recommended, Real estate and construction – Real estate, The Legal 500 US (2017)

Recognized, Super Lawyers, New York, Real Estate (2013)

President, Alumni Council, University of Virginia School of Law

Alvarez-Coughlin Award, presented by University of Virginia Lambda Law Alliance, honoring those who have made significant efforts on behalf of the LGBT community by "creating an open, supportive, and welcoming environment for diversity" at the law school and beyond

Admissions

  • New York

Education

  • University of Virginia, 1984, Bachelor of Arts, With Distinction, High Honors
  • University of Virginia School of Law, 1987, Juris Doctor

Services

  • Real Estate
  • Corporate Finance Investment Management

Regions

  • Japan

News

6/19/2018 - Taking Pride in our Work for the LGBTQ Community: a Q&A with Partner J. Goodwin Bland

6/17/2015 - Morgan Lewis Advises Argyle Executive Forum in its Sale of a Majority Equity Interest