A widely respected real estate attorney who has guided clients through four decades of Southern California’s volatile property markets, Steve Claman represents purchasers, investors, owners and developers of industrial, commercial, retail and residential properties.
He counsels on all types of real estate transactions and related business concerns, including acquisitions, financing, distressed properties, 1031 exchanges, defeasance of loans, partnership conversions to limited liability companies and transition of management of real estate and other business entities. Mr. Claman also advises industrial and commercial landlords on tenant issues involving leases, improvements and lease defaults.
In one recent transaction, Mr. Claman managed potential environmental obstacles, deal points and community challenges facing his landowner client in their multi-million dollar sale of more than 120 single-family lots and water rights in the San Gabriel Valley, California.
Counseling developers and investors is a major part of his practice. He regularly addresses and resolves environmental and entitlement issues, manages regulatory approvals, and negotiates with lenders. Several recent representations have included counseling borrowers with real-estate secured loans and issues over personal liability issues.
Mr. Claman’s clients also include real estate professionals, such as general contractors, architectural firms and commercial real estate brokers, whom he represents in commission, compensation and other disputes. In addition, he advises corporate managing partners on partnership conversions, executive compensation, shareholder issues, and business operations.
Frequently, Mr. Claman teams with firm colleagues in litigation, tax, environment and estate planning, as well as outside real estate consultants, to provide comprehensive representation in complex real estate transactions.