Lydia W. Wu

Partner
Fax 310-553-0687
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Biography

Lydia Wu’s practice involves all aspects of real estate transactions, including financing, workouts and foreclosures, purchases and sale transactions, leasing matters and development projects.

Lydia regularly negotiates and closes major multi-state and multi-property transactions for institutional investors, as well as local, single-property projects for individuals and regional clients, and such deals involve office, shopping center/retail, industrial/warehouse, multifamily, resort/hotel, senior housing and mixed-use properties.

As counsel to borrowers and lenders, Lydia has an extensive background in steering and closing sophisticated transactions including secured and unsecured financings, ground lease financings, construction loans, asset-backed loans, mezzanine loans, CMBS loans, sale-leaseback and mixed-finance transactions. Known for her effective and detailed approach in negotiations. 

Lydia's experience includes representation of a:

  • life insurance company in the financing of several class A office buildings in California including the Sun America Center in Century City, One Cal Plaza in downtown LA, and 425 Market Street in San Francisco; 
  • pension fund in a multi-million loan modification secured by a major shopping center in Palmdale;
  • power generation company in the financing of a photovoltaic solar project in the Antelope Valley; and, 
  • restaurant management company in a multi-million revolving credit facility with letters of credit involving 57 restaurants.

As counsel to developers, purchasers, sellers, landlords and tenants she represented major hotel and hospitality providers, insurance companies, investment groups, restaurants and various industrial clients. She strives to maintain a practical deal-making approach by adding valuable business perspective in a cost-effective manner in her handling of all stages of real estate investment, and regularly prepares and negotiates:

  • Complex purchase and sale agreements
  • Development agreements, DDAs, CC&Rs, REAs, and Subordination Agreements
  • Ground leases, big box leases and other commercial leases
  • Agreements for joint ventures, tenancies-in-common, and other strategic alliances including formation and governance documents
  • 1031 Exchange documents
  • Management agreements
  • Financing documents

Leadership and Pro Bono Involvement

Lydia is currently a fellow at the American College of Mortgage Attorneys (ACMA). In 2005, she received the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award from the Los Angeles County Bar Association (Real Property Section).

Lydia was born and raised in Brazil and her fluency in Portuguese and Korean adds to the diversity of experience and insights she brings to each matter.

Professional Affiliations

  • Member, American College of Mortgage Attorneys (ACMA), 2011-present
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Real Property Section
  • USC Real Estate Law and Business Forum, Planning Committee, 2011 and 2012
  • Former member of California Minority Counsel Program (CMCP), Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW), Urban Land Institute (ULI), Los Angeles Headquarters Association (LAHQ), Korean American Bar Association (KABA), National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)

Charitable & Civic Involvement

  • Alliance for Children’s Rights, Pro bono counsel for adoption matters
  • Former mentor, Volunteers in Parole, Inc.
  • Former Board Member, Christian Legal Aid of Los Angeles

Awards

  • Outstanding Young Lawyer Award 2005, Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • Nominee, Los Angeles Business Journal, 2008 “Women Making a Difference” award

Bar Admissions

  • California

Education

  • University of Southern California Gould School of Law  (J.D., 1999)
  • Westminster Theological Seminary  (M.A., 1996)
    • Counseling Degree
  • University of California, Irvine  (B.A., cum laude, 1994)
    • Political Science and Economics

Languages

  • Korean
  • Portuguese