John L. Sullivan

Examples of John's experience include:

• Represented a non-US investor in the US$3.6 billion acquisition of a privately-held REIT owning approximately 180 industrial properties in 15 states and a related management and development platform
• Represented a non-US investor with respect to the acquisition, joint venture and financing of a newly constructed headquarters building in New York City with a project cost of approximately US$2.1 billion 
• Represented a non-US investor in the US$2.1 billion acquisition of a portfolio of office buildings and a related joint venture
• Represented a non-US investor in the acquisition and joint venture of a trophy office building in New York City valued in excess of US$1.2 billion in a highly structured transaction involving entities and investors from multiple countries 
• Represented a fund sponsor in the roll-up of multiple real estate investment funds owning approximately 53 apartment properties located throughout the US 
• Represented an institutional investment advisor in the formation of a joint venture with a public REIT to acquire a US$326 million portfolio of student housing properties in conjunction with the closing of a US$1.2 billion merger of two public REITs 
• Represented a non-US pension fund in a programmatic joint venture for the acquisition, financing, and development of apartment projects throughout the US 
• Represented a US real estate investment advisor in the acquisition and joint venture for an office tower valued in excess of US$500 million 
• Represented a non-US institutional investor in the acquisition of a privately-held REIT that owned more than 100 farms in six states 
• Represented an institutional investor in the sale of six REITS owning apartment projects in five states 
• Represented a real estate private equity fund in a US$220 million investment in a portfolio of assets that included 44 office and industrial properties, a 351-mile railroad easement and six parcels of undeveloped land. The fund's investment was divided into a US$70 million mezzanine loan and a US$150 million unsecured loan and closed simultaneously with a US$835 million recapitalization 
• Represented a non-US investor in the phased acquisition of equity interests in a venture that owns a portfolio of eight regional retail malls in the US with a gross value in excess of US$500 million. The transaction also included the acquisition of a US$26 million unsecured loan to the joint venture. All of the parties were non-US entities and the transaction involved many complex tax, debt and restructuring issues 
• Represented a non-US investor in the US$276 million acquisition of a leasehold condominium in New York City containing residential and retail space, including the simultaneous closing of a US$110 million senior loan and a US$70 million mezzanine loan 
• Represented a real estate opportunity fund in the formation of a joint venture to acquire and develop skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in the Southeastern United States 
• Represented a real estate opportunity fund with respect to a mezzanine loan and joint venture investment in the development of a condominium and apartment project in New Jersey
• Represented an institutional investment advisor in the acquisition of a US$139.5 million shopping center in Hawaii 
• Represented real estate funds and real estate advisors with respect to the acquisition of office, retail, residential, hotel, industrial and multi-family projects located throughout the US 
• Represented institutional real estate advisors with respect to participating and non-participating mezzanine loans involving projects throughout the US 
• Represented various institutional investors in workouts and restructurings throughout the US 
• Represented opportunity funds in the acquisition, financing, and sale of portfolios of performing and non-performing loans

Chambers USA

• Eminent Practitioner, Massachusetts Real Estate, (2025)
• Band 1, Massachusetts Real Estate, (2012 – 2024) 
  Clients say, "John Sullivan is far and away the greatest real estate lawyer I have ever worked with. Importantly, he is as great a person as he is partner to his clients." (2023)
  "John Sullivan is the best corporate real estate lawyer, globally, that I have worked with, bar none." (2023)
  "He's a very good lawyer. He's very smart, very careful and provides very well-thought-out advice." (2023)

The Legal 500 United States

• Leading Partner, Real Estate, (2017 – 2019, 2022 – 2025)
  Clients say, "Top of the heap. Really exemplary service – you always get his attention, he’s a skilled and effective technical lawyer as well as negotiator." (2023)
• Recommended, Real Estate, (2015 – 2016, 2020)

Additional Awards

• Recognized, 500 Leading Global Real Estate Lawyers List, Lawdragon, (2025)
• Named, "Lawyer of the Year," Best Lawyers, (2014)
• Named, 500 Dealmakers in America, Lawdragon, (2007)
• Named, Massachusetts Super Lawyer

• Co-author, "Chambers and Partners Global Real Estate Practice Guide," (2022, 2023, 2024)
• Co-author, "Liquidated Damages in Purchase and Sale Agreements: Illinois and Massachusetts," The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, May 2020
• Co-author, "Crossing the Line: Issues to Consider in Cross-Border Transactions," presented at the meeting of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, October 2019
• Co-author, "Massachusetts real estate purchase and sale issues for buyers," The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, September 2017
• Co-author, "Beginning With the End in Mind: Exit Mechanisms in Joint Venture Agreements," presented at the meeting of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, April 2017

John is a frequent speaker on topics such as joint venture agreements, cross-border real estate investments, and matters relating to investments in real estate by pension plans and other tax exempt investors.

• Speaker, "John Sullivan on Wharton Business Daily," Wharton Business Daily on SiriusXM, July 2023
• Speaker, "A Look at The Commercial Real Estate Space," Nasdaq Trade Talks, June 2023
• Moderator, "Short-Term Financing Options for Real Estate Funds," IMN's annual Real Estate Opportunity Fund Conference
• Moderator, "Crossing the Line: Issues to Consider in Cross Border Transactions," 2019 American College of Real Estate Lawyers Annual Meeting
• Moderator, "Beginning with the End in Mind: Exit Mechanisms in Joint Venture Agreements," 2017 American College of Real Estate Lawyers Annual Meeting

• Quoted, "As South Florida's Real Estate Market Remains Hot, Lawyers Contemplate Looming Challenges," Daily Business Review, June 29, 2023
• Quoted, "Investors Are Bearish This Year: AKD Partners," Commercial Property Executive, June 12, 2023
• Quoted, "CRE Leaders Blame Bearish Outlook On Interest Rate Hikes," Law360, June 12, 2023
• Quoted, "Bankers Seek Interest Rate Clarity as Real Estate Deal-Making Slumps," CoStar, October 19, 2022
• Quoted, "Inflation, Geopolitical Conflict Make CRE Look Better Than Ever," GlobeSt., May 26, 2022
• "Commercial Real Estate Seen as Good Option in Times of Inflation, Geopolitical Conflict," Nareit REIT Report Podcast, May 24, 2022
• "Real estate expert details what’s driving the commercial market resurgence," Yahoo Finance, May 20, 2022
• "State of the CRE Market Survey Mostly Bullish: AKD Partners," GlobeSt., May 18, 2022
• Commercial Property Executive – "CRE Confidence Is Up in AKD Partners’s Annual Sentiment Survey," May 16, 2022
• Quoted, "DLA hires former US ambassador," ICLG, June 11, 2021
• Quoted, "What is Different About Post-Pandemic Life Sciences CRE," GlobeSt., May 20, 2021
• Quoted, "Survey Highlights the Start of a CRE Bull Market," GlobeSt., May 7, 2021
• "Optimism and Resiliency of Real Estate Amidst Market Challenges: Q&A on the State of Commercial Real Estate," AKD Partners Real Estate Summit, May 2021
• Quoted, "16th AKD Partners Global Real Estate Summit," May 2021
• Quoted, "Real Estate Cos. More Optimistic Amid Vaccine Rollout," Law360, May 4, 2021
• Quoted, "Taking Stock of Office's Future," Commercial Property Executive, December 4, 2020
• Quoted, "Rising vacancies, falling rents: 'The office market, it's like a slow-motion car wreck.'," USA Today, November 30, 2020
• "AKD Partners Survey Cites Capital Looking to Invest in Real Estate as Reason for Optimism," Nareit, November 13, 2020
• Quoted, "COVID 19 Weighs on Commercial Real Estate Sector," bywire, November 12, 2020
• Quoted, "Bearish CRE Market Predicted for One other 12 Months," The Commercial Real Estate News, October 29, 2020
• Quoted, "Bearish CRE Market Predicted for Another 12 Months," GlobeSt., October 28, 2020
• Quoted, "Real Estate Firms Lean Bearish, Eye Logistics and Biotech," Law360, October 27, 2020
• Quoted, "What To Watch As Simon Looks To Exit $3.6B Taubman Deal," Law360, August 17, 2020
• Quoted, "Orrick partner jumps ship to AKD Partners's New York real estate practice," ICLG, July 13, 2020
• Quoted, "Key Takeaways From The Biggest COVID Real Estate Cases," Law360, March 10, 2020
• Quoted, "As Returns Shrink Opportunity Zone Funds Adjust Their Strategies," GlobeSt., October 4, 2019
• Quoted, "There's No Recession-Proof CRE, But Some Property Types Will Slog Through Better Than Others," Bisnow, October 3, 2019
• Quoted, "An Under-the-Radar Look Beyond Late-Cycle Plays," Commercial Property Executive, October 3, 2019
• Quoted, "Brexit Fears Don’t Dissuade CRE Investors," GlobeSt., October 3, 2019
• Quoted, "Wake Up Call: Crypto Group ‘Rates’ Assets to Avoid Securities Violations," Bloomberg Big Law Business, October 1, 2019
• Quoted, "Venture Investment in Proptech Break Record This Year," GlobeSt., September 30, 2019
• Quoted, "Optimistic CRE execs think one city will lead growth for next year," Mortgage Professional America, September 30, 2019
• Quoted, "CRE Executives 'Cautiously Optimistic'," MBA Newslink, September 27, 2019
• Quoted, "AKD Partners survey: E-commerce still the biggest disrupter in CRE," RE Journals, September 25, 2019
• Quoted, "Two Words Describe CRE Executives: 'Cautiously Optimistic," Connect Commercial Real Estate, September 25, 2019
• Quoted, "Reasons for Optimism, Pessimism in the Year Ahead," GlobeSt, September 24, 2019
• Quoted, "CRE Executives Cautiously Optimistic: AKD Partners's 2019 State of the Market Survey," City Biz List, September 24, 2019
• Quoted, "Real Estate Investors Bullish Despite Decade-Long Upcycle," Law360, September 23, 2019
• Quoted, "DLA Blends Tech, Shared Space Into Real Estate Agenda," Law360, May 31, 2019
• Quoted, "CRE executives remain bullish, but optimism levels off: AKD Partners's 2017 State of the Market Survey," AKD Partners, September 26, 2017