Paul C. Levin

Partner

Paul Levin's practice includes all aspects of real estate transactions, including purchase and sale, leasing, and land use entitlements, with a particular focus on seeing projects through from beginning stages to completion. Paul represents developers, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and cultural and educational institutions in a wide range of real estate projects across the United States.

Paul has deep experience with real estate projects for sports and entertainment facilities, focusing on the needs of complex, multi-stage projects with many stakeholders and the need to create innovative gameday experiences. He has worked on stadium and entertainment projects with MLB, NFL, English Football League, United Soccer League, and minor league baseball teams and nonprofit sports organizations.

Prior to joining Venable, Paul was a partner at Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass LLP in San Francisco and practiced at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP in San Francisco. Paul also worked with the in-house real estate developer for one of the largest general contractors in the country, where he focused on public-private partnership transactions.

Paul is a LEED Green Associate and was a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, Northern California chapter, where he served on the committee that determined the regional priority credits now included in LEED v4.

Experience

Representative Matters

Purchase and Sale
  • Represented the purchaser on the acquisition and financing of a $160 million, eight-building complex in Andover, Massachusetts, along with several related parcel sales
  • Represented the purchaser in the acquisition and financing of a $145 million, four-parcel campus outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, including related construction and design contracts
  • Represented the purchaser on the acquisition of a 250-unit apartment complex in the San José, California area
  • Represented a developer in the acquisition and entitlements related to two key buildings totaling more than 1 million square feet of office and retail space in San Francisco's Mid-Market district. The project was developed for technology start-up tenants and is the headquarters for a large social media company. The project won a 2012 "Deal of the Year" award from the San Francisco Business Times
  • Represented a real estate company in the $1.3 billion sale of more than 70 properties in Silicon Valley. The deal was named the "Biggest Commercial Real Estate Deal" of 2012 by the San Jose Business Times
  • Represented the purchaser of an entitled development site in Santa Clara, California, while also working with the development team on construction and design issues, neighborhood issues, site parcelization, and the sale of portions of the subdivided site
Development
  • Represented an acclaimed post-secondary school in the development of a new educational space and student housing project in the heart of San Francisco, including site acquisition and due diligence, land use entitlements, construction and design contracting, construction financing, and leasing
  • Worked for the developer of a medical research building on the construction and development of 237,000 square feet of laboratory and office space. The project was delivered as a public-private partnership where the developer designed, built, and assisted a leading research university in the financing of the building, and manages the building. The deal won the San Francisco Business Times 2013 "Deal of the Year" award for New Research & Development and was a finalist for the San Francisco Business Times 2011 Public-Private Partnership "Deal of the Year" award
  • Represented a public agency in development agreements, ground leases, and deal structuring for transit-oriented development projects across the Bay Area
  • Represents school and colleges across the Bay Area in land use and permitting matters
Leasing
  • Represents a large property owner in the leasing and development of more than 200,000 square feet of retail and restaurant spaces
  • Represents growing technology companies on office leasing transactions across the country
  • Represented the developer of a mixed-use entertainment and sports complex in lease negotiations with national retailers
  • Represented a national retailer in lease negotiations to become the anchor tenant of a mixed-use development on the San Francisco waterfront, which included a complete renovation of the existing building
Construction and Design
  • Represented a large technology company in construction and design matters for the development of new office campuses, including almost 1 million square feet of new space
  • Represented a major San Francisco cultural institution in structuring agreements with an architect and general contractor for a $120 million building renovation project
  • Represented an affordable housing developer in construction contracts for multifamily projects across the Bay Area
Sports and Entertainment
  • Represented a Major League Baseball team on the permitting, approvals, and lease negotiation to create a gameday entertainment development
  • Served on a team that represented a Major League Baseball franchise on the development of a mixed-use neighborhood
  • Represented a National Football League team on real estate and contract issues
  • Represented the purchaser of a minority interest in a Major League Soccer team, including purchase agreement negotiation, diligence, and league approval
  • Represented a Major League Baseball team on corporate governance issues, sponsorships, and related negotiations with investor partners
  • Represent a nonprofit youth sports organization in corporate and real estate matters, including the development of a mixed-use training and housing facility
  • Represents a nationally ranked youth sports club on facility development
  • Represents country clubs in purchase and sale and lease agreements to redevelop and reposition properties

Insights

Credentials
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Education

  • J.D. University of Virginia School of Law 2009
    • Editor-in-chief, Virginia Environmental Law Journal
    • Board member and auction director, Public Interest Law Association
    • Public Interest Service Medal
  • B.A. Political Science cum laude Yale University 2005
    • Frank M. Patterson Research Prize
    • Richter Fellowship
    • Senior Leadership Award

Bar Admissions

  • California
  • Maryland

Professional Memberships and Activities

  • Member, Steering Committee, Real Estate Industry Group, The Associated
  • Member, Programming Committee, Sports Lawyers Association
  • Member, Leadership San Francisco, Class of 2018
  • Member, Young Leaders Group, Urban Land Institute
  • Member, San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association
  • Former chair, Barrister's Environment, Land Use, and Real Estate Section, Bar Association of San Francisco
  • Former vice-chair, Green and Sustainable Transactions Committee of the Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, American Bar Association

Recognition
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  • The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate, 2023 – 2024

Community
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Volunteerism

  • Member, Board of Trustees, Jewish Museum of Maryland
  • Member, Food From the Bar Advisory Committee, San Francisco-Marin Food Bank
  • Former member, Board of Directors, Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center