Clay Gantz

Practice Areas

Clayton Gantz, partner in Manatt’s Real Estate practice, is a recognized leader in the real estate industry. His practice addresses client real estate concerns, including development and investment; debt and equity financing; land use and entitlements; public-private partnerships; acquisitions, sales and exchanges; and leasing and ground leasing. Clay represents buyers and sellers of distressed mortgage loans, loan portfolios and REO property, as well as borrowers and lenders in mortgage loan restructurings and workouts.

Leveraging decades of experience as counsel to public agencies on public-private partnerships, Clay advised the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency on the Moscone Center/Yerba Buena Gardens project. He also advised the city of Tustin on the conversion of its Marine Corps air station from military to civilian use. Lambda Alpha International (the international honorary society for the advancement of land economics), in inviting Clay’s membership, cited his “creativity in structuring public and private development transactions of depth and complexity.”

Clay represents buyers and sellers of distressed mortgage loans, loan portfolios and REO property as well as borrowers and lenders in mortgage loan restructurings and workouts. He both forms and serves as general counsel to commercial mortgage loan conduits and private equity funds.

Professional Memberships

Admitted to practice in California

Member, Lambda Alpha International

Past President, Russian River Valley Winegrowers

Member, California Bankers Association

Member, Urban Land Institute; Assistant Chair, Public-Private Partnership Council, Gold Flight

Publications

Co-author, “CRE Loan Defaults: A Brief Guide for Lenders and Borrowers,” NAIOP Development Magazine, Summer 2020.

Co-author, “Tips for Commercial Mortgage Borrowers Affected by COVID,” Law360, April 20, 2020.

Co-author, “How Borrowers Can Respond to the Real Estate Downturn,” Law360, April 13, 2020.

Quoted, “ULI Product Council Outlook for Public/Private Partnerships,” Urban Land Magazine, January 21, 2020.

Co-author, "Nine Practices of Successful Public/Private Partnerships,” Urban Land Magazine, April 20, 2017.

Co-author and Editor, “Successful Public/Private Partnerships: From Principles to Practices,” Urban Land Institute, July 28, 2016.

Interviewed, What's Cookin' Today on CRN, October 5, 2015.

Quoted, "Neighborhood Watch," Wine Enthusiast Magazine, July 2015.

Quoted, "Invest in wine without drinking the profits," Wall Street Journal MarketWatch, August 13, 2013.

Quoted, "Something New for DC's (Low-Demand) Gap Finance Market," GlobeSt.com, June 29, 2013.

Co-author, "10 Reasons Why Sustainable/Energy Retrofits of Commercial Buildings Will Be the Next Big Thing," Environmental Leader, July 23, 2012.

Co-author, "CMBS Concerns – Are securitized loans worth the trouble?" Commercial Investment Real Estate magazine, Editor's Pick, July/August 2012.

Co-author, "CMBS 2.0: Still in Need of Work," Urban Land Magazine, January/February 2012.