John Tipton

Practice Areas

Having solved thousands of business and legal issues related to real estate transactions over the years, John’s market coverage and depth are vast. From large-scale multi-use developments, office projects, retail, hotels and recreational facilities, to corporate headquarters, he has negotiated and closed almost every asset and deal type.

A skilled negotiator and problem solver who knows California's commercial real estate market as well as anyone, John represents owners, developers, and lenders in capital markets, asset management, and leasing transactions. He counts among his clients private and institutional investors as well as national and multi-national corporations, for both their owned and leased properties.

PRACTICAL COUNSEL

The key to John’s ability to attract and keep loyal clients is two-fold: practical and solution-oriented. He learns his clients’ businesses, their pressure points, and their decision making levers so he can approach any deal or problem from their perspective. He takes a balanced approach to negotiations by finding common ground between parties and establishing a human connection—a winning formula that has proven itself time and again for arriving at the best terms for his client while getting the deal that they want done.

John believes that delivering exceptional service is not optional, but critical to his clients’ goals. He is acutely responsive to their needs at every juncture.

STRATEGIC AND WELL-CONNECTED

In the widely-respected and highly-regarded Allen Matkins deal-making culture—more practical and deal/client focused than most law firms—John stands out for his commitment to support his client’s business strategy. He also places a priority on cultivating important relationships with others throughout California and across North America that contribute to his clients’ successes, as well with his Allen Matkins colleagues, where he has access to the knowledge base of nearly 100 real estate team members.

SIGNIFICANT TRANSACTIONS

John handles deals that range from millions to billions of dollars. Among his most considerable transactions are: the acquisition and development of commercial office properties at Playa Vista, California; the $9.5 billion acquisition of Hughes Aircraft Company, involving 20 million square feet across 30 states; the repositioning of over 200 anchor retail outlets throughout the Western United States; the national development and rollout of over 200 hotels for a major hotel chain, and the repositioning of corporate real estate for a Fortune 150 Company.

John represents the buyers in the largest annual real estate transactions in Los Angeles.

PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT

John is a founder and lead attorney in the ongoing partnership producing the Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast Commercial Real Estate Survey, a twice-annual survey involving the top commercial real estate owners, investors, and developers in California and provides a three-year economic outlook on a range of asset classes and geographical regions throughout the state. A frequent public speaker, John co-authored the chapter on Construction Agreements in the second edition of the California Continuing Education of the Bar Commercial Project Practice Guide, the legal education reference book on project management for California attorneys.

John is co-counsel of the Los Angeles Commercial Realty Association since 1999.

Professional Memberships

UCLA Anderson Forecast Advisory Board (inaugural)

California Lawyers Association

Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)

Urban Land Institute (ULI)

Education

Work Highlights

John represented the joint venture of Tishman Speyer Properties and Walton Street Capital in the acquisition of the commercial office development property at Playa Vista, California. He also represented Raytheon Company in its $9.5 billion acquisition of Hughes Aircraft Company, a transaction involving 20 million square feet of space in 30 states, Lubert-Adler in the repositioning of over 200 Mervyn's throughout the western United States, and served as the west coast counsel for Extended Stay America in facilitating their national rollout of extended-stay hotels.

John represents Artisan Realty, Hines Interests Limited Partnership, Starwood Capital, Spear Street Capital, and Tishman Speyer Properties in the development, management, and disposition of numerous assets throughout the western United States. He also represents owners and developers in the acquisition and development of, and the redevelopment of office buildings into, residential buildings.

Industry Sector Expertise

SERVICES

Commercial Real Estate Transactions

INDUSTRIES

Real Estate

Office